Page 795 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

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AUGUST 1
Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the
11
AUGUST 1 Jews. And the king said to Haman, “The
money and the people are given to you, to do
with them as seems good to you.”
12 Then the king’s scribes were called on the
Esther 3:1–4:17
thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree
After these things King Ahasuerus pro- was written according to all that Haman com-
3 moted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the manded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors
Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat who were over each province, to the officials of
2
above all the princes who were with him. And all people, to every province according to its
all the king’s servants who were within the script, and to every people in their language. In
king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haman, the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and
for so the king had commanded concerning sealed with the king’s signet ring. And the let-
13
him. But Mordecai would not bow or pay hom- ters were sent by couriers into all the king’s
age. Then the king’s servants who were with- provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all
3
in the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do the Jews, both young and old, little children
4
you transgress the king’s command?” Now it and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of
happened, when they spoke to him daily and he the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar,
would not listen to them, that they told it to and to plunder their possessions. A copy of
14
Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s words the document was to be issued as law in every
would stand; for Mordecai had told them that he province, being published for all people, that
was a Jew. When Haman saw that Mordecai did they should be ready for that day. The couri-
5
15
ers went out, hastened by the king’s command;
and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the
citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to
3:4 he was a Jew. It seems evident from drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
Haman’s fury and attempted genocide that When Mordecai learned all that had hap-
there were strong anti-Semitic attitudes in 4 pened, he tore his clothes and put on sack-
Shushan, which seems to explain Mordecai’s cloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of
reluctance to reveal his true ethnic back- the city. He cried out with a loud and bitter
2
ground. cry. He went as far as the front of the king’s
gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate
3
clothed with sackcloth. And in every province
not bow or pay him homage, Haman was filled where the king’s command and decree
with wrath. But he disdained to lay hands on arrived, there was great mourning among the
6
Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing; and
people of Mordecai. Instead, Haman sought to many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
destroy all the Jews who were throughout the 4 So Esther’s maids and eunuchs came and
whole kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of told her, and the queen was deeply distressed.
Mordecai. Then she sent garments to clothe Mordecai and
7
In the first month, which is the month of take his sackcloth away from him, but he would
Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, not accept them. Then Esther called Hathach,
5
they cast Pur (that is, the lot), before Haman to one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appoint-
determine the day and the month, until it fell on ed to attend her, and she gave him a command
the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. concerning Mordecai, to learn what and why
8 6
Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, this was. So Hathach went out to Mordecai in
“There is a certain people scattered and dis- the city square that was in front of the king’s
persed among the people in all the provinces of gate. And Mordecai told him all that had hap-
7
your kingdom; their laws are different from all pened to him, and the sum of money that
other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s Haman had promised to pay into the king’s
laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him
8
them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree a copy of the written decree for their destruc-
9
be written that they be destroyed, and I will pay tion, which was given at Shushan, that he might
ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that
those who do the work, to bring it into the he might command her to go in to the king to
king’s treasuries.” make supplication to him and plead before him
10 9
So the king took his signet ring from his for her people. So Hathach returned and told
hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Esther the words of Mordecai.
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