Esther 3 · Verse 10

Esther 3:10

And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
Esther 3:10, King James Version

Esther 3:10 in other translations

BSBSo the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
WEBThe king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
ASVAnd the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews’ enemy.
YLTAnd the king turneth aside his signet from off his hand, and giveth it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, adversary of the Jews;
DARBYAnd the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
BBEAnd the king took his ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the hater of the Jews.
WebsterAnd the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews enemy.

What does Esther 3:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
10. the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman--There was a seal or signet in the ring. The bestowment of the ring, with the king's name and that of his kingdom engraven on it, was given with much ceremony, and it was equivalent to putting the sign manual to a royal edict.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 The king took his ring - In this ring was no doubt included his privy seal, and he gave this to Haman, that when he had formed such a decree as he thought fit, he might seal it with this ring, which would give it its due force and influence among the rulers of the provinces. The privy seal of many of our sovereigns appears to have been inserted in their rings; and the seals of Eastern potentates were worn in rings upon their fingers. One such seal, once the property of the late Tippoo Sultan, lies before me; the inscription is deeply cut in silver, which is set in a massy carriage of gold. This, as fitted to the finger, he probably kept always on his hand, to be ready to seal despatches, etc., or it might be carried by a confidential officer for the same purpose, as it seems to refer to one of the chief cutcheries, or military officers.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Esther 3:7-15

Without some acquaintance with the human heart, and the history of mankind, we should not think that any prince could consent to a dreadful proposal, so hurtful to himself. Let us be thankful for mild and just government. Haman inquires, according to his own superstitions, how to find a lucky day for the designed massacre! God's wisdom serves its own purposes by men's folly. Haman has appealed to the lot, and the…

Read the full comment on Esther 3:7-15 →

Esther 3:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֧סַרvai.Ya.sarand he removedH5493
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
טַבַּעְתּ֖וֹta.ba'.Tosignet-ring hisH2885
מֵעַ֣לme.'Alfrom onH5921
יָד֑וֹya.Dohand hisH3027
וַֽיִּתְּנָ֗הּvai.yi.te.Nahand he gave itH5414
לְהָמָ֧ןle.ha.Manto HamanH2001
בֶּֽן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
הַמְּדָ֛תָאha.me.Da.ta'HammedathaH4099
הָאֲגָגִ֖יha.'a.ga.Githe AgagiteH91
צֹרֵ֥רtzo.Rer[the] opposer ofH6887
הַיְּהוּדִֽים\׃hai.ye.hu.Dimthe JewsH3064

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Esther 3:10

  • 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;

  • Esther 8:2

    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.

  • Esther 7:6

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

  • Esther 8:8

    Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.

  • Esther 3:1

    After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
took.
8:2,8; Ge 41:42
enemy. or, oppressor.
7:6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Esther 3:9

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

  • Esther 3:10

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

  • Esther 3:11

    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.

Read all of Esther 3

Esther 3:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces el rey quitó su anillo de su mano, y diólo á Amán hijo de Amadatha Agageo, enemigo de los Judíos,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le roi ôta son anneau de sa main et le donna à Haman, fils d’Hammedatha, l’Agaguite, l’adversaire des Juifs.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da zog der König seinen Siegelring von seiner Hand und gab ihn Haman, dem Sohne Hammedathas, dem Agagiter, dem Widersacher der Juden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tulit ergo rex annulum, quo utebatur, de manu sua, et dedit eum Aman filio Amadathi de progenie Agag, hosti Judæorum,