Esther 3:10

10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

Esther 3:10 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 3:10

And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto
Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
] As a token of his affection for him, and a mark of honour to him; with the Persians ^F23 for a king to give a ring to anyone was a token and bond of the greatest love and friendship imaginable; and it may be this was given to Haman, to seal with it the letters that were or should be written, giving order for the destruction of the Jews. It seems as if as yet Esther had not acquainted the king who her kindred and people were; or it can hardly be thought he would have so easily come into such a scheme, or so highly favoured an enemy of her people.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Alex. ab. Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 26. & l. 2. c. 19.

Esther 3:10 In-Context

8 And Haman said unto King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people, neither keep they the king's laws. Therefore it is not to the king's profit to suffer them.

9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed; and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those who have charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries."

10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

11 And the king said unto Haman, "The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee."

12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors who were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.