以斯帖记三章1至15节

1这事以后，亚哈随鲁王擡举亚甲族哈米大他的儿子哈曼，使他高升，叫他的爵位超过与他同事的一切臣宰。

2在朝门的一切臣仆，都跪拜哈曼，因为王如此吩咐；惟独末底改不跪不拜。

3在朝门的臣仆问末底改说：“你为何违背王的命令呢？”

4他们天天劝他，他还是不听。他们就告诉哈曼，要看末底改的事站得住站不住，因他已经告诉他们自己是犹大人。

5哈曼见末底改不跪不拜，他就怒气填胸。

6他们已将末底改的本族告诉哈曼。他以为下手害末底改一人是小事，就要灭绝亚哈随鲁王通国所有的犹大人，就是末底改的本族。

7亚哈随鲁王十二年正月，就是尼散月，人在哈曼面前，按日日月月掣普珥，就是掣签，要定何月何日为吉，择定了十二月，就是亚达月。

8哈曼对亚哈随鲁王说：“有一种民，散居在王国各省的民中。他们的律例与万民的律例不同，也不守王的律例，所以容留他们与王无益。

9王若以为美，请下旨意灭绝他们；我就捐一万他连得银子，交给掌管国帑的人，纳入王的府库。”

10于是，王从自己手上摘下戒指，给犹大人的仇敌、亚甲族哈米大他的儿子哈曼。

11王对哈曼说：“这银子仍赐给你，这民也交给你，你可以随意待他们。”

12正月十三日，就召了王的书记来，照着哈曼一切所吩咐的，用各省的文字、各族的方言，奉亚哈随鲁王的名写旨意，传与总督和各省的省长，并各族的首领。又用王的戒指盖印，

13交给驿卒传到王的各省，吩咐将犹大人，无论老少妇女孩子，在一日之间，十二月，就是亚达月十三日，全然剪除，杀戮灭绝，并夺他们的财为掠物。

14抄录这旨意，颁行各省，宣告各族，使他们预备等候那日。

15驿卒奉王命急忙起行，旨意也传遍书珊城。王同哈曼坐下饮酒，书珊城的民，却都慌乱。

Esther 3:1-15

1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.

2 And all the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay homage.

3 Then the king’s servants who were within the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?”

4 Now it happened, when they spoke to him daily and he would not listen to them, that they told it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew.

5 When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled with wrath.

6 But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.

7 In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to determine the day and the month, until it fell on the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain.

9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who do the work, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.”

10 So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

11 And the king said to Haman, “The money and the people are given to you, to do with them as seems good to you.”

12 Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

13 And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

14 A copy of the document was to be issued as law in every province, being published for all people, that they should be ready for that day.

15 The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.