Esther 3 Explained

Esther 3 is the third chapter of the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The author of the book is unknown and modern scholars have established that the final stage of the Hebrew text would have been formed by the second century BCE. Chapters 3 to 8 contain the nine scenes that form the complication in the book. This chapter introduces Haman the Agagite, who is linked by his genealogy to King Agag, the enemy of Israel's King Saul, from whose father, Kish, Mordecai was descended (2:5–6 KJV). The king Ahasuerus elevated Haman to a high position in the court, and ordered everyone to bow down to him, but Mordecai refuses to do so to Haman (KJV), which is connected to Mordecai's Jewish identity (as Jews would only bow down to worship their own God (cf. Daniel 3); this indirectly introduced the religious dimension of the story. Haman reacted by a vast plan to destroy not simply Mordecai, but his entire people (KJV), getting the approval from the king to arrange for a particular date of genocide, selected by casting a lot, or pur (one reason for the festival of Purim; 9:24–26 KJV) to fall on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar (KJV, 3:13 KJV). The chapter ends with the confused reaction of the whole city of Susa due to the decree (3:15 KJV).

Text

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language and since the 16th century is divided into 15 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes Codex Leningradensis (1008).

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;

ak{G}

B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK:

ak{G}

S; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A;

ak{G}

A; 5th century).

Haman's promotion and Mordecai's refusal to honor him (3:1–6)

Shifting the focus from Esther and Mordecai, this section describes Haman the Agagite which would be "the enemy of the Jews". Haman's displeasure of Mordecai's refusal to bow down to him turns into an evil design to wipe out the whole people of Mordecai.

Verse 1

After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.[1]

Verse 4

Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.[3]

Verse 6

But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.[5]

Haman's plot against the Jews gains the king's consent (3:7–15)

Haman carried out his design by first casting lots to choose the suitable day for execution and then persuading the king to issue a decree to assure the implementation of it.

Verse 7

In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.[8]

Verse 9

[Haman said:] "If it please the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries."[11]

Verse 12

Then the king’s scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written just as Haman had commanded to the king’s satraps and to the governors over each province and to the officials of all peoples and to every province according to its own script, and to every people in their language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s signet ring.[14]

Verse 13

And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.[16] This first edict can be compared and contrasted to the second one as recorded in :

Esther 3:13 Esther 8:11
First edict Second edict
Order to
to destroy, kill, and annihilate		Permission to
to destroy, kill, and annihilate
Undisguised aggressionSelf-defense
Violence against
general Jewish population		Violence in response to
"any armed force ...that might attack" the Jewish population

Verse 15

The couriers 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 drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.[17]

This verse can be compared and contrasted to :

Bible verse Esther 3:15 Esther 8:17
After the issue of First edict Second edict
Celebration The king and Haman sat down to drink The Jews had ... a feast and a good day
Confusion The city of Susa was in uproar Many people of the land became Jews

See also

Sources

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. 3:1 KJV KJV
  2. Note [b] on Esther 3:1 in NET
  3. 3:4 KJV KJV
  4. Note [a] on Esther 2:5 in NET.
  5. 3:6 ESV ESV
  6. Note [a] on Esther 3:6 in ESV
  7. Note [b] on Esther 3:6 in ESV
  8. 3:7 KJV KJV
  9. Note [a] on Esther 3:7 in NET.
  10. Note [b] on Esther 3:7 in NET.
  11. 2 Esther ESV
  12. Note [a] on Esther 3:9 in ESV.
  13. Note [a] on Esther 3:9 in NET Bible.
  14. 2 Esther MEV
  15. Note of Esther 3:7 in Berean Standard Bible
  16. 2 Esther NKJV
  17. 2 Esther NKJV
  18. Note [a] on Esther 3:15 in NET
  19. Note [a] on Esther 3:15 in NKJV
  20. Note [b] on Esther 3:15 in NKJV
  21. Book: Perrot. Jean. The Palace of Darius at Susa: The Great Royal Residence of Achaemenid Persia. 2013. I.B.Tauris. 9781848856219. 423. en.
  22. Note [c] on Esther 3:15 in NKJV

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