Esther 3:10
New International Version
So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

New Living Translation
The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

English Standard Version
So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.

Berean Standard Bible
So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

King James Bible
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

New King James Version
So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

New American Standard Bible
Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

NASB 1995
Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

NASB 1977
Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews.

Amplified Bible
Then the king removed his signet ring from his hand [that is, the special ring which was used to seal his letters] and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

Christian Standard Bible
The king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king removed his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jewish people.

American Standard Version
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

Contemporary English Version
The king handed his official ring to Haman, who hated the Jews, and the king told him,

English Revised Version
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
At that, the king removed his signet ring and gave it to Haman, the enemy of the Jews. (Haman was the son of Hammedatha and was from Agag.)

Good News Translation
The king took off his ring, which was used to stamp proclamations and make them official, and gave it to the enemy of the Jewish people, Haman son of Hammedatha, the descendant of Agag.

International Standard Version
The king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Hammedatha the Agagite's son Haman, the enemy of the Jewish people.

Majority Standard Bible
So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

NET Bible
So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews.

New Heart English Bible
The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews enemy.

World English Bible
The king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the king turns aside his signet from off his hand, and gives it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, adversary of the Jews;

Young's Literal Translation
And the king turneth aside his signet from off his hand, and giveth it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, adversary of the Jews;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will remove the signet ring from his hand, and will give it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, to press the Jews.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Aman, the son of Amadathi of the race of Agag, the enemy of the Jews,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so the king took the ring that he used, from his own hand, and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha, of Agag lineage, enemy of the Jews.

New American Bible
The king took the signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

New Revised Standard Version
So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammadatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
The King took the ring from his hand and he gave it to Haman, son of Hammadath the Aggagite, the enemy of the Jews.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king took off his ring, and gave it into the hands of Aman, to seal the decrees against the Jews.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Haman Plots Against the Jews
9If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will deposit ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury to pay those who carry it out.” 10So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11“Keep your money,” said the king to Haman. “These people are given to you to do with them as you please.”…

Cross References
Esther 8:2
The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.

Genesis 41:42
Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

Daniel 6:17
A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that nothing concerning Daniel could be changed.

1 Kings 21:8
Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.

Genesis 41:40-44
You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” / Pharaoh also told Joseph, “I hereby place you over all the land of Egypt.” / Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. ...

Esther 8:8
Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”

Esther 8:10
Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.

Esther 8:15
Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

Esther 9:24-25
For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the Pur (that is, the lot) to crush and destroy them. / But when it came before the king, he commanded by letter that the wicked scheme which Haman had devised against the Jews should come back upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

1 Samuel 24:6
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

1 Samuel 26:9
But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”

2 Samuel 1:14
So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”

Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”

John 19:15
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.

Romans 13:1-2
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. / Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.


Treasury of Scripture

And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

took.

Esther 8:2,8
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman…

Genesis 41:42
And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

enemy.

Esther 7:6
And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

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Adversary Agagite Ag'agite Enemy Finger Haman Hammedatha Hammeda'tha Hand Hater Jews Ring Signet Turneth
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Adversary Agagite Ag'agite Enemy Finger Haman Hammedatha Hammeda'tha Hand Hater Jews Ring Signet Turneth
Esther 3
1. Haman, advanced by the king, and despised by Mordecai, seeks revenge upon the Jews.
7. He casts lots.
8. He obtains by false accusations a decree of the king to put the Jews to death.














So the king removed his signet ring from his finger
The act of removing the signet ring is deeply symbolic in ancient Near Eastern cultures. The signet ring was a symbol of authority and power, used to seal documents and decrees, signifying the king's approval and command. In Hebrew, the word for "signet ring" is "טַבַּעַת" (tabba'at), which conveys the idea of a seal or stamp. By giving his ring to Haman, King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) was essentially transferring his authority to Haman, allowing him to act with the king's full power. This act underscores the gravity of the situation and the trust, albeit misplaced, that the king had in Haman. It also sets the stage for the unfolding drama, as Haman now has the means to execute his malevolent plans against the Jews.

and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite
Haman is identified as the son of Hammedatha and an Agagite. The term "Agagite" is significant, as it links Haman to Agag, the king of the Amalekites, who were long-standing enemies of Israel. This connection is not merely genealogical but also symbolic, representing the ongoing spiritual and physical battle between the forces of God and those opposed to His people. The Amalekites were first encountered by the Israelites in Exodus 17, where God declared perpetual enmity between them. Haman's lineage as an Agagite thus foreshadows his antagonism towards the Jews and highlights the historical enmity that fuels his actions.

the enemy of the Jews
This phrase explicitly identifies Haman's role in the narrative as the adversary of the Jewish people. The Hebrew word for "enemy" is "צָרַר" (tsarar), which means to bind, be narrow, or be in distress. It conveys the idea of someone who causes trouble or distress. Haman's enmity is not just personal but represents a broader spiritual conflict. Throughout the Bible, the Jewish people have faced numerous adversaries, yet God's providence and protection have been a constant theme. This phrase sets the stage for the deliverance narrative that follows, reminding readers of God's faithfulness to His covenant people despite the schemes of their enemies.

Verse 10. - The king took his ring from his hand. Rather, "took his signet from his hand." This may have been a ring, for signet-rings were known to the Persians, but is perhaps more likely to have been a cylinder, like that of Darius, his father, which is now in the British Museum ('Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 4. p. 182). And gave it unto Haman. Thus giving him the power of making whatsoever edicts he pleased, since nothing was requisite to give authority to an edict but the impression of the royal seal (see Herod., 3:128). For similar acts of confidence see Genesis 41:42; Esther 8:2. The Jews' enemy. Rather, "persecutor."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So the king
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

removed
וַיָּ֧סַר (way·yā·sar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

the signet ring
טַבַּעְתּ֖וֹ (ṭab·ba‘·tōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 2885: A seal, signet, a ring of any kind

from
מֵעַ֣ל (mê·‘al)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his finger
יָד֑וֹ (yā·ḏōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

and gave
וַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּ (way·yit·tə·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

it to Haman
לְהָמָ֧ן (lə·hā·mān)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2001: Haman -- to rage, be turbulent

son
בֶּֽן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Hammedatha,
הַמְּדָ֛תָא (ham·mə·ḏā·ṯā)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4099: Hammedatha including the article

the Agagite,
הָאֲגָגִ֖י (hā·’ă·ḡā·ḡî)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 91: Agagite -- a descriptive term for Haman

the enemy
צֹרֵ֥ר (ṣō·rêr)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6887: To bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, or cramped

of the Jews.
הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃ (hay·yə·hū·ḏîm)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3064: Jews -- Jewish


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OT History: Esther 3:10 The king took his ring from his (Est Esth. Es)
Esther 3:9
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