Haman believes a simple lot can seal the Jews’ fate.
“In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar” (v.7). This verse places us in the Persian Empire around 474 BC, during the reign of King Ahasuerus (also called Xerxes I, who reigned from 486-465 BC). Haman, an official occupying a high position in the king’s court, uses “Pur” (meaning “lot”) to determine a precise date to enact his malicious plan against the Jewish people. The month Nisan (the first month of the Jewish calendar) underscores the start of sacred observances like Passover, adding weight to the tension that an official of the royal court would begin plotting during such a commemorative season. The twelfth month, Adar, traditionally falls in late winter, and the casting of lots from Nisan to Adar points to the methodical and superstitious nature of Haman’s endeavor.
By highlighting “Pur, that is the lot,” the text introduces the origin of what will become the Jewish festival of Purim. Haman’s plot—fixed by chance and pagan superstition—will eventually be overturned by God’s providential intervention, an overarching theme in Esther. This single verse foreshadows the looming threat about to befall the Jews, as Haman essentially picks a day of genocide by this process of casting lots. History teaches us that the Persian capital was at Susa and King Ahasuerus was known to rule a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia, reinforcing the significant breadth of influence such a decree would have had on Jewish communities scattered throughout. The mention that this all happened in the “twelfth year of King Ahasuerus” situates Haman’s casting of Pur well into Xerxes’ reign, aligning with historical records of political power struggles and royal intrigue in the Persian court.
Embedded in the text is also a deeper reflection on the hidden hand of God: while the enemies of His people may rely on casting lots, His plans remain certain. Jesus, in the New Testament, assured believers that though evil may seem to prosper for a time, God’s ultimate preservation of those who trust in Him stands firm (John 16:33). Thus, Esther 3:7 serves as a pivotal moment, ushering in the crisis that sets the stage for the deliverance to come.
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Esther 3:7 meaning
“In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar” (v.7). This verse places us in the Persian Empire around 474 BC, during the reign of King Ahasuerus (also called Xerxes I, who reigned from 486-465 BC). Haman, an official occupying a high position in the king’s court, uses “Pur” (meaning “lot”) to determine a precise date to enact his malicious plan against the Jewish people. The month Nisan (the first month of the Jewish calendar) underscores the start of sacred observances like Passover, adding weight to the tension that an official of the royal court would begin plotting during such a commemorative season. The twelfth month, Adar, traditionally falls in late winter, and the casting of lots from Nisan to Adar points to the methodical and superstitious nature of Haman’s endeavor.
By highlighting “Pur, that is the lot,” the text introduces the origin of what will become the Jewish festival of Purim. Haman’s plot—fixed by chance and pagan superstition—will eventually be overturned by God’s providential intervention, an overarching theme in Esther. This single verse foreshadows the looming threat about to befall the Jews, as Haman essentially picks a day of genocide by this process of casting lots. History teaches us that the Persian capital was at Susa and King Ahasuerus was known to rule a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia, reinforcing the significant breadth of influence such a decree would have had on Jewish communities scattered throughout. The mention that this all happened in the “twelfth year of King Ahasuerus” situates Haman’s casting of Pur well into Xerxes’ reign, aligning with historical records of political power struggles and royal intrigue in the Persian court.
Embedded in the text is also a deeper reflection on the hidden hand of God: while the enemies of His people may rely on casting lots, His plans remain certain. Jesus, in the New Testament, assured believers that though evil may seem to prosper for a time, God’s ultimate preservation of those who trust in Him stands firm (John 16:33). Thus, Esther 3:7 serves as a pivotal moment, ushering in the crisis that sets the stage for the deliverance to come.