Esther 3:6

3:6 But the thought of striking out against ¹  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ²  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ³  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ⁴  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Esther 3:12-13

3:12 So the royal scribes ⁵  were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps ⁶  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 ⁷  they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, ⁸  on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day ⁹  of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions.

[3:6]  ¹ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”

[3:6]  ² tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.

[3:6]  ³ tc The entire first half of the verse is not included in the LXX.

[3:6]  ⁴ tc This parenthetical phrase is not included in the LXX. Some scholars emend the MT reading עַם (’am, “people”) to עִם (’im, “with”), arguing that the phrase is awkwardly placed and syntactically inappropriate. While there is some truth to their complaint, the MT makes sufficient sense to be acceptable here, and is followed by most English versions.

[3:12]  ⁵ tn Or “secretaries” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[3:12]  ⁶ tn Or “princes” (so NLT); CEV “highest officials.”

[3:13]  ⁷ tn The words “stating that” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[3:13]  ⁸ tn Heb “children and women.” The translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.

[3:13]  ⁹ tc The LXX does not include the words “on the thirteenth day.”