Berean Interlinear
Esther
Chapter 3
                                                            After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ’a·ḥar
After
After
        
        hā·’êl·leh
these
these
        
        had·də·ḇā·rîm
events ,
events ,
        
        ham·me·leḵ
King
King
        
        ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōš
Xerxes
Xerxes
        
        ’eṯ-
-
-
        
        gid·dal
honored
honored
        
        hā·mān
Haman
Haman
        
        ben-
son
son
        
        ham·mə·ḏā·ṯā
of Hammedatha ,
of Hammedatha ,
        
        hā·’ă·ḡā·ḡî
the Agagite ,
the Agagite ,
        
        way·naś·śə·’ê·hū
elevating him
elevating him
        
        way·yā·śem
. . .
. . .
        
        ’eṯ-
-
-
        
        kis·’ōw
to a position
to a position
        
        mê·‘al
above
above
        
        kāl-
all
all
        
        haś·śā·rîm
the princes
the princes
        
        ’ă·šer
who
who
        
        ’it·tōw
[were] with him .
                            [were] with him .
                                                            All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        wə·ḵāl
All
All
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the royal
the royal
        
        ’ă·šer-
-
-
        
        ‘aḇ·ḏê
servants
servants
        
        ham·me·leḵ
at the king’s
at the king’s
        
        bə·ša·‘ar
gate
gate
        
        kō·rə·‘îm
bowed down
bowed down
        
        ū·miš·ta·ḥă·wîm
and paid homage
and paid homage
        
        lə·hā·mān
to Haman ,
to Haman ,
        
        kî-
because
because
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the king
the king
        
        ṣiw·wāh-
had commanded
had commanded
        
        ḵên
that this [be done]
that this [be done]
        
        lōw
for him .
for him .
        
        ū·mā·rə·do·ḵay
But Mordecai
But Mordecai
        
        lō
would not
would not
        
        yiḵ·ra‘
bow down
bow down
        
        wə·lō
. . .
. . .
        
        yiš·ta·ḥă·weh
or pay homage .
                            or pay homage .
                                                            Then the royal servants at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the command of the king?”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ham·me·leḵ
Then the royal
Then the royal
        
        ’ă·šer-
-
-
        
        ‘aḇ·ḏê
servants
servants
        
        ham·me·leḵ
at the king’s
at the king’s
        
        bə·ša·‘ar
gate
gate
        
        way·yō·mə·rū
asked
asked
        
        lə·mā·rə·do·ḵāy
Mordecai ,
Mordecai ,
        
        mad·dū·a‘
“ Why
“ Why
        
        ’at·tāh
do you
do you
        
        ‘ō·w·ḇêr
disobey
disobey
        
        ’êṯ
-
-
        
        miṣ·waṯ
the command
the command
        
        ham·me·leḵ
of the king ? ”
                            of the king ? ”
                                                            Day after day they warned him, but he would not comply. So they reported it to Haman to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        way·hî
-
-
        
        yō·wm
Day
Day
        
        wā·yō·wm
after day
after day
        
        bə·ʾå̄·mə·rå̄m
they warned
they warned
        
        ’ê·lāw
him ,
him ,
        
        wə·lō
but he would not
but he would not
        
        šā·ma‘
comply
comply
        
        ’ă·lê·hem
. . . .
. . . .
        
        way·yag·gî·ḏū
So they reported it
So they reported it
        
        lə·hā·mān
to Haman
to Haman
        
        lir·’ō·wṯ
to see
to see
        
        mā·rə·do·ḵay
whether Mordecai’s
whether Mordecai’s
        
        diḇ·rê
behavior
behavior
        
        hă·ya·‘am·ḏū
would be tolerated ,
would be tolerated ,
        
        kî-
since
since
        
        hig·gîḏ
he had told
he had told
        
        lā·hem
. . .
. . .
        
        ’ă·šer-
them
them
        
        hū
he
he
        
        yə·hū·ḏî
was a Jew .
                            was a Jew .
                                                            When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down or pay him homage, he was filled with rage.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        hā·mān
When Haman
When Haman
        
        way·yar
saw
saw
        
        kî-
that
that
        
        mā·rə·do·ḵay
Mordecai
Mordecai
        
        ’ên
would not
would not
        
        kō·rê·a‘
bow down
bow down
        
        ū·miš·ta·ḥă·weh
or pay him homage
or pay him homage
        
        lōw
,
,
        
        hā·mān
he
he
        
        way·yim·mā·lê
was filled
was filled
        
        ḥê·māh
with rage .
                            with rage .
                                                            And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion of laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        kî-
And when
And when
        
        hig·gî·ḏū
he learned the identity
he learned the identity
        
        lōw
         
    
        
        ’eṯ-
         
    
        
        mā·rə·do·ḵāy
of Mordecai’s
of Mordecai’s
        
        ‘am
people ,
people ,
        
        way·yi·ḇez
he scorned the notion of
he scorned the notion of
        
        bə·‘ê·nāw
. . .
. . .
        
        liš·lōḥ
laying
laying
        
        yāḏ
hands
hands
        
        bə·mā·rə·do·ḵay
on Mordecai
on Mordecai
        
        lə·ḇad·dōw
alone .
alone .
        
        hā·mān
Instead, he
Instead, he
        
        way·ḇaq·qêš
sought
sought
        
        lə·haš·mîḏ
to destroy
to destroy
        
        ’eṯ-
         
    
        
        kāl-
all
all
        
        mā·rə·do·ḵāy
of Mordecai’s
of Mordecai’s
        
        ‘am
people ,
people ,
        
        hay·yə·hū·ḏîm
the Jews ,
the Jews ,
        
        ’ă·šer
-
-
        
        bə·ḵāl
throughout
throughout
        
        mal·ḵūṯ
the kingdom
the kingdom
        
        ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōš
of Xerxes .
                            of Xerxes .
                                                            In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        šə·têm
In the twelfth
In the twelfth
        
        ‘eś·rêh
. . .
. . .
        
        biš·naṯ
year
year
        
        lam·me·leḵ
of King
of King
        
        ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōš
Xerxes ,
Xerxes ,
        
        hā·ri·šō·wn
in the first
in the first
        
        ba·ḥō·ḏeš
month ,
month ,
        
        hū-
         
    
        
        ḥō·ḏeš
the month
the month
        
        nî·sān
of Nisan ,
of Nisan ,
        
        pūr
the Pur
the Pur
        
        hū
(that is ,
(that is ,
        
        hag·gō·w·rāl
the lot )
the lot )
        
        hip·pîl
was cast
was cast
        
        lip̄·nê
before
before
        
        hā·mān
Haman
Haman
        
        mî·yō·wm
to determine a day
to determine a day
        
        lə·yō·wm
. . .
. . .
        
        ū·mê·ḥō·ḏeš
and month .
and month .
        
        lə·ḥō·ḏeš
. . .
. . .
        
        šə·nêm-
[And the lot fell on] the twelfth
[And the lot fell on] the twelfth
        
        ‘ā·śār
. . .
. . .
        
        hū-
. . .
. . .
        
        ḥō·ḏeš
month ,
month ,
        
        ’ă·ḏār
the month of Adar .
                            the month of Adar .
                                                            Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        hā·mān
Then Haman
Then Haman
        
        way·yō·mer
informed
informed
        
        lam·me·leḵ
King
King
        
        ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōš
Xerxes ,
Xerxes ,
        
        yeš·nōw
“ There
“ There
        
        ’e·ḥāḏ
is a certain
is a certain
        
        ‘am-
people
people
        
        mə·p̄uz·zār
scattered
scattered
        
        ū·mə·p̄ō·rāḏ
and dispersed
and dispersed
        
        bên
among
among
        
        hā·‘am·mîm
the peoples
the peoples
        
        bə·ḵōl
of every
of every
        
        mə·ḏî·nō·wṯ
province
province
        
        mal·ḵū·ṯe·ḵā
of your kingdom .
of your kingdom .
        
        wə·ḏā·ṯê·hem
Their laws
Their laws
        
        šō·nō·wṯ
are different
are different
        
        mik·kāl
from everyone
from everyone
        
        ‘ām
else’s ,
else’s ,
        
        wə·’eṯ-
-
-
        
        ’ê·nām
and they do not
and they do not
        
        ‘ō·śîm
obey
obey
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the king’s
the king’s
        
        dā·ṯê
laws .
laws .
        
        ’ên-
So it is not
So it is not
        
        wə·lam·me·leḵ
in the king’s
in the king’s
        
        šō·weh
best interest
best interest
        
        lə·han·nî·ḥām
to tolerate them .
                            to tolerate them .
                                                            If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ’im-
If
If
        
        ‘al-
-
-
        
        ṭō·wḇ
it pleases
it pleases
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the king ,
the king ,
        
        yik·kā·ṯêḇ
let [a decree] be issued
let [a decree] be issued
        
        lə·’ab·bə·ḏām
to destroy them ,
to destroy them ,
        
        lə·hā·ḇî
and I will deposit
and I will deposit
        
        wa·‘ă·śe·reṯ
ten
ten
        
        ’ă·lā·p̄îm
thousand
thousand
        
        kik·kar-
talents
talents
        
        ke·sep̄
of silver
of silver
        
        ’el-
into
into
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the royal
the royal
        
        gin·zê
treasury
treasury
        
        ’eš·qō·wl
to pay
to pay
        
        ‘al-
. . .
. . .
        
        yə·ḏê
. . .
. . .
        
        ‘ō·śê
those who carry it out
those who carry it out
        
        ham·mə·lā·ḵāh
. . . . ”
                            . . . . ”
                                                            So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ham·me·leḵ
So the king
So the king
        
        ’eṯ-
-
-
        
        way·yā·sar
removed
removed
        
        ṭab·ba‘·tōw
the signet ring
the signet ring
        
        mê·‘al
from
from
        
        yā·ḏōw
his finger
his finger
        
        way·yit·tə·nāh
and gave
and gave
        
        lə·hā·mān
it to Haman
it to Haman
        
        ben-
son
son
        
        ham·mə·ḏā·ṯā
of Hammedatha ,
of Hammedatha ,
        
        hā·’ă·ḡā·ḡî
the Agagite ,
the Agagite ,
        
        ṣō·rêr
the enemy
the enemy
        
        hay·yə·hū·ḏîm
of the Jews .
                            of the Jews .
                                                            “Keep your money,” said the king to Haman. “These people are given to you to do with them as you please.”
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        hak·ke·sep̄
“ Keep your money , ”
“ Keep your money , ”
        
        way·yō·mer
said
said
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the king
the king
        
        lə·hā·mān
to Haman .
to Haman .
        
        wə·hā·‘ām
“ These people
“ These people
        
        nā·ṯūn
[are] given
[are] given
        
        lāḵ
to you
to you
        
        la·‘ă·śō·wṯ
to do
to do
        
        bōw
with them
with them
        
        bə·‘ê·ne·ḵā
as you please
as you please
        
        kaṭ·ṭō·wḇ
. . . . ”
                            . . . . ”
                                                            On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        ’ă·ḥaš·dar·pə·nê-
satraps ,
satraps ,
        
        hap·pa·ḥō·wṯ
the governors
the governors
        
        ’ă·šer
-
-
        
        ‘al-
-
-
        
        mə·ḏî·nāh
of each province
of each province
        
        ū·mə·ḏî·nāh
. . . ,
. . . ,
        
        wə·’el-
. . .
. . .
        
        śā·rê
and the officials
and the officials
        
        ‘am
of each
of each
        
        wā·‘ām
people
people
        
        mə·ḏî·nāh
,
,
        
        kiḵ·ṯā·ḇāh
in the script
in the script
        
        ū·mə·ḏî·nāh
of each province
of each province
        
        kil·šō·w·nōw
and the language
and the language
        
        wə·‘am
vvv
vvv
        
        wā·‘ām
of every people .
of every people .
        
        niḵ·tāḇ
It was written
It was written
        
        bə·šêm
in the name
in the name
        
        ham·me·leḵ
of King
of King
        
        ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rōš
Xerxes
Xerxes
        
        wə·neḥ·tām
and sealed
and sealed
        
        ham·me·leḵ
with the royal
with the royal
        
        bə·ṭab·ba·‘aṯ
signet ring .
signet ring .
        
        biš·lō·wō·šāh
On the thirteenth
On the thirteenth
        
        ‘ā·śār
. . .
. . .
        
        yō·wm
day
day
        
        bōw
         
    
        
        hā·ri·šō·wn
of the first
of the first
        
        ba·ḥō·ḏeš
month ,
month ,
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the royal
the royal
        
        sō·p̄ə·rê
scribes
scribes
        
        way·yiq·qā·rə·’ū
were summoned
were summoned
        
        way·yik·kā·ṯêḇ
and the order was written
and the order was written
        
        kə·ḵāl-
exactly as
exactly as
        
        ’ă·šer-
-
-
        
        hā·mān
Haman
Haman
        
        ’el
. . .
. . .
        
        ṣiw·wāh
commanded
commanded
        
        ham·me·leḵ
the royal
the royal
        
        wə·’el-
. . .
                            . . .
                                                            And the letters were sent by couriers to each of the royal provinces with the order to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—and to plunder their possessions on a single day, the thirteenth day of Adar, the twelfth month.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        sə·p̄ā·rîm
And the letters
And the letters
        
        wə·niš·lō·w·aḥ
were sent
were sent
        
        bə·yaḏ
by
by
        
        hā·rā·ṣîm
couriers
couriers
        
        ’el-
to
to
        
        kāl-
each
each
        
        ham·me·leḵ
of the royal
of the royal
        
        mə·ḏî·nō·wṯ
provinces
provinces
        
        lə·haš·mîḏ
with the order to destroy ,
with the order to destroy ,
        
        la·hă·rōḡ
kill ,
kill ,
        
        ū·lə·’ab·bêḏ
and annihilate
and annihilate
        
        ’eṯ-
-
-
        
        kāl-
all
all
        
        hay·yə·hū·ḏîm
the Jews —
the Jews —
        
        min·na·‘ar
young
young
        
        wə·‘aḏ-
and
and
        
        zā·qên
old ,
old ,
        
        wə·nā·šîm
women
women
        
        ṭap̄
and children —
and children —
        
        lā·ḇō·wz
and to plunder
and to plunder
        
        ū·šə·lā·lām
their possessions
their possessions
        
        ’e·ḥāḏ
on a single
on a single
        
        bə·yō·wm
day ,
day ,
        
        biš·lō·wō·šāh
the thirteenth
the thirteenth
        
        ‘ā·śār
. . .
. . .
        
        ’ă·ḏār
day of Adar ,
day of Adar ,
        
        šə·nêm-
the twelfth
the twelfth
        
        ‘ā·śār
. . .
. . .
        
        hū-
. . .
. . .
        
        ḥō·ḏeš
month
month
        
        lə·ḥō·ḏeš
.
                            .
                                                            A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued in every province and published to all the people, so that they would be ready on that day.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        paṯ·še·ḡen
A copy
A copy
        
        hak·kə·ṯāḇ
of the text
of the text
        
        dāṯ
of the edict
of the edict
        
        lə·hin·nā·ṯên
was to be issued
was to be issued
        
        bə·ḵāl
in every
in every
        
        mə·ḏî·nāh
province
province
        
        ū·mə·ḏî·nāh
. . .
. . .
        
        gā·lui
and published
and published
        
        lə·ḵāl
to all
to all
        
        hā·‘am·mîm
the people ,
the people ,
        
        lih·yō·wṯ
. . .
. . .
        
        ‘ă·ṯi·ḏîm
so that they would be ready
so that they would be ready
        
        haz·zeh
on that
on that
        
        lay·yō·wm
day .
                            day .
                                                            The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.
                                                    
                        
                    
        
        hā·rā·ṣîm
The couriers
The couriers
        
        yā·ṣə·’ū
left ,
left ,
        
        ḏə·ḥū·p̄îm
spurred on
spurred on
        
        ham·me·leḵ
by the king’s
by the king’s
        
        biḏ·ḇar
command ,
command ,
        
        wə·had·dāṯ
and the edict
and the edict
        
        nit·tə·nāh
was issued
was issued
        
        hab·bî·rāh
in the citadel
in the citadel
        
        bə·šū·šan
of Susa .
of Susa .
        
        wə·ham·me·leḵ
Then the king
Then the king
        
        wə·hā·mān
and Haman
and Haman
        
        yā·šə·ḇū
sat down
sat down
        
        liš·tō·wṯ
to drink ,
to drink ,
        
        wə·hā·‘îr
but the city
but the city
        
        šū·šān
of Susa
of Susa
        
        nā·ḇō·w·ḵāh
was in confusion .
                            was in confusion .