Bible Strands
Esther 3:12
On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — On the thirteenth day of the first month, royal scribes are summoned to draft Haman’s decree for the king’s satraps, provincial governors, and local officials. The order is finalized in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with his signet ring.
The words — וַ/יִּקָּרְאוּ (va/yi.kra'u) means "and they were summoned," describing the official mobilization of the royal scribes. סֹפְרֵי הַ/מֶּלֶךְ (sofrei ha/melekh) translates to "the scribes of the king," identifying the officials tasked with recording Haman’s commands.
The thread — The practice of drafting provincial decrees in local scripts and languages appears in Esther 1:22, while the use of a king’s name and royal seal to authorize binding letters mirrors 1 Kings 21:8. Ezra 8:36 similarly records the delivery of royal edicts to satraps and governors across the empire.
Why it lands — The text records the mechanical execution of a genocidal order through standard bureaucratic channels, showing how administrative procedure can legitimize violence. It demands that readers recognize how legal formalism and imperial authority can be weaponized without immediate divine intervention.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 21:8 Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
- Esther 1:22 He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.
- Ezra 8:36 They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates, who proceeded to assist the people and the house of God.
- Esther 8:2 The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.
- Esther 8:8 Now you may write in the king’s name as you please regarding the Jews, and seal it with the royal signet ring. For a decree that is written in the name of the king and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.”
- Esther 9:27 the Jews bound themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should not fail to celebrate these two days at the appointed time each and every year, according to their regulation.
- Daniel 6:8 Therefore, O king, establish the decree and sign the document so that it cannot be changed—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
- Daniel 6:12 So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”
- Daniel 6:15 Then the men approached the king together and said to him, “Remember, O king, that by the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or ordinance established by the king can be changed.”