Esther 3 אֶסְתֵּר פרק ג׳

Masoretic Text, word by word with English glosses, the English verse beneath each. Open Esther 3 in the interlinear reader for transliteration, roots and notes.

1. 1

   אַחַרafterהַדְּבָרִיםthe wordsהָאֵלֶּהtheseגִּדַּלmade greatהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁAhasuerusאֶת־הָמָןHamanבֶּן־הַמְּדָתָאthe son of Hammedathaהָאֲגָגִיthe Agagiteוַיְנַשְּׂאֵהוּand he exalted himוַיָּשֶׂםand he setאֶת־כִּסְאוֹhis throneמֵעַלfrom uponכׇּל־הַשָּׂרִיםall the princesאֲשֶׁרwhichאִתּוֹ׃with him

   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.

2. 2

   וְכׇל־עַבְדֵיand all servants ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁעַרwhich in the gate ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingכֹּרְעִיםwere kneelingוּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִיםand worshippingלְהָמָןto Hamanכִּי־כֵןbecause thusצִוָּה־לוֹcommanded himהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingוּמׇרְדֳּכַיand Mordecaiלֹאnotיִכְרַעhe will bow downוְלֹאand notיִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה׃he bowed down

   And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

3. 3

   וַיֹּאמְרוּand they saidעַבְדֵיservants ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲשֶׁר־בְּשַׁעַרwhich in the gate ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingלְמׇרְדֳּכָיfor Mordecaiמַדּוּעַwhyאַתָּהyouעוֹבֵרpassing alongאֵת־מִצְוַתthe commandments ofהַמֶּלֶךְ׃the king

   Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?

4. 4

   וַיְהִיand it came to pass(באמרם)[כְּאׇמְרָם]when they spokeאֵלָיוto himיוֹםdayוָיוֹםand dayוְלֹאand notשָׁמַעheardאֲלֵיהֶםto themוַיַּגִּידוּand did declareלְהָמָןto Hamanלִרְאוֹתto seeהֲיַעַמְדוּwill they standדִּבְרֵיthe words ofמׇרְדֳּכַיMordecaiכִּי־הִגִּידbecause declaredלָהֶםto themאֲשֶׁר־הוּאwhich it isיְהוּדִי׃Jew

   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.

5. 5

   וַיַּרְאand sawהָמָןHamanכִּי־אֵיןbecause there is noמׇרְדֳּכַיMordecaiכֹּרֵעַwas kneelingוּמִשְׁתַּחֲוֶהand bowing downלוֹto himוַיִּמָּלֵאand was filledהָמָןHamanחֵמָה׃wrath

   And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6. 6

   וַיִּבֶזand he despisedבְּעֵינָיוin his eyesלִשְׁלֹחַlayיָדhandsבְּמׇרְדֳּכַיin Mordecaiלְבַדּוֹaloneכִּי־הִגִּידוּbecause they declareלוֹto himאֶת־עַםpeople ofמׇרְדֳּכָיMordecaiוַיְבַקֵּשׁand requestedהָמָןHamanלְהַשְׁמִידto destroyאֶת־כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִיםall the Jewsאֲשֶׁרwhichבְּכׇל־מַלְכוּתin all the reign ofאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁAhasuerusעַםpeopleמׇרְדֳּכָי׃Mordecai

   And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

7. 7

   בַּחֹדֶשׁin the monthהָרִאשׁוֹןthe firstהוּא־חֹדֶשׁit is a month ofנִיסָןNisanבִּשְׁנַתin the year ofשְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵהtwelveלַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁAhasuerusהִפִּילthey castפּוּרPurהוּאheהַגּוֹרָלthe lotלִפְנֵיbeforeהָמָןHamanמִיּוֹםfrom the dayלְיוֹםto dayוּמֵחֹדֶשׁand from monthלְחֹדֶשׁto monthשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂרtwelveהוּא־חֹדֶשׁit is a month ofאֲדָר׃Adar

   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. 8

   וַיֹּאמֶרand saidהָמָןHamanלַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁAhasuerusיֶשְׁנוֹthere heעַם־אֶחָדpeople oneמְפֻזָּרscatteredוּמְפֹרָדand separatedבֵּיןamongהָעַמִּיםthe peopleבְּכֹלin allמְדִינוֹתthe provinces ofמַלְכוּתֶךָyour kingdomוְדָתֵיהֶםand their lawsשֹׁנוֹתdifferentמִכׇּל־עָםfrom all a peopleוְאֶת־דָּתֵיand the laws ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֵינָםthey are notעֹשִׂיםwhich actוְלַמֶּלֶךְand to the kingאֵין־שֹׁוֶהthere is no is appropriateלְהַנִּיחָם׃to let remain them

   And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

9. 9

   אִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְif upon the kingטוֹבgoodיִכָּתֵבlet it be writtenלְאַבְּדָםto destroy themוַעֲשֶׂרֶתand tenאֲלָפִיםthousandכִּכַּר־כֶּסֶףa talent of silverאֶשְׁקוֹלI will weigh outעַל־יְדֵיby means ofעֹשֵׂיdoers ofהַמְּלָאכָהthe taskלְהָבִיאto bring aboutאֶל־גִּנְזֵיto the treasures ofהַמֶּלֶךְ׃the king

   If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

10. 10

    וַיָּסַרand he tookהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֶת־טַבַּעְתּוֹsignet his ringמֵעַלfrom uponיָדוֹhis handוַיִּתְּנָהּand he gave itלְהָמָןto Hamanבֶּן־הַמְּדָתָאthe son of Hammedathaהָאֲגָגִיthe Agagiteצֹרֵרthe opposer ofהַיְּהוּדִים׃the Jews

    And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

11. 11

    וַיֹּאמֶרand saidהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingלְהָמָןto Hamanהַכֶּסֶףthe moneyנָתוּןgivenלָךְto youוְהָעָםand the peopleלַעֲשׂוֹתto doבּוֹin itכַּטּוֹבas it seems goodבְּעֵינֶיךָ׃in your eyes

    And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

12. 12

    וַיִּקָּרְאוּand they were calledסֹפְרֵיthe scribes ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingבַּחֹדֶשׁin the monthהָרִאשׁוֹןthe firstבִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה־עָשָׂרon the thirteenthיוֹםdayבּוֹin itוַיִּכָּתֵבand it was writtenכְּכׇל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּהas all whose commandedהָמָןHamanאֶלtoאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵי־הַמֶּלֶךְthe satraps of the kingוְאֶל־הַפַּחוֹתand the governorsאֲשֶׁרwhichעַל־מְדִינָהupon provincesוּמְדִינָהand provinceוְאֶל־שָׂרֵיand captains ofעַםpeopleוָעָםand peopleמְדִינָהprovincesוּמְדִינָהand provinceכִּכְתָבָהּaccording to its writingוְעַםand the people ofוָעָםand peopleכִּלְשׁוֹנוֹaccording to its languageבְּשֵׁםin the name ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingאֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁAhasuerusנִכְתָּבhas been writtenוְנֶחְתָּםand it was sealedבְּטַבַּעַתwith the signet ring ofהַמֶּלֶךְ׃the king

    Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

13. 13

    וְנִשְׁלוֹחַand they were sentסְפָרִיםrecordsבְּיַדin the hand ofהָרָצִיםthe runnersאֶל־כׇּל־מְדִינוֹתto all the provinces ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingלְהַשְׁמִידto destroyלַהֲרֹגslayוּלְאַבֵּדand to destroyאֶת־כׇּל־הַיְּהוּדִיםall the Jewsמִנַּעַרfrom young manוְעַד־זָקֵןand unto the ancientטַףlittle onesוְנָשִׁיםand womenבְּיוֹםin the day ofאֶחָדoneבִּשְׁלוֹשָׁה־עָשָׂרon the thirteenthלְחֹדֶשׁto monthשְׁנֵים־עָשָׂרtwelveהוּא־חֹדֶשׁit is a month ofאֲדָרAdarוּשְׁלָלָםand their spoilלָבוֹז׃to take as plunder

    And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

14. 14

    פַּתְשֶׁגֶןcopy ofהַכְּתָבthe writingלְהִנָּתֵןwas to be givenדָּתlawבְּכׇל־מְדִינָהin all provincesוּמְדִינָהand provinceגָּלוּיopenלְכׇל־הָעַמִּיםto all the peopleלִהְיוֹתto beעֲתִדִיםreadyלַיּוֹםfor the dayהַזֶּה׃this

    The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.

15. 15

    הָרָצִיםthe runnersיָצְאוּwent forthדְחוּפִיםbeing hastyבִּדְבַרat the commandment ofהַמֶּלֶךְthe kingוְהַדָּתand the lawנִתְּנָהwas givenבְּשׁוּשַׁןin Shushanהַבִּירָהthe citadelוְהַמֶּלֶךְand the kingוְהָמָןand Hamanיָשְׁבוּdweltלִשְׁתּוֹתto drinkוְהָעִירand the cityשׁוּשָׁןShushanנָבוֹכָה׃it was in confusion

    The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.