Esther

Chapter 3

Phonetic (Hebrew): acha֣r ׀ hadּebari֣ym ha'e֗lּeh gּidּal֩ hamּe֨leke 'achashshever֜oshsh 'et-hama֧n bּeֽn-hamּeda֛ta ha'agagi֖y vaֽyenashsּe'e֑hu vayּa֨shsem֙ 'et-kּise'֔o me'a֕l kּal-hashsּari֖ym 'ashshe֥r 'itּֽo׃

Edified Edition (EDE)After these events, King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, giving him a higher seat of honour than all the other princes who were with him.

אַחַ֣ר ׀ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה גִּדַּל֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ אֶת־הָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָאֲגָגִ֖י וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ וַיָּ֨שֶׂם֙ אֶת־כִּסְא֔וֹ מֵעַ֕ל כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּֽוֹ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vekal-'abede֨y hamּe֜leke 'ashsher-bּeshsha֣'ar hamּe֗leke kּore'i֤ym umiֽshshetּachaviym֙ lehama֔n kּiy-ke֖n tziuah-l֣o hamּe֑leke uma֨redּoka֔y lo֥ yikera֖ velo֥ yiֽshshetּachaveֽh׃

Edified Edition (EDE)All the royal officials at the king’s gate bowed down and paid honour to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay him honour.

וְכָל־עַבְדֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כֹּרְעִ֤ים וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ לְהָמָ֔ן כִּי־כֵ֖ן צִוָּה־ל֣וֹ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י לֹ֥א יִכְרַ֖ע וְלֹ֥א יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֨'mer֜u 'abede֥y hamּe֛leke 'ashsher-bּeshsha֥'ar hamּe֖leke lemaredּoka֑y madּ֨u'a֙ 'atּa֣h 'obe֔r 'e֖t mitzeva֥t hamּeֽleke׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king’s command?"

וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ עַבְדֵ֥י הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁ֥עַר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְמָרְדֳּכָ֑י מַדּ֨וּעַ֙ אַתָּ֣ה עוֹבֵ֔ר אֵ֖ת מִצְוַ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayehi֗y b'mrm kּe'amera֤m 'elayv֙ y֣om vay֔om velo֥ shshama֖ 'aleyhe֑m vayּagּi֣ydu lehama֗n lire'ot֙ hayaֽ'amedu֙ dּibere֣y maredּoka֔y kּiֽy-higּi֥yd lahe֖m 'ashsher-h֥u yehudiֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Day after day they spoke to him, but he refused to listen. Finally, they told Haman about it to see if Mordecai’s behaviour would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

וַיְהִ֗י באמרם כְּאָמְרָ֤ם אֵלָיו֙ י֣וֹם וָי֔וֹם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לְהָמָ֗ן לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥יד לָהֶ֖ם אֲשֶׁר־ה֥וּא יְהוּדִֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֣re hama֔n kּiy-'e֣yn maredּoka֔y kּore֥'a umiֽshshetּachave֖h l֑o vayּimּale֥ hama֖n chemaֽh׃

Edified Edition (EDE)When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him honour, he was filled with rage.

וַיַּ֣רְא הָמָ֔ן כִּי־אֵ֣ין מָרְדֳּכַ֔י כֹּרֵ֥עַ וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה ל֑וֹ וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א הָמָ֖ן חֵמָֽה׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּi֣bez bּe'eyna֗yv lishshelo֤ch yad֙ bּemaredּoka֣y lebadּ֔o kּiֽy-higּi֥ydu l֖o 'et-'a֣m maredּoka֑y vayebaqּe֣shsh hama֗n lehashshemi֧yd 'et-kּal-hayּehudi֛ym 'ashshe֛r bּekal-malek֥ut 'achashshever֖oshsh 'a֥m maredּokaֽy׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he thought it was beneath him to kill only Mordecai. Instead, Haman looked for a way to destroy all the Jews throughout the entire kingdom of Xerxes.

וַיִּ֣בֶז בְּעֵינָ֗יו לִשְׁלֹ֤ח יָד֙ בְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣י לְבַדּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־הִגִּ֥ידוּ ל֖וֹ אֶת־עַ֣ם מָרְדֳּכָ֑י וַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁ הָמָ֗ן לְהַשְׁמִ֧יד אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֛ר בְּכָל־מַלְכ֥וּת אֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ עַ֥ם מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): bּacho֤deshsh hari'shshon֙ hu'-cho֣deshsh niysa֔n bּishshenat֙ shshetּe֣ym 'eshsere֔h lamּe֖leke 'achashshever֑oshsh hipּi֣yl pּur֩ h֨u hagּora֜l lipene֣y hama֗n miyּ֧om ׀ ley֛om umecho֛deshsh lecho֥deshsh shsheneym-'ashsa֖r hu'-cho֥deshsh 'adaֽr׃s

Edified Edition (EDE)In the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Xerxes, the lot, known as the Pur, was cast in the presence of Haman. This was done to choose a day and a month, and the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֔ן בִּשְׁנַת֙ שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ הִפִּ֣יל פּוּר֩ ה֨וּא הַגּוֹרָ֜ל לִפְנֵ֣י הָמָ֗ן מִיּ֧וֹם ׀ לְי֛וֹם וּמֵחֹ֛דֶשׁ לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר׃ס

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֤'mer haman֙ lamּe֣leke 'achashshever֔oshsh yeshshen֣o 'am-'echa֗d mepuzּa֤r umeporad֙ bּe֣yn haֽ'amּi֔ym bּeko֖l mediyn֣ot malekute֑ka vedateyhe֞m shshon֣ot mikּal-'a֗m ve'et-dּate֤y hamּe֨leke֙ 'eyna֣m 'oshsi֔ym velamּe֥leke 'eyn-shshove֖h lehanּiychaֽm׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s interest to let them remain."

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָמָן֙ לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ עַם־אֶחָ֗ד מְפֻזָּ֤ר וּמְפֹרָד֙ בֵּ֣ין הָֽעַמִּ֔ים בְּכֹ֖ל מְדִינ֣וֹת מַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ וְדָתֵיהֶ֞ם שֹׁנ֣וֹת מִכָּל־עָ֗ם וְאֶת־דָּתֵ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֵינָ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים וְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֵין־שֹׁוֶ֖ה לְהַנִּיחָֽם׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): im-'al-hamּe֣leke t֔ob yikּate֖b le'abּeda֑m va'ashse֨ret 'alapi֜ym kּikּar-kּe֗sep 'eshsheqol֙ 'al-yedey֙ 'oshse֣y hamּela'ka֔h lehabi֖y 'el-gּineze֥y hamּeֽleke׃

Edified Edition (EDE)"If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay for the task."

אִם־עַל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ ט֔וֹב יִכָּתֵ֖ב לְאַבְּדָ֑ם וַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֜ים כִּכַּר־כֶּ֗סֶף אֶשְׁקוֹל֙ עַל־יְדֵי֙ עֹשֵׂ֣י הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה לְהָבִ֖יא אֶל־גִּנְזֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּa֧sar hamּe֛leke 'et-tabּa'etּ֖o me'a֣l yad֑o vaֽyּitּena֗hּ lehama֧n bּeֽn-hamּeda֛ta ha'agagi֖y tzore֥r hayּehudiֽym׃

Edified Edition (EDE)The king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

וַיָּ֧סַר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־טַבַּעְתּ֖וֹ מֵעַ֣ל יָד֑וֹ וַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּ לְהָמָ֧ן בֶּֽן־הַמְּדָ֛תָא הָאֲגָגִ֖י צֹרֵ֥ר הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo֤'mer hamּe֨leke֙ lehama֔n hakּe֖sep nat֣un la֑ke veha'a֕m la'ashs֥ot bּ֖o kּatּ֥ob bּe'eyneֽyka׃

Edified Edition (EDE)"Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please."

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ לְהָמָ֔ן הַכֶּ֖סֶף נָת֣וּן לָ֑ךְ וְהָעָ֕ם לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת בּ֖וֹ כַּטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּiqּare'u֩ sopere֨y hamּe֜leke bּacho֣deshsh hari'shsh֗on bּishsheloshsha֨h 'ashsa֣r yom֮ bּo֒ vayּikּate֣b kּeֽkal-'ashsher-tziua֣h hama֡n 'e֣l 'achashshedּarepּeneֽy-ha֠mּeleke veֽ'el-hapּach֞ot 'ashshe֣r ׀ 'al-mediyna֣h umediyna֗h ve'el-shsa֤rey 'am֙ va'a֔m mediyna֤h umediynah֙ kּiketaba֔hּ ve'a֥m va'a֖m kּileshshon֑o bּeshshe֨m hamּe֤leke 'achashsheveroshsh֙ niketּa֔b venechetּa֖m bּetabּa֥'at hamּeֽleke׃

Edified Edition (EDE)On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned. They wrote out in the name of King Xerxes all of Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of every province, and the officials of every people. The decree was written in the script of each province and the language of each people, and was sealed with the king’s signet ring.

וַיִּקָּרְאוּ֩ סֹפְרֵ֨י הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה עָשָׂ֣ר יוֹם֮ בּוֹ֒ וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽכָל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה הָמָ֡ן אֶ֣ל אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי־הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ וְֽאֶל־הַפַּח֞וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ עַל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֗ה וְאֶל־שָׂ֤רֵי עַם֙ וָעָ֔ם מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם כִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ בְּשֵׁ֨ם הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙ נִכְתָּ֔ב וְנֶחְתָּ֖ם בְּטַבַּ֥עַת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): venishshel֨ocha separi֜ym bּeya֣d haratziym֮ 'el-kּal-mediyn֣ot hamּeleke֒ lehashshemi֡yd laharo֣g ule'abּe֣d 'et-kּal-ha֠yּehudiym minּa֨'ar ve'ad-zaqe֜n ta֤p venashshiym֙ bּey֣om 'echa֔d bּishsheloshsha֥h 'ashsa֛r lecho֥deshsh shsheneym-'ashsa֖r hu'-cho֣deshsh 'ada֑r ushshelala֖m labֽoz׃

Edified Edition (EDE)Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill, and completely annihilate all the Jews, young and old, women and children, on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.

וְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַ סְפָרִ֜ים בְּיַ֣ד הָרָצִים֮ אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינ֣וֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ לְהַשְׁמִ֡יד לַהֲרֹ֣ג וּלְאַבֵּ֣ד אֶת־כָּל־הַ֠יְּהוּדִים מִנַּ֨עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֜ן טַ֤ף וְנָשִׁים֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֶחָ֔ד בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ אֲדָ֑ר וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם לָבֽוֹז׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): pּateshshe֣gen hakּeta֗b lehinּa֤teֽn dּat֙ bּekal-mediyna֣h umediyna֔h gּal֖uy lekal-haֽ'amּi֑ym lihey֥ot 'atidi֖ym layּ֥om hazּeֽh׃

Edified Edition (EDE)A copy of the decree was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.

פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן הַכְּתָ֗ב לְהִנָּ֤תֵֽן דָּת֙ בְּכָל־מְדִינָ֣ה וּמְדִינָ֔ה גָּל֖וּי לְכָל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים לִהְי֥וֹת עֲתִדִ֖ים לַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

Phonetic (Hebrew): hֽaratzi֞ym yatze'֤u dechupiym֙ bּideba֣r hamּe֔leke vehadּa֥t nitּena֖h bּeshshushsha֣n habּiyra֑h vehamּe֤leke vehaman֙ yashsheb֣u lishshetּ֔ot veha'i֥yr shshushsha֖n nabֽokah׃p

Edified Edition (EDE)Driven by the king’s command, the couriers went out, and the decree was also issued in the fortress of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.

הָֽרָצִ֞ים יָצְא֤וּ דְחוּפִים֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְהַדָּ֥ת נִתְּנָ֖ה בְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ן הַבִּירָ֑ה וְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וְהָמָן֙ יָשְׁב֣וּ לִשְׁתּ֔וֹת וְהָעִ֥יר שׁוּשָׁ֖ן נָבֽוֹכָה׃פ