Haman’s Plot against the Jews

1After these actes dyd the kynge promote Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite, vnd set him hye, & set his seate aboue all ye prynces that were with him. 2And all the kynges seruauntes that were in the gate, bowed their knees, and dyd reuerence vnto Aman: for the kinge had so comaunded. But Mardocheus bowed not the knee, and worshipped him not. 3Then the kynges seruauntes which were in the kynges gate, sayde vnto Mardocheus: Why transgressest thou the kynges commaundement? 4And whan they spake this daylie vnto him, and he folowed them not, they tolde Aman, that they mighte se whether Mardocheus matters wolde endure: for he had tolde them, yt he was a Iewe. 5And wha Aman sawe, that Mardocheus bowed not the knee vnto him, ner worshipped him, he was full of indignacion & despyte, 6that he shulde laye hondes onely on Mardocheus: for they had shewed him ye people of Mardocheus, but he sought to destroye the people of Mardocheus, and all the people that were in the whole empyre of Ahasuerus.

7In the first moneth that is the moneth Nissan, in ye twolueth yeare of kinge Ahasuerus, was there occasion and oportunyte sought by Aman, from one daye to another, and from the same moneth vnto the twolueth moneth, that is the moneth Adar. 8And Ama sayde vnto kinge Ahasuerus: There is a people scatered abrode and dispersed amonge all people in all the londes of thine empire, and their lawe is cotrary vnto all people, and they do not after the kynges lawes, nether is it the kinges profit to suffre the after this maner. 9Yf it please the kynge, let him wryte, that they maye be destroyed, & so wil I weye downe ten thousande talentes of siluer, vnder the handes of the workmen, to be brought in to the kynges chamber. 10Then toke the kynge his rynge from his hande, and gaue it vnto Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Agagite the Iewes enemie. 11And the kinge sayde vnto Aman: Let the siluer be geuen the, and that people also, to do withall what pleaseth the.

12Then were the kynges scrybes called on ye thirtenth daye of the first moneth, & there was wrytten (acordynge as Aman commauded) vnto the kynges prynces, and to the Debites euery where in the londes, and to the captaynes of euery people in the countrees on euery syde, acordynge to the wrytinge of euery nacion, and after their language in the name of kynge Ahasuerus, and sealed with the kynges rynge. 13And the wrytynges were sent by postes in to all the kynges lodes, to rote out, to kyll, and to destroye all Iewes, both yonge and olde, childre and wemen in one daye (namely vpon the thirtenth daye of the twolueth moneth, which is the moneth Adar) and to spoyle their goodes. 14This was the summe of the wrytinge, yt there shulde be a commaundement geuen in all londes, to be published vnto all people, yt they shulde be ready agaynst the same daye. 15And the postes wente in all the haist acordynge to the kynges commaundement. And in the castell of Susan was the comaundement deuysed. And the kynge & Aman sat & dranke. But ye cite of Susan was disquieted.