Esther 3:8

Ahasuerus Haman

⁶ 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 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.

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

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey the king’s laws. So it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from other people’s. They don’t keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not for the king’s profit to allow them to remain.
ASV: And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from [those of] every people; neither keep they the king`s laws: therefore it is not for the king`s profit to suffer them.
DARBY: And Haman said to king Ahasuerus, There is a people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from [those of] every people, and they keep not the king's laws; and it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
BLB: And Haman said to king Ahasuerus, “There is one people scattered and separated between the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom, and their laws are different from all people, and the laws of the king they are not doing, and for the king it is not fitting to let them remain.

ÅB: Og Haman sa til kong Ahasverus: Her er et folk som bor spredt og for seg selv blant de andre folk i alle ditt rikes landskaper, og deres lover er forskjellige fra alle andre folks; de holder seg ikke etter kongens lover, og det høver ikke for kongen å la dem være i fred.
OTB: Da sa Haman til kong Xerxes: "Det er et visst folk spredt og adskilt blant folkene i alle provinsene i ditt rike. Deres skikker er forskjellige fra alle andre folks, og de adlyder ikke kongens lover; det er ikke i kongens interesse å tolerere dem.
B1930: Og Haman sa til kong Ahasverus: Her er et folk som bor spredt og for sig selv blandt de andre folk i alle ditt rikes landskaper, og deres lover er forskjellige fra alle andre folks; de holder sig ikke efter kongens lover, og det høver ikke for kongen å la dem være i fred.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ezra 4:12–15
Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
Read in context
Acts 16:20–21
And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
Read in context
Jeremiah 50:17
Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
Read in context
Zechariah 7:14
But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:33
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
Read in context
John 7:35
Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
Read in context
Deuteronomy 4:27
And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
Read in context
Acts 24:5
For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Read in context