o Esther the queen;
and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai's name. And when inquiry
was made into the matter, and it was found to be so, they were both
hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles
before the king.

After these things did King Ahasuerus promote Haman and advanced him,
and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the
king's servants, who were in the king's gate, bowed down, and did
reverence to Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But
Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence. Then the king's
servants, who were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, "Why
transgressest thou the king's commandment?"

Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he hearkened
not to them, that they told Haman, to see how Mordecai's case would
stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that
Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of
wrath. But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they
had made known to 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. In the first month, which 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, which is the month Adar.

{66}

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

And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman, the
Jew's enemy.

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."

Then were the king's scribes called in the first month, on the
thirteenth day thereof, and there was written according to all that
Haman commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors that
were over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every
province accordi