5And then, when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow, nor did him obeisance, then was Haman full of wrath. 6But he disdained to lay hands on just Mordecai; for they had told him Mordecai’s ethnicity. Therefore, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, all the people of Mordecai. 7In the first month, that 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, that is, the month Adar.

8And Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; and their laws are different from all people; nor do they keep the king's laws. Therefore, it is not for the king's interest to tolerate them. 9If it please the king, let it be decreed that they may be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents (about 660,000 pounds) of silver to those who have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries. 10And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. 11And the king said unto Haman, “The silver is given to you, the people also, to do with them as it seems good to you”.

12Then 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 deputies, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the princes of every people of every province according to its writing, and to every people in their own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus, and sealed with the king's ring. 13And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, all in one day, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their property for spoil. 14The copy of the writing for a commandment was to be given in every province and published to all people, that they should be ready for that day. 15The posts went out hurriedly by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan, the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city, Shushan, was perplexed.