Esther 3 · Verse 7

Esther 3:7

In 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.

Esther 3:7, King James Version

Esther 3:7 in other translations

BSB	In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
WEB	In the first month, which 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, and chose the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
ASV	In the first month, which 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, which is the month Adar.
YLT	In the first month--it is the month of Nisan--in the twelfth year of the king Ahasuerus, hath one caused to fall Pur (that is the lot) before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth, it is the month of Adar.
DARBY	In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman for each day and for each month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
BBE	In the first month, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, from day to day and from month to month they went on looking for a sign given by Pur (that is chance) before Haman, till the sign came out for the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar.
Webster	In 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.

What does Esther 3:7 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

7. In the first month ... they cast Pur, that is, the lot--In resorting to this method of ascertaining the most auspicious day for putting his atrocious scheme into execution, Haman acted as the kings and nobles of Persia have always done, never engaging in any enterprise without consulting the astrologers, and being satisfied as to the lucky hour. Vowing revenge but scorning to lay hands on a single victim, he meditated the extirpation of the whole Jewish race, who, he knew, were sworn enemies of his countrymen; and by artfully representing them as a people who were aliens in manners and habits, and enemies to the rest of his subjects, he procured the king's sanction of the intended massacre. One motive which he used in urging his point was addressed to the king's cupidity. Fearing lest his master might object that the extermination of a numerous body of his subjects would seriously depress the public revenue, Haman promised to make up the loss.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 7 The first month - That is, of the civil year of the Jews. The month Nisan - Answering to a part of our March and April. The twelfth year of king Ahasuerus - According to the chronology in our Bibles, about five hundred and ten years before Christ. They cast Pur, that is, the lot - This appears to be the Hebrew corruption of the pure Persian word pari, which signifies any thing that happens fortuitously. There is an addition here in the Greek text that was probably in the original, and which makes this place very plain. I shall set down the whole verse, and give the Greek in a parenthesis, that it may be read consecutively with what is in the Hebrew: "In 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." (ὡστε απολεσαι εν μιᾳ ἡμερᾳ το γενος Μαρδοχαιου, και επεσεν ὁ κληρος εις την τεσερακαιδεκατην του μηνος ὁς εστιν Αδαρ "that they might destroy in one day the people of Mordecai; and the lot fell on the fourteenth day of the month Adar.") We see plainly intimated by the Hebrew text that they cast lots, or used a species of divination, to find which of the twelve months would be the most favorable for the execution of Haman's design; and, having found the desired month, then they cast lots, or used divination, to find out which day of the said month would be the lucky day for the accomplishment of the enterprise. But the Hebrew text does not tell us the result of this divination; we are left to guess it out; but the Greek supplies this deficiency, and makes all clear. From it we find that, when they cast for the month, the month Adar was taken; and when they cast for the day, the fourteenth (Heb. thirteenth) of that month was taken. Some have questioned whether Pur may not have signified also some game of chance, which they played before or with Haman, from day to day, to divert him from his melancholy, till the lucky time came in which he was to have the gratification of slaying all the people who were objects of his enmity; or they cast lots, or played, who should get the property of such and such opulent families. Holinshed, one of our ancient historians, informs us that, previously to the battle of Agincourt, the English army, under Henry V., were so thinned and weakened by disease, and the French army so numerous, that "Frenchmen, in the mean while, as though they had been sure of victory, made great triumphe, for the captaines had determined before how to divide the spoil; and the souldiers, the night before, had plaied the Englishmen at dice." To this the chorus of Shakspeare alludes: - "Proud of their numbers, and secure of soul, The confident and over-lusty French Do the low-rated English play at dice. - The poor condemned English, Like sacrifices by their watchful fires, Sit patiently and inly ruminate The morning's danger; and their gestures sad, Investing lank-lean cheeks, and war-worn coats, Presenteth them unto the gazing moon So many horrid ghosts. Hen. V. Monstrelet, who is an impartial writer, does not mention this. Did Haman and his flatterers intend to divide the spoils of the designed-to-be-massacred Jews in some such manner as this?

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 lot, by delaying the execution, gives judgment against him. The event explains the doctrine of a particular providence over all the affairs of men, and the care of God over his church. Haman was afraid lest the king's conscience should smite him for what he had done; to prevent which, he kept him drinking. This cursed method many often take to drown convictions, and to harden their own hearts, and the hearts of others, in sin. All appeared in a favourable train to accomplish the project. But though sinners are permitted to proceed to the point they aim at, an unseen but almighty Power turns them back. How vain and contemptible are the strongest assaults against Jehovah! Had Haman obtained his wish, and the Jewish nation perished, what must have become of all the promises? How could the prophecies concerning the great Redeemer of the world have been fulfilled? Thus the everlasting covenant itself must have failed, before this diabolical project could take place.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Esther 3:7 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.

בַּחֹ֤דֶשׁba.Cho.deshin the monthH2320

הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ha.ri.shOn<the> firstH7223

הוּא\־hu'-thatH1931

חֹ֣דֶשׁCho.desh[is] [the] month ofH2320

נִיסָ֔ןni.SanNisanH5212

בִּשְׁנַת֙bish.Natin yearH8141

שְׁתֵּ֣יםshe.Teimtwo [plus]H8147

עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה'es.RehtenH6240

לַמֶּ֖לֶךְla.Me.lekhof the kingH4428

אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshAhasuerusH325

הִפִּ֣ילhi.Pilsomeone castH5307

פּוּר֩purPurH6332

ה֨וּאhu'itH1931

הַגּוֹרָ֜לha.go.Ral[is] the lotH1486

לִפְנֵ֣יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440

הָמָ֗ןha.ManHamanH2001

מִיּ֧וֹם\׀mi.Yomfrom dayH3117

לְי֛וֹםle.Yomto dayH3117

וּמֵחֹ֛דֶשׁu.me.Cho.deshand from monthH2320

לְחֹ֥דֶשׁle.Cho.deshto monthH2320

וַיִּפֹּלvai.yi.Poland it fellH5307

הַגּוֹרָלha.go.Ralthe lotH1486

עַל\־'al-onH5921

שְׁלוֹשָׁהshe.lo.Shahthree [plus]H7969

עָשָׂר'a.SartenH6240

יוֹםyOmdayH3117

לְחֹדֶשׁle.Cho.deshof monthH2320

שְׁנֵים\־she.neim-two [plus]H8147

עָשָׂ֖ר'a.SartenH6240

הוּא\־hu'-thatH1931

חֹ֥דֶשׁCho.desh[is] [the] month ofH2320

אֲדָֽר\׃\ \ס'a.DarAdarH143

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

Cross references for Esther 3:7

Ezra 6:15
And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
Esther 9:24-26
Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them,
Ezekiel 21:21-22
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.
Esther 9:17-19
On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.
Nehemiah 2:1
And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
Esther 9:1
Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;)
Matthew 27:35
And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.
Esther 9:5
Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them.
Esther 9:21
To stablish this among them, that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly,
Esther 2:16
So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Esther 1:3
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the first month.
Ne 2:1
in the twelfth.
1:3; 2:16
they cast Pur.
9:24-26; Pr 16:33; Eze 21:21,22; Mt 27:35
Adar.
9:1,5,17-19,21; Ezr 6:15

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

Context

Esther 3:6
And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
Esther 3:7
In 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.
Esther 3:8
And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.

Read all of Esther 3

Esther 3:7 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	En el mes primero, que es el mes de Nisán, en el año duodécimo del rey Assuero, fué echada Pur, esto es, la suerte, delante de Amán, de día en día y de mes en mes; y salió el mes duodécimo, que es el mes de Adar.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Au premier mois, qui est le mois de Nisan, la douzième année du roi Assuérus, on jeta le pur, c’est-à-dire le sort, devant Haman, pour chaque jour et pour chaque mois jusqu’au douzième mois, qui est le mois d’Adar.
German Elberfelder 1871	Im ersten Monat, das ist der Monat Nisan, im zwölften Jahre des Königs Ahasveros, warf man das Pur, das ist das Los, vor Haman, von Tag zu Tag und von Monat zu Monat, bis zum zwölften Monat, das ist der Monat Adar.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Mense primo (cujus vocabulum est Nisan), anno duodecimo regni Assueri, missa est sors in urnam, quæ hebraice dicitur phur, coram Aman, quo die et quo mense gens Judæorum deberet interfici: et exivit mensis duodecimus, qui vocatur Adar.