12/03/2006

Don't show me the money

Esther 3:8-11 - Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business."

So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. "Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please."

Why didn't Xerxes ask any questions about who these people were or what their customs were or what laws they weren't obeying? I wonder how Haman came to be so trusted. Didn't it surprise Xerxes that no one had mentioned such a people before this? That he hadn't heard of any trouble they had caused? That it was only Haman who seemed at all concerned about them?

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