He boasted to them about how rich he was, how many sons he had, how the king had promoted him to high office, and how much more important he was than any of the king's other officials.

Do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the LORD your God and I tolerate no rivals. I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation.

They will be driven out of the land of the living, driven from light into darkness.

They have no descendants, no survivors.

This is how Almighty God punishes wicked, violent people.

Those who survive will die from disease, and even their widows will not mourn their death.

None of their descendants will survive; the king will kill them all.

May no one ever be kind to him or care for the orphans he leaves behind.

May all his descendants die, and may his name be forgotten in the next generation.

Some time later King Xerxes promoted a man named Haman to the position of prime minister. Haman was the son of Hammedatha, a descendant of Agag.

My people and I have been sold for slaughter. If it were nothing more serious than being sold into slavery, I would have kept quiet and not bothered you about it; but we are about to be destroyed---exterminated!"

Esther answered, "Our enemy, our persecutor, is this evil man Haman!" Haman faced the king and queen with terror.

He said, "Hold high the banner of the LORD! The LORD will continue to fight against the Amalekites forever!"

On the fourteenth day of Adar the Jews of Susa got together again and killed three hundred more people in the city. But again, they did no looting.

The Jews in the provinces also organized and defended themselves. They rid themselves of their enemies by killing seventy-five thousand people who hated them. But they did no looting.

These letters explained that the king would allow the Jews in every city to organize for self-defense. If armed men of any nationality in any province attacked the Jewish men, their children, or their women, the Jews could fight back and destroy the attackers; they could slaughter them to the last man and take their possessions.

that I will not keep anything of yours, not even a thread or a sandal strap. Then you can never say, 'I am the one who made Abram rich.'

If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good.

In conclusion, my friends, fill your minds with those things that are good and that deserve praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and honorable.