Haman
“Possibly from Persian homam (magnificent) or Sanskrit heman (the planet Mercury)”
Summary
Haman was the chief minister of King Ahasuerus of Persia who plotted to exterminate all the Jews in the empire but was executed on the very gallows he had prepared for his enemy Mordecai.
☩Rise to Power
Haman son of Hammedatha rose to become the chief minister or vizier of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) of Persia. He is called "the Agagite," which the Targum and Josephus interpret as indicating Amalekite descent—a nation that had pursued Israel with unrelenting hatred since the Exodus. His elevation followed the typical pattern of sudden turns in despotic states where advancement depends on royal whim.
☩The Plot Against the Jews
When Mordecai the Jew refused to bow to him, Haman's wounded pride led him to plot the destruction of all Jews throughout the Persian empire. He offered the king 10,000 talents of silver (an enormous sum indicating sinister motives) and cast lots (purim) to determine the auspicious day for the massacre. His scheme extended far beyond reasonable revenge for one man's perceived disrespect—he intended to exterminate an entire nation.
☩Downfall and Death
The very night before Haman planned to request Mordecai's execution, God caused King Ahasuerus to read of Mordecai's unrewarded service in saving the king's life. The next morning, Haman was forced to publicly honor the man he despised. When Queen Esther revealed Haman's plot against her people, the king ordered Haman hanged on the fifty-cubit gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. His ten sons also perished, and the Jewish people were permitted to defend themselves.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Haman," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Haman," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Haman," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 4.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Haman," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).