Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1  אַחַ֣ר׀ (After) הַדְּבָרִ֣ים (the things) הָאֵ֗לֶּה (these), גִּדַּל֩ (made great) הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ (King) אֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ (Ahasuerus) אֶת־ (-) הָמָ֧ן (Haman) בֶּֽן־ (son) הַמְּדָ֛תָא (of Hammedatha) הָאֲגָגִ֖י (the Agagite), וַֽיְנַשְּׂאֵ֑הוּ (and he lifted him up) וַיָּ֙שֶׂם֙ (and he set) אֶת־ (-) כִּסְא֔וֹ (his seat) מֵעַ֕ל (above) כָּל־ (all) הַשָּׂרִ֖ים (the officials) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) אִתּֽוֹ׃ (were with him). 2  וְכָל־ (And all) עַבְדֵ֨י (the servants) הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (of the king) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) בְּשַׁ֣עַר (were at the gate) הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ (of the king) כֹּרְעִ֤ים (were bowing) וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִים֙ (and prostrating themselves) לְהָמָ֔ן (to Haman), כִּי־ (for) כֵ֖ן (thus) צִוָּה־ (had commanded) ל֣וֹ (concerning him) הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ (the king), וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י (and Mordecai) לֹ֥א (not) יִכְרַ֖ע (would bow) וְלֹ֥א (and not) יִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶֽה׃ (would prostrate himself).

3  וַיֹּ֨אמְר֜וּ (And said) עַבְדֵ֥י (the servants) הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (of the king) אֲשֶׁר־ (who were) בְּשַׁ֥עַר (at the gate) הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (of the king) לְמָרְדֳּכָ֑י (to Mordecai), מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ (Why) אַתָּ֣ה (are you) עוֹבֵ֔ר (passing over) אֵ֖ת (-) מִצְוַ֥ת (the command) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king)?

4  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass), בְּאָמְרָם (in their speaking) אֵלָיו֙ (to him) י֣וֹם (day) וָי֔וֹם (and day) וְלֹ֥א (and not) שָׁמַ֖ע (he would listen) אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (to them). וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ (And they declared it) לְהָמָ֗ן (to Haman) לִרְאוֹת֙ (to see if) הֲיַֽעַמְדוּ֙ (would stand) דִּבְרֵ֣י (the words) מָרְדֳּכַ֔י (of Mordecai), כִּֽי־ (for) הִגִּ֥יד (he had declared) לָהֶ֖ם (to them) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) ה֥וּא (he was) יְהוּדִֽי׃ (a Jew).

5  וַיַּ֣רְא (And saw) הָמָ֔ן (Haman) כִּי־ (that) אֵ֣ין (was not) מָרְדֳּכַ֔י (Mordecai) כֹּרֵ֥עַ (bowing) וּמִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֖ה (and prostrating himself) ל֑וֹ (to him), וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א (and was filled) הָמָ֖ן (Haman) חֵמָֽה׃ (with rage). 6  וַיִּ֣בֶז (And it was despised) בְּעֵינָ֗יו (in his eyes) לִשְׁלֹ֤ח (to stretch out) יָד֙ (a hand) בְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣י (against Mordecai) לְבַדּ֔וֹ (alone), כִּֽי־ (for) הִגִּ֥ידוּ (they had made known) ל֖וֹ (to him) אֶת־ (-) עַ֣ם (the people) מָרְדֳּכָ֑י (of Mordecai), וַיְבַקֵּ֣שׁ (and sought) הָמָ֗ן (Haman) לְהַשְׁמִ֧יד (to destroy) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַיְּהוּדִ֛ים (the Jews) אֲשֶׁ֛ר (who were) בְּכָל־ (in all) מַלְכ֥וּת (the kingdom) אֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ (of Ahasuerus)— עַ֥ם (the people) מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃ (of Mordecai).

7  בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁ (In the month) הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ (the first), הוּא־ (it is) חֹ֣דֶשׁ (the month) נִיסָ֔ן (of Nisan), בִּשְׁנַת֙ (in year) שְׁתֵּ֣ים (two) עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה (and ten) לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (for King) אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ (Ahasuerus), הִפִּ֣יל (they cast) פּוּר֩ (Pur) ה֨וּא (that is)) הַגּוֹרָ֜ל (the lot) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face) הָמָ֗ן (of Haman) מִיּ֧וֹם׀ (from day) לְי֛וֹם (to day) וּמֵחֹ֛דֶשׁ (and from month) לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ (to month), שְׁנֵים־ (until month two) עָשָׂ֖ר (and ten), הוּא־ (it is) חֹ֥דֶשׁ (the month) אֲדָֽר׃ס (of Adar).

8  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) הָמָן֙ (Haman) לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (to king) אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ (Ahasuerus), יֶשְׁנ֣וֹ (There is) עַם־ (people) אֶחָ֗ד (one) מְפֻזָּ֤ר (scattered) וּמְפֹרָד֙ (and separated) בֵּ֣ין (between) הָֽעַמִּ֔ים (the peoples) בְּכֹ֖ל (in all) מְדִינ֣וֹת (the provinces) מַלְכוּתֶ֑ךָ (of your kingdom), וְדָתֵיהֶ֞ם (and their laws) שֹׁנ֣וֹת (being different) מִכָּל־ (from all) עָ֗ם (people). וְאֶת־ (And) דָּתֵ֤י (the laws) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (of the king) אֵינָ֣ם (not) עֹשִׂ֔ים (are they doing), וְלַמֶּ֥לֶךְ (and for the king) אֵין־ (not) שֹׁוֶ֖ה (it is fitting) לְהַנִּיחָֽם׃ (to let them remain). 9  אִם־ (If) עַל־ (upon) הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ (the king) ט֔וֹב (it is good), יִכָּתֵ֖ב (let it be written) לְאַבְּדָ֑ם (for them to perish), וַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת (and ten) אֲלָפִ֜ים (thousand) כִּכַּר־ (talents) כֶּ֗סֶף (of silver) אֶשְׁקוֹל֙ (I will weigh out) עַל־ (into) יְדֵי֙ (the hands) עֹשֵׂ֣י (of those doing) הַמְּלָאכָ֔ה (the work), לְהָבִ֖יא (to bring it) אֶל־ (into) גִּנְזֵ֥י (the treasuries) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king).

10  וַיָּ֧סַר (And removed) הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (the king) אֶת־ (-) טַבַּעְתּ֖וֹ (his signet ring) מֵעַ֣ל (from upon) יָד֑וֹ (his hand), וַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּ (and he gave it) לְהָמָ֧ן (to Haman) בֶּֽן־ (son) הַמְּדָ֛תָא (of Hammedatha) הָאֲגָגִ֖י (the Agagite), צֹרֵ֥ר (the enemy) הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ (of the Jews). 11  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (the king) לְהָמָ֔ן (to Haman), הַכֶּ֖סֶף (The silver) נָת֣וּן (is given) לָ֑ךְ (to you) וְהָעָ֕ם (and the people) לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (to do) בּ֖וֹ (with them) כַּטּ֥וֹב (as is good) בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃ (in your eyes).

12  וַיִּקָּרְאוּ֩ (And were called) סֹפְרֵ֨י (the scribes) הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ (of the king) בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ (in the month) הָרִאשׁ֗וֹן (first) בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה (on the three) עָשָׂ֣ר (and tenth) יוֹם֮ (day) בּוֹ֒ (on it), וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב (and it was written) כְּֽכָל־ (according to all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) צִוָּ֣ה (commanded) הָמָ֡ן (Haman) אֶ֣ל (to) אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי־ (the satraps) הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ (of the king) וְֽאֶל־ (and to) הַפַּח֞וֹת (the governors) אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ (who) עַל־ (were over) מְדִינָ֣ה (province) וּמְדִינָ֗ה (and province), וְאֶל־ (and to) שָׂ֤רֵי (the officials) עַם֙ (of people) וָעָ֔ם (and people), מְדִינָ֤ה (province) וּמְדִינָה֙ (and by province) כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ (each according to its writing), וְעַ֥ם (and people) וָעָ֖ם (and by people) כִּלְשׁוֹנ֑וֹ (each according to its tongue). בְּשֵׁ֨ם (In the name) הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ (of King) אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙ (Ahasuerus) נִכְתָּ֔ב (it was written), וְנֶחְתָּ֖ם (and it was sealed) בְּטַבַּ֥עַת (with the signet ring) הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (of the king).

13  וְנִשְׁל֨וֹחַ (And were sent) סְפָרִ֜ים (the letters) בְּיַ֣ד (by the hand) הָרָצִים֮ (of the runners) אֶל־ (to) כָּל־ (all) מְדִינ֣וֹת (the provinces) הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ (of the king), לְהַשְׁמִ֡יד (to destroy), לַהֲרֹ֣ג (to kill), וּלְאַבֵּ֣ד (and to exterminate) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַ֠יְּהוּדִים (of the Jews) מִנַּ֨עַר (from young) וְעַד־ (even to) זָקֵ֜ן (old), טַ֤ף (little children) וְנָשִׁים֙ (and women), בְּי֣וֹם (in a day) אֶחָ֔ד (single) בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה (on the three) עָשָׂ֛ר (and tenth day) לְחֹ֥דֶשׁ (for month) שְׁנֵים־ (two) עָשָׂ֖ר (and tenth), הוּא־ (it is) חֹ֣דֶשׁ (the month) אֲדָ֑ר (of Adar), וּשְׁלָלָ֖ם (and their spoils) לָבֽוֹז׃ (to plunder).

14  פַּתְשֶׁ֣גֶן (A copy) הַכְּתָ֗ב (of the writing) לְהִנָּ֤תֵֽן (was to be given) דָּת֙ (as law) בְּכָל־ (in every) מְדִינָ֣ה (province) וּמְדִינָ֔ה (and province), גָּל֖וּי (being revealed) לְכָל־ (to all) הָֽעַמִּ֑ים (the peoples), לִהְי֥וֹת (to be) עֲתִדִ֖ים (ready) לַיּ֥וֹם (for the day) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this). 15  הָֽרָצִ֞ים (The runners) יָצְא֤וּ (went forth), דְחוּפִים֙ (hurrying) בִּדְבַ֣ר (by the word) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (of the king), וְהַדָּ֥ת (and the law) נִתְּנָ֖ה (was given) בְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ן (in Susa) הַבִּירָ֑ה (the citadel). וְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְ (And the king) וְהָמָן֙ (and Haman) יָשְׁב֣וּ (sat down) לִשְׁתּ֔וֹת (to drink), וְהָעִ֥יר (and the city pf) שׁוּשָׁ֖ן (Susa) נָבֽוֹכָה׃פ (was in confusion).