Esther 3
Mordecai refuses to bow to Haman
After that, King Ahasuerus promoted Haman (Hammedatha’s son the Agagite) placing him over all the other officials. All the king’s servants at the gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman just like the king had ordered. Then the king’s servants at the gate asked Mordecai, “Why didn’t you obey the king’s orders?” He didn’t answer them even after they asked him again and again each day. He told them that he was a Jew, so they went and told Haman. Haman was furious when heard that Mordecai refused to bow down. He didn’t think it’d be worth it to seize Mordecai alone, so he decided to destroy all or the Jews (Mordecai’s people) throughout the entire kingdom.
King orders to destroy all Jews
In the first month (month of Nisan) in the 12th year of King Ahasuerus’s reign, they cast lots in front of Haman every day. They cast them month after month until the 12th month (month of Adar). Then Haman told King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people group dispersed throughout your kingdom’s provinces. Their laws are different than every one else’s, and they don’t follow the king’s laws. If you tolerate them, it will only end up coming back to hurt you. If you so desire, order that they be destroyed, and then I will donate 750,000 pounds of silver to the king’s account.” So the king took the signet ring off his hand and gave it to Haman (Hammedatha’s son the Agagite and enemy of the Jews). He told Haman, “I’ll fund this endeavor and hand the people over to you so you can do whatever you want to them.”
The king’s scribes were summoned on the 13th day of the first month and Haman’s edict was written and sent to the king’s governors and officials in all the provinces in their own languages. It was written on King Ahasuerus’s behalf and sealed with his signet ring. The letters were delivered to every province ordering them to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews (young and old, women and children) on the 13th day of the 12th’s month (month of Adar) and to plunder their valuables. The decree had been issued for everyone to be ready for that day. The mail couriers delivered them quickly like the king had ordered, and the decree was also issed in the Susa citadel. Haman and the king sat down to drink while the whole city of Susa was thrown into confusion.