King Ahasuerus gave a man named Haman a very high position in the kingdom. Everyone was ordered to bow down to Haman when he walked by. But Mordecai refused to bow. Day after day, the other servants asked Mordecai why he wouldn't bow, but he wouldn't change his mind.
When Haman found out that Mordecai would not bow, he was furious. He didn't just want to punish Mordecai, he decided to destroy every Jewish person in the whole empire. Haman cast lots (called purim) to pick the best day for this plan. The lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.
Haman went to the king and told him there was a group of people in his kingdom who didn't follow the king's laws. He offered a large amount of silver to pay for having them killed. The king gave Haman his ring, a sign of royal authority, to seal the order. Letters were written and sent by fast messengers to every part of the empire, ordering that all Jewish men, women, and children be killed on that day. When the letters arrived, the people of Susa were shocked and confused.
Historical Context
Haman was called an Agagite, which linked him to the ancient enemies of Israel called the Amalekites. This made his hatred of the Jewish people even more meaningful. Mordecai was from the tribe of Benjamin, the same tribe as King Saul, who had once fought against Agag, king of the Amalekites. So this conflict had very deep roots.
The casting of lots, purim, was used to pick a lucky date. This practice gave the book its name and also the Jewish holiday of Purim. The royal decree that Haman got the king to sign was treated as permanent under Persian law. Once it was sealed and sent out, it could not simply be cancelled, which made the situation extremely dangerous.
