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Texts -- Esther 3:12-15 (NET)

Context
3:12 So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month , on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people , province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language . In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring . 3:13 Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that they should destroy , kill , and annihilate all the Jews , from youth to elderly , both women and children , on a particular day , namely the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar ), and to loot and plunder their possessions. 3:14 A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province ; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants , so that they would be prepared for this day . 3:15 The messengers scurried forth with the king’s order . The edict was issued in Susa the citadel . While the king and Haman sat down to drink , the city of Susa was in an uproar !

Pericope

NET
  • Est 3:1-15 -- Haman Conspires to Destroy the Jews

Bible Dictionary

  • Post

    [ebd] (1.) A runner, or courier, for the rapid transmission of letters, etc. (2 Chr. 30:6; Esther 3:13, 15; 8:10, 14; Job 9:25; Jer. 51:31). Such messengers were used from very early times. Those employed by the Hebrew kings had a...
    [isbe] POST - post (ruts, "to run," ratsim, "runners"): The "runners" formed the royal guard (1 Sam 22:17; 1 Ki 14:27; 2 Ki 11:4,13; see GUARD). From them were chosen the couriers who carried royal letters and dispatches throughout...
    [nave] POST A bearer of message, Job 9:25; Jer. 51:31. Of Hezekiah, 2 Chr. 30:6, 10; Ahasuerus, Esth. 3:13, 14; 8:10, 14.

  • Babylon

    [nave] BABYLON City of Built by Nimrod, Gen. 10:10. In the land of Shinar, Gen. 10:10; 11:2. Tower of, Gen. 11:1-9. Capital of the kingdom of Babylon, Dan. 4:30; 2 Kin. 25:13; 2 Chr. 36:6, 7, 10, 18, 20. Gates of, Isa. 45:1, 2...

  • Malice

    [nave] MALICE. Gen. 3:15; Lev. 19:14, 17, 18; Deut. 27:17, 18; Deut. 32:32, 33; 2 Kin. 6:21, 22; Job 31:29, 30; Psa. 4:2; Psa. 7:14-16 Job 15:35. Psa. 10:7-10, 14; Psa. 21:11; Psa. 22:7, 8; Psa. 35:15, 16, 19-21; Psa. 38:16, 19; P...

  • Politics

    [nave] POLITICS, statecraft. Corruption in Psa. 12:8; in the court of Ahasuerus, Esth. 3; of Darius, Dan. 6:4-15. Instances of: Absalom, electioneering for the throne, 2 Sam. 15:2-6. Pilate, condemning Jesus to gratify popular ...

  • Rulers

    [nave] RULERS Appointed and removed by God. See: Government, God in. Chastised, Dan. 4. See: Nation. Monarchical, See: Kings. Patriarchal, Gen. 27:29, 37. Instances of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. Abraham, Gen. 14:13-24; 17:6; 21:2...

  • Government

    [nave] GOVERNMENT Paternal functions of, Gen. 41:25-57. Civil service school provided by, Dan. 1:3-20. Maintains a system of public instruction, 2 Chr. 17:7-9. Executive departments in. See: Cabinet; King; Ruler; Statecraft. Ju...

  • Haman

    [nave] HAMAN Prime minister of Ahasuerus, Esth. 3:1. Plotted against Esther and the Jews, thwarted by Esther and Mordecai, hanged, Esth. 3-9.

  • Massacre

    [nave] MASSACRE Authorized by Moses, Deut. 20:13, 16. Decree to destroy the Jews, Esth. 3. Instances of Inhabitants of Heshbon, Deut. 2:34; of Bashan, Deut. 3:6; of Ai, Josh. 8:24-26; of Hazor, Josh. 11:11, 12; of the cities of ...

  • Servant

    [nave] SERVANT Distinguished as bond servant, who was a slave, and hired servant. Bond Laws of Moses concerning, Ex. 21:1-11, 20, 21, 26, 27, 32; Lev. 19:20-22; 25:6, 10, 35-55; Deut. 15:12, 14, 18; 24:7. Kidnapping forbidden, D...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • Mordecai

    [ebd] the son of Jair, of the tribe of Benjamin. It has been alleged that he was carried into captivity with Jeconiah, and hence that he must have been at least one hundred and twenty-nine years old in the twelfth year of Ahasueru...

  • Revenge

    [nave] REVENGE Forbidden, Lev. 19:18; Prov. 24:29; Rom. 12:17, 19; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9. Jesus an example of forbearing, 1 Pet. 2:23. Rebuked by Jesus, Luke 9:54, 55. Inconsistent with a Christian spirit, Luke 9:55. Procee...

  • SEAL

    [ebd] commonly a ring engraved with some device (Gen. 38:18, 25). Jezebel "wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal" (1 Kings 21:8). Seals are frequently mentioned in Jewish history (Deut. 32:34; Neh. 9:38; 10:1...
    [isbe] SEAL - sel (substantive chotham, "seal," "signet," Tabba`ath, "signet-ring"; Aramaic `izqa'; sphragis; verb chatham, (Aramaic chatham); (sphragizo), (katasphragizomai, "to seal"): I. Literal Sense. A seal is an instrument of...
    [smith] The importance attached to seals in the East is so great that without one no document is regarded as authentic. Among the methods of sealing used in Egypt at a very early period were engraved stones, graved stones, pierced th...

  • GUARD

    [isbe] GUARD - gard: (1) sar ha-Tabbachim, "captain of the guard," literally, "slaughterers" (Gen 37:36; 39:1; 40:3,1; 41:10,12); rabh Tabbachim (2 Ki 25:8,11,20; Jer 39:9, etc.); rabh tabbachayyah (Dan 2:14); ratsim, "guard," the ...

  • GOVERNOR

    [ebd] (1.) Heb. nagid, a prominent, conspicuous person, whatever his capacity: as, chief of the royal palace (2 Chr. 28:7; comp. 1 Kings 4:6), chief of the temple (1 Chr. 9:11; Jer. 20:1), the leader of the Aaronites (1 Chr. 12:27...
    [isbe] GOVERNOR - guv'-er-ner: The word "governor" is employed in English Versions of the Bible in rendering a great variety of Hebrew and Greek words. In certain cases strict consistency is neither observed nor possible. 1. In the...

  • Ring

    [isbe] RING - (Anglo-Saxon, Hring, "ring"): The word renders (the American Standard Revised Version) two Hebrew words (in the King James Version and the English Revised Version three) and two Greek words. Tabba`ath, the principal H...
    [nave] RING Of gold, Num. 31:50. Worn as a badge of office, Gen. 41:42. Given as a token, Esth. 3:10, 12; 8:2-10. Worn in the nose, Prov. 11:22; Isa. 3:21. Offerings of, to the tabernacle, Ex. 35:22; Num. 31:50.

  • EPISTLE

    [isbe] EPISTLE - e-pis'-'-l (epistole, "a letter," "epistle"; from epistello, "to send to"): 1. New Testament Epistles 2. Distinctive Characteristics 3. Letter-Writing in Antiquity 4. Letters in the Old Testament 5. Letters in the ...

  • Month

    [nave] MONTH Ancient use of, Gen. 7:11; 8:4. Twelve months reckoned to a year, 1 Chr. 27:1-15. 1. Abib (April). The Jewish calendar began with, Ex. 12:2; 13:4; Deut. 16:1. Passover instituted and celebrated in, Ex. 12:1-28; 23:1...

  • Secretary

    [nave] SECRETARY, 2 Sam. 8:17; 20:24; 1 Kin. 4:3; 2 Kin. 12:10-12; 18:18, 37; 22:1-14; 1 Chr. 27:32; Esth. 3:12; 8:9. Military, 2 Kin. 25:19; 2 Chr. 26:11. See: Amanuensis; Scribe.

  • Scribe

    [nave] SCRIBE A writer and transcriber of the law, 2 Sam. 8:17; 20:25; 1 Kin. 4:3; 2 Kin. 12:10; 18:37; 19:2; 1 Chr. 24:6; 27:32; Neh. 13:13; Jer. 36:12. King's secretary, 2 Kin. 12:10-12; 22:1-14; Esth. 3:12; 8:9. officer in cha...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • I. God's preparations 1:1-2:20A. Vashti deposed ch. 11. The king's feast 1:1-92. The queen's dismissal 1:10-22B. Esther elevated 2:1-201. The plan to replace Vashti 2:1-42. Esther's selection 2:5-113. The choice of Esther as ...
  • This chapter records the providential circumstances whereby Esther was able to rise to her influential position with the Persian king."Though no mention is made of God's providence, it nevertheless plays a prominent part, and...
  • Ahasuerus is the Hebrew name of the Persian king, Khshayarsha, whom we know better in ancient history by his Greek name, Xerxes.22He reigned over the Persian Empire from 486 to 464 B.C. and was the son of Darius I (521-486 B....
  • The events we read in chapter 3 took place four years after Esther became queen (cf. 2:16; 3:7).Agag was the name of an area in Media that had become part of the Persian Empire.54However, Agag was also the name of the Amaleki...
  • Haman cast the lot--puris the Persian word for "lot"--to determine the day most propitious to wipe out the Jews. In the pagan ancient Near East it was unthinkable to make plans of this nature without astrological guidance. Th...
  • Perhaps Haman did not mention the Jews by name since Ahasuerus' predecessors, Cyrus and Darius I (Hystaspes), had issued proclamations favorable to them (Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-5, 8-12). In any case his failure to mention them by na...
  • The imprint of an official's signet ring (v. 10) was the equivalent of his signature in ancient times (cf. Gen. 41:42; Esth. 8:2, 8, 10). Ahasuerus gave permission to Haman to confiscate the Jews' wealth and to put them to de...
  • The first decree to destroy the Jews had gone out on April 17, 474 B.C. (3:12).93Ahasuerus published this one allowing the Jews to defend themselves on June 25, 474 B.C. The Jews had over eight months to prepare for the day t...
  • "Crown"(v. 15) should be "turban."Mordecai's clothing reflected his important position in the government.Evidently Mordecai read the second decree at a public meeting in Susa. Contrast the Jews' reaction here with their respo...
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