Esther 3 · Verse 15

Esther 3:15

The posts went out, being hastened 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.

Esther 3:15, King James Version

Esther 3:15 in other translations

BSB	The couriers left, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was in confusion.
WEB	The couriers went out in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was perplexed.
ASV	The posts went forth in haste by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given out in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed.
YLT	The runners have gone forth, hastened by the word of the king, and the law hath been given in Shushan the palace, and the king and Haman have sat down to drink, and the city Shushan is perplexed.
DARBY	The couriers went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the fortress. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Shushan was in consternation.
BBE	The runners went out quickly by the king's order, and a public statement was made in Shushan: and the king and Haman took wine together: but the town of Shushan was troubled.
Webster	The posts departed, being hastened 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.

What does Esther 3:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Esther 3:12-15

12-15. Then were the king's scribes called ... and there was written--The government secretaries were employed in making out the proclamation authorizing a universal massacre of the Jews on one day. It was translated into the dialects of all the people throughout the vast empire, and swift messengers were sent to carry it into all the provinces. On the day appointed, all Jews were to be put to death and their…

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Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 15 The posts - Literally, the couriers, the hircarrahs, those who carried the public despatches; a species of public functionaries, who have been in use in all nations of the world from the remotest antiquity. The decree was given at Shushan - It was dated from the royal Susa, where the king then was. The city Shushan was perplexed - They saw that in a short time, by this wicked measure the whole city would be thrown into confusion; for, although the Jews were the only objects of this decree, yet, as it armed the populace against them, even the Persians could not hope to escape without being spoiled, when a desperate mob had begun to taste of human blood, and enrich themselves with the property of the murdered. Besides, many Persian families had, no doubt, become united by intermarriages with Jewish families, and in such a massacre they would necessarily share the same fate with the Jews. A more impolitic, disgraceful, and cruel measure was never formed by any government; and one would suppose that the king who ordered it must have been an idiot, and the counsellors who advised it must have been madmen. But a despotic government is ever capable of extravagance and cruelty; for as it is the bane of popular freedom and happiness, so is it the disgrace of political wisdom and of all civil institutions. Despotism and tyranny in the state are the most direct curses which insulted justice can well inflict upon a sinful nation.

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…

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Esther 3:15 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.

הָֽרָצִ֞יםha.ra.Tzimthe runnersH7323

יָצְא֤וּya.tze.'Uthey went outH3318

דְחוּפִים֙de.chu.Fimbeing hastyH1765

בִּדְבַ֣רbid.Varat [the] word ofH1697

הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428

וְהַדָּ֥תve.ha.Datand the lawH1881

נִתְּנָ֖הni.te.Nahit was givenH5414

בְּשׁוּשַׁ֣ןbe.shu.Shanin SusaH7800

הַבִּירָ֑הha.bi.Rahthe citadelH1002

וְהַמֶּ֤לֶךְve.ha.Me.lekhand the kingH4428

וְהָמָן֙ve.ha.Manand HamanH2001

יָשְׁב֣וּya.she.Vuthey sat downH3427

לִשְׁתּ֔וֹתlish.Totto drinkH8354

וְהָעִ֥ירve.ha.'Irand the city ofH5892

שׁוּשָׁ֖ןshu.ShanSusaH7800

נָבֽוֹכָה\׃\ \פna.Vo.khahit was in confusionH943

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

Cross references for Esther 3:15

Esther 8:15
And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
John 16:20
Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
Proverbs 4:16
For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
Proverbs 1:16
For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
Hosea 7:5
In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
Esther 4:16
Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Revelation 11:10
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Proverbs 29:2
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
Amos 6:6
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

hastened.
Pr 1:16; 4:16
sat down.
Ho 7:5; Am 6:6; Joh 16:20; Re 11:10
the city.
4:16; 8:15; Pr 29:2

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

Context

Esther 3:14
The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, that they should be ready against that day.
Esther 3:15
The posts went out, being hastened 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.

Read all of Esther 3

Esther 3:15 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y salieron los correos de priesa por mandato del rey, y el edicto fué dado en Susán capital del reino. Y el rey y Amán estaban sentados á beber, y la ciudad de Susán estaba conmovida.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Les courriers partirent, pressés par la parole du roi. Et l’édit fut rendu à Suse, la capitale. Et le roi et Haman étaient assis à boire; mais la ville de Suse était dans la consternation.
German Elberfelder 1871	Die Eilboten zogen auf das Wort des Königs eilends aus. Und der Befehl wurde in der Burg Susan erlassen. Und der König und Haman saßen und tranken; aber die Stadt Susan war in Bestürzung.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Festinabant cursores, qui missi erant, regis imperium explere. Statimque in Susan pependit edictum, rege et Aman celebrante convivium, et cunctis Judæis, qui in urbe erant, flentibus.