Who is haman in the book of esther

Yet all this does me no good so long as I see the Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate. Even though The Book of Esther doesn't mention God or get too religious, you could say that part of the reason for all this is because Esther and Mordecai are sure of their religious identity, their footing in front of God.

They're confident and self-possessed and basically make all the right moves. Neither Ahasuerus nor Haman have this kind of self-possession. The power and the plunder they hold are more important to their own self-estimate, which is why Ahasuerus wants to show off his first queen to the people inappropriately, and why Haman is so vindictive towards people who question his power. Their sense of self is based on what they own, not on what they are.

This is important for understanding why Haman is a villain—or, at least, it's a good psychological guess, given that the Book of Esther doesn't go too deeply into its characters' psychology and leaves the readers to figure it out for themselves.

Don't worry, though. Shmoop's got your back. Parents Home Homeschool College Resources. Study Guide. Previous Next. Haman Ah, Haman—he's the wicked Wormtongue whispering in the ear of Ahasuerus kudos if you got our Lord of the Rings reference and but one in a long line of evil counselors who eventually get their comeuppance.

Super Villain Size To let you know just how bad Haman is, the author describes how totally massive Haman's gallows for executing Mordecai will be: about 75 feet. What's Up With the Ending?

The large type volume from which this selection is taken was probably intended as a gift for children. It was printed in Bagdad in , and probably represents the final stage of an oral tradition eventually written down. From that day he became Mordechai's enemy, and attempted to kill him. If you do not believe me, send someone to see the gallows in his house. Immediately the king sent and gave orders to hang Haman and his sons upon the gallows.

The king said to Haman: "Get up, take Haman your enemy and the enemy of all the Jews, and garrote him and hang him on the gallows which he himself set up, and I hope you will torture him as severely as you can. Mordecai then took the wicked Haman from the king's presence, and said to him: "Get up Haman, you contentious bastard! I am going to do to you as you planned to do to me. You want to hang me, but I shall hang you on the gallows you prepared, as criminals are hanged.

Haman replied: "Mordecai, I hope you won't hang me as they hang thieves and profligates, for I belong to a family of heroes and prime ministers. Yet they could not match up to me, and I accounted them as nothing. A word from me, and kings were rocked. As his name indicates, Haman was a descendant of Agag , the king of the Amalekites.

On account of his attempt to exterminate the Jews in the kingdom of Ahasuerus, he is frequently called "the persecutor of the Jews" ; Esth. His machinations against the Jews and his downfall are remembered during the Feast of Purim. Filled with annoyance because Mordecai did not bow before him, Haman resolved upon the extermination of the Jews throughout the whole kingdom. He drew lots to determine the day of the massacre, and the lot fell on the 13th of Adar Esth. He offered the king ten thousand talents of silver for permission to do with the Jews as he pleased.

The permission was granted, and he accordingly despatched letters to all parts of the Persian kingdom to massacre the Jews on the 13th of Adar iii. His intrigues, however, were baffled by Esther. In order to throw him off his guard she invited him to a banquet to which she had also asked the king. Haman, looking upon this as an indication of special favor, in his pride went so far as to prepare a gallows whereon to hang Mordecai v.

But in that night a sudden change occurred in Haman's fortunes. His own answer to the king's question what should be done to him whom the king delighted to honor, which Haman supposed referred to himself, obliged Haman to lead Mordecai, his mortal enemy, clad in royal garments and seated on the king's horse, through the streets of Shushan and to proclaim: "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor" vi. Afterward, while Haman was again drinking with the king at a banquet prepared by Esther, the latter exposed to the king Haman's plot.

The king, filled with anger, ordered his officers to hang Haman on the very gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai vii. Ahasuerus bestowed upon Esther Haman's house viii. Haman is identified by the Talmudists with Memucan, the last of the seven princes "which saw the king's face" Esth.

Haman was a direct descendant of Agag in the sixteenth generation and consequently an Amalekite Targ. Sheni; Josephus, "Ant.