Esther 3 12

Esther 3:12 kjv

Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.

Esther 3:12 nkjv

Then the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded?to the king's satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king's signet ring.

Esther 3:12 niv

Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.

Esther 3:12 esv

Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring.

Esther 3:12 nlt

So on April 17 the king's secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king's highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king's signet ring.

Esther 3 verses

Esther 3 12 Meaning

Esther 3:12 describes the swift, official implementation of Haman's decree for the systematic destruction of all Jews throughout the Persian Empire. This verse details the calling of royal scribes, the specific date of drafting, the widespread distribution of the command to various administrative levels in their respective languages, and the vital authentication with King Ahasuerus's name and royal seal. It highlights the thoroughness and legal authority given to Haman's genocidal plot, making it a binding, seemingly irreversible imperial law, and thus setting a catastrophic stage for God's chosen people.

Esther 3 12 Context

Esther 3:12 follows Haman's ascendancy to chief minister, his self-important demand for universal homage, and Mordecai's principled refusal based on his Jewish identity. Infuriated, Haman resolves not merely to punish Mordecai, but to exact vengeance upon his entire people, the Jews (Esth 3:6). He casts pur (lots) to determine the auspicious date for their destruction (Esth 3:7) and then manipulates King Ahasuerus into authorizing his genocidal plot, securing the king's permission and the invaluable royal signet ring (Esth 3:8-11). This verse marks the crucial next step: the transformation of Haman's malevolent plan into binding, official imperial law, initiating the widespread threat against all Jews across the empire. Historically, the Persian Empire was renowned for its efficient administration, a vast network of satraps, governors, and messengers. Royal decrees, once sealed with the king's ring, were considered irreversible and were dispatched with great urgency across its 127 provinces, highlighting the immense legal power now harnessed for evil against God's chosen people.

Word Analysis

• Then: Indicates an immediate consequence and action following the king's delegation of authority and the handing over of his signet ring to Haman in the previous verses. It conveys the swiftness of the decree's implementation.
• were the king's scribes called (סֹפְרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ, sofrê hammèleḵ, lit. "scribes of the king"): These were not merely clerks but highly skilled royal secretaries, entrusted with drafting and officially recording imperial documents. Their summoning underlines the gravity and official nature of the impending decree, emphasizing it was a fully legitimate, albeit wicked, government act.
• on the thirteenth day of the first month: This precise date (Nisan 13) is critical. Nisan is the month of Passover, celebrating Israel's liberation from Egypt, creating a profound irony that a decree of annihilation would be issued close to this festival. The pur (lot) determined Adar (12th month) for execution, but Haman, in his haste, immediately initiates the decree's drafting process in Nisan, demonstrating his fervent malevolence. This specificity also foreshadows the date of the Jews' defense on Adar 13.
• and there was written: Signifies the formal composition of the decree, transforming Haman's verbal command into a legally binding document. The verb "to write" is often used in a technical sense for official edicts in the Old Testament.
• according to all that Haman had commanded: This phrase stresses Haman's absolute authority and unchecked control over the content of the decree. The king has effectively surrendered the content of this vital imperial order to his chief minister, highlighting the danger of unchecked power and negligent leadership.
• unto the king's lieutenants (אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִים, akhashdarpnim, "satraps"): These were the supreme provincial governors of the vast Persian Empire, directly appointed by the king, holding immense administrative and military power. Direct address to them ensured widespread and immediate enforcement.
• and to the governors: Refers to a secondary tier of administrative officials, likely district or sub-provincial governors, indicating a comprehensive chain of command to ensure no area was missed.
• that were over every province: This emphasizes the universal scope of the decree. The Persian Empire was vast, encompassing 127 provinces (Esth 1:1), indicating a comprehensive reach designed to exterminate Jews everywhere.
• and to the rulers of every people of every province: This specifies that the decree was not just for the general administration but targeted leaders of distinct ethnic groups within each province, ensuring compliance from local authorities overseeing various cultural communities.
• according to the writing thereof: Means that each copy of the decree distributed to the provinces was an exact, identical transcription of the original. This ensured uniformity in interpretation and application of the horrific command.
• and to every people after their language: A crucial detail reflecting the Persian Empire's policy of administration. For the decree to be effectively understood and implemented, it had to be communicated in the numerous languages spoken by the diverse populations, maximizing its terrifying impact and ensuring no one could claim ignorance.
• in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written: The use of the king's name explicitly grants ultimate royal authority to Haman's malicious decree, lending it full legitimacy and weight as an imperial command. Haman used the king as a mere tool for his evil designs.
• and sealed with the king's ring: The royal signet ring was a symbol of the king's authority; once a document was sealed with it, the decree became absolutely binding and, by Medo-Persian law, irrevocable. This act sealed the Jews' apparent doom, highlighting the seemingly unalterable nature of the threat.

Esther 3 12 Commentary

Esther 3:12 presents a chilling snapshot of how swiftly human malevolence, when coupled with absolute secular authority, can mobilize vast administrative machinery for destructive ends. The meticulous detailing of the decree's creation, its precise date, comprehensive distribution across 127 provinces to every level of authority and in every language, and its authentication by the king's irreversible seal, underscores the formidable, systemic threat facing the Jewish people. This legal solidification of Haman's genocidal plan demonstrates that from a human perspective, the Jews were hopelessly doomed, having no earthly means to counteract such a thoroughly entrenched and legally binding command. Yet, it is precisely this human impossibility that magnifies God's providential working later in the book, showcasing His ultimate sovereignty over even the most entrenched human decrees. It sets the stage for a dramatic conflict between Haman's seemingly absolute power and the unseen hand of the Almighty.

Bonus Section

• The meticulous detailing of the decree's dissemination ("every province... every people... after their language") serves to heighten the sense of inescapable peril for the Jews, underscoring the absolute nature of the threat against them. It was not a localized or casual attack but a comprehensive, imperial mandate for extermination.
• The proximity of Nisan 13 (decree issuance) to Passover (Nisan 14), which commemorates Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage, adds a layer of stark contrast and providential irony to the narrative. It emphasizes that even when celebrating past salvation, God's people faced new, grave threats, perpetually reliant on His intervention.
• This verse perfectly exemplifies the common biblical motif of God allowing wicked human schemes to appear powerful and certain, only to orchestrate their dramatic reversal through unexpected means, thus magnifying His own glory and faithfulness. The irreversible nature of the Persian decree foreshadows the greater, divine reversal that will follow.