But he disdained[a] to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy[b] all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, (A)they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is (B)the month of Adar. Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. (C)Their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king's laws, so that it is not to the king's profit to tolerate them.

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Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:6 Hebrew disdained in his eyes
  2. Esther 3:6 Or annihilate

Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way(A) to destroy(B) all Mordecai’s people, the Jews,(C) throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur(D) (that is, the lot(E)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.(F)

Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs(G) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey(H) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.(I)

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Footnotes

  1. Esther 3:7 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have And the lot fell on.