⁷ In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur^(A) (that is, the lot^(B)) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on^[a] the twelfth month, the month of Adar.^(C)

⁸ Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs^(D) are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey^(E) the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.^{(F) 9} If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents^[b] of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”^(G)