3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people 3 that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants 4 throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them. 5
1 tn Heb “seers of the face of the king”; NASB “who had access to the king’s presence.”
2 tn Heb “were sitting first”; NAB “held first rank in the realm.”
3 tn Heb “one people.” Note the subtle absence at this point of a specific mention of the Jewish people by name.
4 tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “nations”
5 tn Heb “to cause them to rest”; NASB “to let them remain”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “to tolerate them.”