Haman’s Plot against the Jews 1After these actes, dyd king Ahasuerus promote Haman the sonne of Amadatha the Agagite, and set hym on hie, and set his seate aboue all the princes that he had with hym. 2And al the kinges seruauntes that were in the kinges gate, bowed their knees, and reuerenced Haman, for the king had so commaunded concerning hym: But Mardocheus bowed not the knee, neither dyd hym reuerence. 3Then the kinges seruauntes whiche were in the kinges gate, said vnto Mardocheus: Why transgressest thou the kinges commaundement? 4And though they spake this dayly vnto hym, yet woulde he not heare them, therfore they tolde Haman, that they might see howe Mardocheus matters woulde stande, for he had tolde them that he was a Iewe. 5And when Haman sawe that Mardocheus bowed not the knee vnto him, nor dyd reuerence vnto hym, he was full of indignation, 6And thought it to litle to lay handes onely on Mardocheus, for they had shewed him the nation of Mardocheus: wherefore he sought to destroy all the Iewes that were throughout the whole empire of Ahasuerus, and that were of the nation of Mardocheus. 7In the first moneth (that is, the moneth Nisan) in the twelfth yere of king Ahasuerus, they cast Phur, that is a lot, before Haman from day to day, and from moneth to moneth to the twelfth moneth, that is, the moneth Adar. 8And Haman sayde vnto king Ahasuerus: There is here a people scattred abrode, and dispearsed among all people in all the prouinces of thyne empire, and their lawes are diuers from all people, and do not after the kinges lawes, therefore it is not the kinges profite to suffer them after this maner. 9If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and so wyll I waye downe ten thousand talents of siluer by the handes of them that haue the charge of this busines, to bring it into the kinges treasurie. 10And the king toke his ring from his hand, & gaue it vnto Haman the sonne of Amadatha the Agagite, the Iewes enemie. 11And the king saide vnto Haman: Let the siluer be thyne, & do with that people as it pleaseth thee.
12Then were the kinges scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first moneth, & there was written according as Haman commaunded vnto all the kinges officers, and to the captaynes that were ouer euery prouince, and to the rulers of euery people in the countryes on euery side according to the writing therof, and to euery nation after their language, in the name of king Ahasuerus was it writen, and sealed with the kinges ring.
13And the letters were sent by postes into all the kinges prouinces, to roote out, to kill, and to destroy all Iewes both young and olde, children and women in one day |
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