EST 3:7 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) In early April of the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus’ reign, Haman got his servants to throw dice to select the best month and the best day to kill the Jews, and the 13th of March was chosen.

Key: khaki:verbs.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in year 12 of the king Ahasuerus, a Pur (which is “the lot”) was cast before the face of Haman from day to day and from month to month: the twelfth, which is the month of Adar.

UST So Haman had his servants cast a Pur (that is, a lot) while he watched to determine the best month and the best day of the month to kill the Jews. They did that in the first month, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year that Ahasuerus reigned as king of Persia. The lot selected the twelfth month of that year, the month of Adar, as the time for Haman to carry out his plan.

BSB § In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan,[fn] the Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman to determine a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.[fn]

3:7 Nisan is the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of March and April.

3:7 LXX were cast before Haman—a day and month—and the lot fell on the fourteenth of the month of Adar; Hebrew were cast before Haman a day and month—the twelfth, Adar; the month of Adar (also in verse 13) is the twelfth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of February and March.

OEB In the first month (the month of Nisan) in the twelfth year of the reign of King Ahasuerus, Haman had “pur” (which means “lot”) cast before him to determine the best day and best month for his actions. The lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month – the month of Adar.

WEBBE In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, and chose the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. It turned out to be the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).

LSV In the first month—it [is] the month of Nisan—in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, has one caused to fall Pur (that [is] the lot) before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, [to] the twelfth, it [is] the month of Adar.

FBV In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, “pur” (meaning a “lot”) was cast in Haman's presence to choose a day and month,[fn] taking each day and each month one at a time. The lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

3:7 Casting lots was an ancient way of determining the most “favorable” time for a particular action, in this case Haman's plan to destroy the Jews.

T4T So, during the twelfth year that Xerxes was ruling, during the month of April, Haman told his advisors to ◄cast lots/throw small marked stones► to determine the best month and the best day to kill the Jews. Haman’s advisors did that, and the day that was selected was March 7th during the following/next year.

LEB In the first month, that is, the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasurus, he cast pur—that is, the lot—before the presence of Haman for the day and for the month,[fn] until[fn] the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar.

3:7 Literally “from day to day and from month to month”

3:7 The Septuagint adds, “and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of”

BBE In the first month, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, from day to day and from month to month they went on looking for a sign given by Pur (that is chance) before Haman, till the sign came out for the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month Adar.

Moff No Moff EST book available

JPS In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

ASV In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

DRA In the first month (which is called Nisan) in the twelfth year a of the reign of Assuerus, the lot was cast into an urn, which in Hebrew is called Phur, before Aman, on what day and what month the nation of the Jews should be destroyed: and there came out the twelfth month, which is called Adar.

YLT In the first month — it [is] the month of Nisan — in the twelfth year of the king Ahasuerus, hath one caused to fall Pur (that [is] the lot) before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, [to] the twelfth, it [is] the month of Adar.

Drby In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman for each day and for each month, to the twelfth [month], that is, the month Adar.

RV In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

Wbstr In the first month, (that is , the month Nisan,) in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is , the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month , that is , the month Adar.

KJB-1769 ¶ In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.

KJB-1611 ¶ In the first moneth (that is, the moneth Nisan) in the twelfth yeere of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman, from day to day, and from moneth to moneth, to the twelfth moneth, that is the moneth Adar.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from marking of added words (and possibly capitalisation and punctuation))

Bshps In the first moneth (that is, the moneth Nisan) in the twelfth yere of king Ahasuerus, they cast Phur, that is a lot, before Haman from day to day, and from moneth to moneth to the twelfth moneth, that is, the moneth Adar.
(In the first month (that is, the month Nisan) in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Phur, that is a lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.)

Gnva In the first moneth (that is the moneth Nisan) in the twelft yere of King Ahashuerosh, they cast Pur (that is a lot) before Haman, from day to day, and from moneth to moneth, vnto the twelft moneth, that is the moneth Adar.
(In the first month (that is the month Nisan) in the twelft year of King Ahashuerosh, they cast Pur (that is a lot) before Haman, from day to day, and from month to month, unto the twelft month, that is the month Adar. )

Cvdl In the first moneth that is the moneth Nissan, in ye twolueth yeare of kinge Ahasuerus, was there occasion and oportunyte sought by Aman, from one daye to another, and from the same moneth vnto the twolueth moneth, that is the moneth Adar.
(In the first month that is the month Nissan, in ye/you_all twelveth year of king Ahasuerus, was there occasion and oportunyte sought by Aman, from one day to another, and from the same month unto the twelveth month, that is the month Adar.)

Wycl In the firste monethe, whos nam is Nysan, in the tweluethe yeer of the rewme of Assuerus, lot was sent in to a vessel, which lot is seid in Ebrew phur, `bifor Aaman, in what dai and in what monethe the folk of Jewis ouyte to be slayn; and the tweluethe monethe yede out, which is clepid Adar.
(In the first month, whos nam is Nysan, in the twelvethe year of the realm of Assuerus, lot was sent in to a vessel, which lot is said in Ebrew phur, `bifor Aaman, in what day and in what month the folk of Yews ouyte to be slayn; and the twelvethe month went out, which is called Adar.)

Luth Im ersten Monden, das ist der Mond Nisan, im zwölften Jahr des Königs Ahasveros, ward das Los geworfen vor Haman, von einem Tage auf den andern und vom Monden bis auf den zwölften Monden, das ist der Mond Adar.
(Im ersten Monden, the is the/of_the moon Nisan, in_the zwölften Yahr the kings Ahasveros, what/which the Los geworfen before/in_front_of Haman, from one days on the change and from_the moons until on the zwölften Monden, the is the/of_the moon Adar.)

ClVg Mense primo (cujus vocabulum est Nisan), anno duodecimo regni Assueri, missa est sors in urnam, quæ hebraice dicitur phur, coram Aman, quo die et quo mense gens Judæorum deberet interfici: et exivit mensis duodecimus, qui vocatur Adar.[fn]
(Mense primo (cuyus vocabulum it_is Nisan), anno duodecimo regni Assueri, missa it_is sors in urnam, which hebrew it_is_said phur, coram Aman, quo day and quo a_month gens Yudæorum deberet interfici: and exivit mensis duodecimus, who is_called Adar. )

3.7 Missa est sors. Qui ad sortem Domini pertinent, occiduntur, quos significat ille hircus, qui secundum sortem Domini in lege occidebatur.

3.7 Missa it_is sors. Who to lot Master pertinent, occiduntur, which significat ille hircus, who after/second lot Master in lege occidebatur.

TTN Tyndale Theme Notes:

Ethnic Hatred

Selfish pride, a desire to maintain power, and hatred for those who stand in the way have often been the basis for the persecution of racial or religious groups. Many people have died through the centuries because of such hatred.

In the book of Esther, Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai would not bow down as everyone else did when Haman passed by (Esth 3:1-5). Haman thus despised a man of integrity who would not obey laws that were against his convictions. This personal hatred of Mordecai the Jew developed into a murderous desire to destroy all Jews (3:6). His charge against the Jewish people was what he hated in Mordecai: They did not assimilate with other people, they had unique laws and customs, and they did not obey some of the laws of the king (3:8).

The Spanish Inquisition (1400s) and the Holocaust in Nazi Germany (1930s–40s) were other terrible attempts to wipe the Jewish people off the face of the earth. Religious and ethnic hatred still leads to diabolical plans today.

God disapproves of such hatred against any ethnic or religious group, and he will eventually hold accountable those who attempt to carry out such plots (see Deut 30:7; Pss 21:7-11; 34:19-21; 44:7). God has repeatedly saved the Jewish people and defeated their enemies, for God is faithful to all his promises (see Rom 9–11). He will similarly preserve his church through all persecution (see Matt 16:18; Rom 8:26-39).

Passages for Further Study

Gen 46:33-34; Deut 7:1-6; 23:3-8; Esth 3:1-9; Matt 15:22-28; Luke 4:27; Acts 10:34-35; Rom 9:1–11:36; Gal 3:26-29; Eph 2:14

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-ordinal

בַּ⁠חֹ֤דֶשׁ הָ⁠רִאשׁוֹן֙

in/on/at/with,month the,first

Alternate translation: “In month one”

Note 2 topic: translate-hebrewmonths

הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֔ן

he/it month Nisan

Nisan is the name of the first month of the Hebrew calendar.

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

חֹ֣דֶשׁ נִיסָ֔ן

month Nisan

As in 2:16, you could convert the Hebrew month into an approximate time on the calendar that your culture uses. However, the Jews used a lunar calendar, so if you use a solar calendar, the dates will be different every year and the translation will not be quite accurate. So you may just want to give the Hebrew month.

Note 4 topic: translate-ordinal

בִּ⁠שְׁנַת֙ שְׁתֵּ֣ים עֶשְׂרֵ֔ה לַ⁠מֶּ֖לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ

in=year two/dual teen to/for=the_king ʼAḩashəvērōshz

Alternate translations: “during the twelfth year of the reign of Ahasuerus as king of Persia” or “when King Ahasuerus had reigned for about twelve years”

Note 5 topic: translate-names

הִפִּ֣יל פּוּר֩ ה֨וּא הַ⁠גּוֹרָ֜ל

throw pur he/it the,lot

The storyteller is giving both the Persian and the Hebrew name because this is the story behind the Festival of Purim, which takes its name from “Pur.” So this is not repetition for emphasis. You can put in the Persian name and the word for “lot” in your own language to show that the storyteller is doing this.

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

הַ⁠גּוֹרָ֜ל

the,lot

A lot was an object with different markings on various sides that was used, most likely by dropping it on the ground, to select a specific time for doing something. The belief was that God or the gods would control which way the object fell, thus guiding the selection process and granting favor to the action if it were done on the date chosen.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

הִפִּ֣יל פּוּר֩

throw pur

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. You can say, for example, “Haman had his servants cast a Pur.”

Note 8 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

הִפִּ֣יל פּוּר֩

throw pur

If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this information first because it explains the rest of what happens in this verse.

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לִ⁠פְנֵ֣י הָמָ֗ן

to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before Haman

Here, face represents the presence of a person. In this context, the phrase means that Haman was physically present when the lot was cast. Alternate translation: “as Haman watched”

מִ⁠יּ֧וֹם ׀ לְ⁠י֛וֹם וּ⁠מֵ⁠חֹ֛דֶשׁ לְ⁠חֹ֥דֶשׁ

for,day for,day and,on,month of,month

This expression means that the lot was cast to select a particular day of the month and a particular month of the year.

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

מִ⁠יּ֧וֹם ׀ לְ⁠י֛וֹם וּ⁠מֵ⁠חֹ֛דֶשׁ לְ⁠חֹ֥דֶשׁ

for,day for,day and,on,month of,month

Haman was casting the lot to determine the best day and the best month to kill the Jews. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “to determine the best day and the best month to kill the Jews”

Note 11 topic: translate-hebrewmonths

שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר

two ten he/it month Adar

Adar is the name of the twelfth and last month of the Hebrew calendar. This name occurs several times in the story. Be sure to translate it consistently.

שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר

two ten he/it month Adar

See how you decided in 2:16 and the first part of this verse to represent the dates that are given in the Hebrew calendar in the book of Esther. Be consistent.

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר הוּא־חֹ֥דֶשׁ אֲדָֽר

two ten he/it month Adar

This means that the lot indicated the twelfth month of that year as the time for Haman to carry out his plan. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. (The day that was chosen is reported in verse 13.) Alternate translation: “the lot indicated the twelfth month, the month of Adar, as the best month to kill the Jews”

Note 13 topic: translate-ordinal

שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֖ר

two ten

Alternative translation: “month twelve” or “the twelfth month”

Parallel EST 3:7