Esther 3:8 Meaning and Explanation
“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 for the king's profit to suffer them.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Haman tells the king of a scattered people whose different laws make them, he claims, unworthy to be tolerated.
What Does Esther 3:8 Mean?
Haman approaches the king with a masterpiece of insinuation. He names no people, only a certain people scattered through the provinces, whose laws are diverse and who, he claims, do not keep the king's laws. He paints difference itself as disloyalty, and concludes it is not for the king's profit to tolerate them.
Notice the cunning: he withholds the people's name, stokes the fear of the unfamiliar, and appeals to the king's self-interest. It is the ancient slander against the scattered faithful, that to be different is to be dangerous. By never naming the Jews, Haman keeps the king from grasping whom he is condemning, and so secures consent for a crime the king barely understands.
Frequently Asked Questions About Esther 3:8
What does Esther 3:8 mean?
Haman tells the king of a scattered people whose different laws make them, he claims, unworthy to be tolerated.