Esther 3:1–6

¹After these things hath the king Ahasuerus exalted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and lifteth him up, and setteth his throne above all the heads who are with him, ²and all servants of the king, who are in the gate of the king, are bowing and doing obeisance to Haman, for so hath the king commanded for him; and Mordecai doth not bow nor do obeisance. ³And the servants of the king, who are in the gate of the king, say to Mordecai, ‘Wherefore art thou transgressing the command of the king?’ ⁴And it cometh to pass, in their speaking unto him, day by day, and he hath not hearkened unto them, that they declare it to Haman, to see whether the words of Mordecai do stand, for he hath declared to them that he is a Jew. ⁵And Haman seeth that Mordecai is not bowing and doing obeisance to him, and Haman is full of fury, ⁶and it is contemptible in his eyes to put forth a hand on Mordecai by himself, for they have declared to him the people of Mordecai, and Haman seeketh to destroy all the Jews who are in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus—the people of Mordecai.