Haman (Esther 3:1–4; Esther 3:5–6; Esther 3:7–11; Esther 3:12–15; Esther 5:4–14; Esther 6:4–11; Esther 6:12–14; Esther 7:3–10; Esther 8:1–2; Esther 9:7–14; Esther 9:24–26)

The Agagite, the Jews' Enemy

Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, promoted by king Ahasuerus above all the princes, who in wrath at Mordecai sought to destroy all the Jews, cast Pur, had a gallows made, was made to honor Mordecai, and was hanged on that gallows.

The book of Esther introduces him in one sentence: “After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him” (Esther 3:1). The text gives his father's name and the word Agagite and says nothing of his life before this. The king's servants bowed to him, “But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence” (Esther 3:2). Haman was “full of wrath” (Esther 3:5), and “thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone” (Esther 3:6); he “sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus” (Esther 3:6). He told the king of a people whose laws were diverse, offered ten thousand talents of silver, and received the king's ring (Esther 3:8-10).

Letters went into all the provinces “to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day” (Esther 3:13). Esther then invited the king and Haman to a banquet, and Haman went out “joyful and glad of heart” (Esther 5:9); but seeing Mordecai in the king's gate he “was filled with wrath” (Esther 5:9), and at the counsel of Zeresh his wife and his friends he had a gallows made fifty cubits high (Esther 5:14). That night the king could not sleep. Haman came to ask for Mordecai's hanging, and was instead told to do honor to Mordecai in the street of the city (Esther 6:4-11).

At the second banquet Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen” (Esther 7:6). “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified” (Esther 7:10). His house was given to Esther, his ring went to Mordecai, and his ten sons were slain and hanged (Esther 8:1-2; 9:10-14). The book names him as “the enemy of all the Jews” (Esther 9:24) and gives his plot as the reason for the days of Purim (Esther 9:24-26). Haman is named in no other book, and the book of Esther never names God.

Weaknesses

• Wrath
• Pride in his position
• Vengeance beyond the offender
• Pleasure in the gallows plan

Themes

• Pride and wrath
• The lot cast
• A plot against a people
• A device returned upon the head
• Purim

Promoted, and Mordecai will not bow (Esther 3:1–4)

The king sets Haman's seat above all the princes; the king's servants bow to him, but Mordecai does not, and they tell Haman because Mordecai had told them he was a Jew.

Promoted, and Mordecai will not bow

“After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him” (Esther 3:1).

“And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence” (Esther 3:2).

The king's servants asked Mordecai, “Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?” (Esther 3:3). “Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew” (Esther 3:4).

Wrath, and a purpose against all the Jews (Esther 3:5–6)

Haman is full of wrath at Mordecai and, thinking scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone, seeks to destroy all the Jews throughout the kingdom.

The lot is cast and the king gives his ring (Esther 3:7–11)

Pur is cast before Haman to choose the month; he tells the king of a people with diverse laws, offers silver, and the king gives him his ring and the people.

The lot is cast and the king gives his ring

“They cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, which is the month Adar” (Esther 3:7).

“And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them” (Esther 3:8). He did not name the people. “If it please the king, let it be written that they be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver” (Esther 3:9).

“And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee” (Esther 3:10-11).

The decree is sent into the provinces (Esther 3:12–15)

The king's scribes write what Haman commands, sealed with the king's ring, and posts carry it to every province; the king and Haman sit down to drink while Shushan is perplexed.

Joyful at the banquet, wrathful at the gate (Esther 5:1–14)

Haman is invited to Esther's banquet and goes out glad, but seeing Mordecai at the gate he is filled with wrath, and at the counsel of Zeresh and his friends he has a gallows made.

Joyful at the banquet, wrathful at the gate

Esther asked, “let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him” (Esther 5:4), and she asked them again for the next day (Esther 5:8). “Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai” (Esther 5:9).

At home he “recounted unto them the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him” (Esther 5:11), and said, “Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate” (Esther 5:13).

“Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon … And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made” (Esther 5:14).

Made to honor Mordecai (Esther 6:1–11)

On a sleepless night the king learns nothing was done for Mordecai; Haman comes to ask for Mordecai's hanging, supposes the honor is for himself, and is told to do it for Mordecai.

Made to honor Mordecai

When the king learned that Mordecai had not been rewarded, he asked, “Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him” (Esther 6:4).

The king asked what should be done for the man he delighted to honor. “Now Haman said in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?” (Esther 6:6). He named royal apparel, the king's horse, and a proclamation through the street (Esther 6:7-9).

“Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate” (Esther 6:10). “Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the street of the city” (Esther 6:11).

Mourning, and the warning of Zeresh (Esther 6:12–14)

Haman hastes home mourning with his head covered; his wise men and Zeresh say that if Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, he will surely fall before him, and the king's chamberlains bring him to the banquet.

Named by Esther and hanged (Esther 7:1–10)

At the second banquet Esther names Haman as the adversary and enemy; the king rises in wrath, Haman is found fallen on her couch, and he is hanged on the gallows he had made for Mordecai.

Named by Esther and hanged

Esther said, “let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish” (Esther 7:3-4). The king asked, “Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?” (Esther 7:5).

“And Esther said, An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king” (Esther 7:6-7).

Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said that the gallows fifty cubits high stood in Haman's house. “And the king said, Hang him thereon. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified” (Esther 7:9-10).

His house, his sons, and Purim (Esther 8:1–2; Esther 9:7–14; Esther 9:24–26)

The king gives Haman's house to Esther and his ring to Mordecai; Haman's ten sons are slain and hanged; the book gives his plot and the lot as the reason for Purim.

King Ahasuerus (Esther 3:1; Esther 3:10–11; Esther 7:9–10)

Promoted him above all the princes, gave him the ring, and said of him, Hang him thereon.

Mordecai (Esther 3:2–6; Esther 5:14; Esther 6:10–11; Esther 7:10)

Mordecai bowed not down to him; Haman made a gallows for Mordecai, was made to honor him, and was hanged on it.

Esther (Esther 5:4–8; Esther 7:3–6; Esther 8:1)

She invited him to two banquets and named him before the king as an adversary and an enemy; the king gave his house to her.

Zeresh his wife (Esther 5:10–14; Esther 6:13)

She and his friends counseled the gallows, and later said that if Mordecai were of the seed of the Jews, he would surely fall before him.

The Jews (Esther 3:6; Esther 3:13; Esther 9:24)

He sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

His ten sons (Esther 9:7–10; Esther 9:13–14)

Named in Esther 9:7-9; the Jews slew them in Shushan, and at Esther's request they were hanged.

Major sections

• Esther 3
• Esther 5–7
• Esther 8:1–2
• Esther 9:7–14
• Esther 9:24–26

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