Then 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 lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.
Then on the thirteenth day of the first month, the king's scribes were called together. They wrote down everything Haman had commanded and sent letters to all the king's officials, governors of every province, and rulers of every people group. The letters were written in the script and language of each province and people group. Everything was written in King Ahasuerus's name and sealed with the king's official ring.
This verse describes the official process of sending out Haman's evil decree to destroy the Jewish people throughout the Persian Empire, giving it the full authority of the king.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Esther, set during the Persian Empire under King Ahasuerus (likely Xerxes I in the 5th century BC), Haman, the king's advisor, had convinced the king to authorize a decree for the extermination of the Jews due to his personal grudge against Mordecai. This verse describes the official process where the king's scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month to write the decree in multiple languages, addressed to governors and rulers across the provinces, and sealed with the king's ring to ensure its authority and enforceability. This reflects the administrative practices of ancient empires, where royal decrees were meticulously documented to maintain order and control over diverse populations.
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