So in Xerxes's seventh year as a king, in the tenth month, Esther was bought to King Xerxes in the palace. The king liked her more than any other girls, and more than any of the others she won his favour and affection. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.
Meanwhile Mordecai had been appointed by the king to an administrative position . As for Esther, she had still not let it be known that she was Jewish. Mordecai had told her not to tell anyone, and she obeyed him in this, just as she had obeyed him when she was a little girl under his care.
During the time Mordecai held office in the palace, Bigdan and Teresh, who guarded the king's rooms, became hostile to king Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. Mordecai learnt about it and told Queen Esther, who then told the king what Mordecai had found out. There was an investigation, and it was discovered that the report was true, so both men were hanged on the gallows.
Some time later King Xerxes promoted a man a man named Haman to the position of prime minister. The king ordered all the officials in his service to show their respect for Haman by kneeling and bowing to him.
They all did so, except for Mordecai, who refused to do it . The other officials in the royal service asked him why he was disobeying the king's command; day after day they would urged him to give in, but he would not listen to them. I am a Jew, he explained and I cannot bow to Haman. So they told to Haman, and Haman was furious. Then he planned to kill Mordecai and all the Jews.
In the twelfth year of King Xerxes's rule, in the first month, the month of Nisan (April 17) , Haman ordered the lots to be cast to find out the right day and month to carry his plot. The thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar ( March 17), was decided on.