Esther

Esther 3:6–9

6And when he learned the identity of Mordecai’s people, he scorned the notion ofa laying hands on Mordecai alone. Instead, he sought to destroy all of Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the kingdom of Xerxes.

7In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan,b 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.c

8Then 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. 9If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silverd into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.”

Footnotes

  • a 3:6 Hebrew he disdained in his eyes
  • b 3:7 Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of March and April.
  • c 3:7 LXX was cast before Haman—a day and month—and the lot fell on the fourteenth of the month of Adar; Hebrew was cast before Haman a day and month—the twelfth, Adar; the month of Adar (also in verse 13) is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March.
  • d 3:9 10,000 talents is approximately 377 tons or 342 metric tons of silver.

Read all of Esther 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Esther 3:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
And whenכִּֽי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
he learned the identityהִגִּ֥ידוּhig·gî·ḏūVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common pluralH5046 be conspicuous
of Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכָ֑יmā·rə·do·ḵāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
peopleעַ֣ם‘amNoun - masculine singular constructH5971 people
he scorned the notion ofוַיִּ֣בֶזway·yi·ḇezConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH959 despise
layingלִשְׁלֹ֤חliš·lōḥPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7971 send
handsיָד֙yāḏNoun - feminine singularH3027 hand
on Mordecaiבְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣יbə·mā·rə·do·ḵayPreposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
aloneלְבַדּ֔וֹlə·ḇad·dōwPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH905 separation
Insteadהָמָ֗ןhā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
heהָמָ֗ןhā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
soughtוַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁway·ḇaq·qêšConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1245 seek
to destroyלְהַשְׁמִ֧ידlə·haš·mîḏPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH8045 be exterminated, destroyed
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
of Mordecai’sמָרְדֳּכָֽי׃mā·rə·do·ḵāyNoun - proper - masculine singularH4782 Mordecai
peopleעַ֥ם‘amNoun - masculine singular constructH5971 people
the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֛יםhay·yə·hū·ḏîmArticle; Noun - proper - masculine pluralH3064 Jewish
throughoutבְּכָל־bə·ḵālPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the kingdomמַלְכ֥וּתmal·ḵūṯNoun - feminine singular constructH4438 royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom
of Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōšNoun - proper - masculine singularH325 Ahasuerus

Esther 3:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
In the twelfthשְׁתֵּ֣יםšə·têmNumber - fdH8147 two
yearבִּשְׁנַת֙biš·naṯPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH8141 year
of Kingלַמֶּ֖לֶךְlam·me·leḵPreposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōšNoun - proper - masculine singularH325 Ahasuerus
in the firstהָרִאשׁוֹן֙hā·ri·šō·wnArticle; Adjective - masculine singularH7223 former, first, chief
monthבַּחֹ֤דֶשׁba·ḥō·ḏešPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH2320 (newness), new moon, month
the monthחֹ֣דֶשׁḥō·ḏešNoun - masculine singular constructH2320 (newness), new moon, month
of Nisanנִיסָ֔ןnî·sānNoun - proper - feminine singularH5212 Nisan
the Purפּוּר֩pūrNoun - masculine singularH6332 lot
that isה֨וּאhūPronoun - third person masculine singularH1931 he, she
the lotהַגּוֹרָ֜לhag·gō·w·rālArticle; Noun - masculine singularH1486 lot
was castהִפִּ֣ילhip·pîlVerb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5307 fall, lie
beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêPreposition-l; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
Hamanהָמָ֗ןhā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
to determine a dayמִיּ֧וֹם׀mî·yō·wmPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH3117 day
and monthוּמֵחֹ֛דֶשׁū·mê·ḥō·ḏešConjunctive waw, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singularH2320 (newness), new moon, month
the twelfthשְׁנֵים־šə·nêm-Number - mdH8147 two
monthחֹ֥דֶשׁḥō·ḏešNoun - masculine singular constructH2320 (newness), new moon, month
the month of Adarאֲדָֽר׃ס’ă·ḏārNoun - proper - feminine singularH143 Adar

Esther 3:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Hamanהָמָן֙hā·mānNoun - proper - masculine singularH2001 Haman
informedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Kingלַמֶּ֣לֶךְlam·me·leḵPreposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
Xerxesאֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ’ă·ḥaš·wê·rō·wōšNoun - proper - masculine singularH325 Ahasuerus
Thereיֶשְׁנ֣וֹyeš·nōwAdverb; third person masculine singularH3426 being, substance, existence
is a certainאֶחָ֗ד’e·ḥāḏNumber - masculine singularH259 one
peopleעַם־‘am-Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
scatteredמְפֻזָּ֤רmə·p̄uz·zārVerb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularH6340 scatter
and dispersedוּמְפֹרָד֙ū·mə·p̄ō·rāḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Pual - Participle - masculine singularH6504 divide
amongבֵּ֣יןbênPrepositionH996 interval, space between
the peoplesהָֽעַמִּ֔יםhā·‘am·mîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH5971 people
of everyבְּכֹ֖לbə·ḵōlPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
provinceמְדִינ֣וֹתmə·ḏî·nō·wṯNoun - feminine plural constructH4082 province
of your kingdomמַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָmal·ḵū·ṯe·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH4438 royalty, royal power, reign, kingdom
Their lawsוְדָתֵיהֶ֞םwə·ḏā·ṯê·hemConjunctive waw; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine pluralH1881 decree, law, usage
are differentשֹׁנ֣וֹתšō·nō·wṯVerb - Qal - Participle - feminine pluralH8138 change
from everyoneמִכָּל־mik·kālPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
else’sעָ֗ם‘āmNoun - masculine singularH5971 people
and they do notאֵינָ֣ם’ê·nāmAdverb; third person masculine pluralH369 nothing, nought
obeyעֹשִׂ֔ים‘ō·śîmVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralH6213 do, make
the king’sהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
lawsדָּתֵ֤יdā·ṯêNoun - feminine plural constructH1881 decree, law, usage
So it is notאֵין־’ên-AdverbH369 nothing, nought
in the king’sוְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְwə·lam·me·leḵConjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
best interestשֹׁוֶ֖הšō·wehVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH7737 be even, smooth
to tolerate themלְהַנִּיחָֽם׃lə·han·nî·ḥāmPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine pluralH5117 rest

Esther 3:9

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Ifאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
it pleasesט֔וֹבṭō·wḇAdjective - masculine singularH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
the kingהַמֶּ֣לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
letיִכָּתֵ֖בyik·kā·ṯêḇVerb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH3789 write
to destroy themלְאַבְּדָ֑םlə·’ab·bə·ḏāmPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine pluralH6 perish
and I will depositלְהָבִ֖יאlə·hā·ḇîPreposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH935 come in, come, go in, go
tenוַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶתwa·‘ă·śe·reṯConjunctive waw; Number - masculine singular constructH6235 ten
thousandאֲלָפִ֜ים’ă·lā·p̄îmNumber - masculine pluralH505 thousand
talentsכִּכַּר־kik·kar-Noun - feminine singular constructH3603 a round
of silverכֶּ֗סֶףke·sep̄Noun - masculine singularH3701 silver, money
intoאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the royalהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
treasuryגִּנְזֵ֥יgin·zêNoun - masculine plural constructH1595 treasure
to payאֶשְׁקוֹל֙’eš·qō·wlVerb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singularH8254 weigh
those who carry it outעֹשֵׂ֣י‘ō·śêVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructH6213 do, make

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Esther 3:6 Psalm 83:4

Esther 3:7 Ezra 6:15 · Esther 9:24–26 · Proverbs 16:33 · Ezekiel 21:21–22

Esther 3:8 Ezra 4:12–15 · Acts 16:20–21 · Leviticus 26:33 · John 7:35 · Zechariah 7:14 · Jeremiah 50:17 · Deuteronomy 4:27

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.