Lexical Summary
Haman: Haman
Original Word:הָמָן
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Haman
Pronunciation:hah-MAHN
Phonetic Spelling:(haw-mawn')
KJV: Haman
Word Origin:[of foreign derivation]
1. Haman, a Persian vizier
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Haman
Of foreign derivation; Haman, a Persian vizier -- Haman.
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, favourite of Ahasuerus (etymology dubious; according to Jen
VOJ 1892, 58 ff. = Elamite proper name, of divinity
Humban, or
Humman) —
Esther 3:1 53t. in Esther.
(√ of following; meaning dubious).
Topical Lexicon
Name and IdentityHaman, designated throughout the Book of Esther as “the son of Hammedatha the Agagite,” is the highest-ranking courtier of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I, 486–465 BC). Although resident in the Persian Empire, Scripture links him to Agag, the royal line of the Amalekites, Israel’s ancient foe (1 Samuel 15:8). This ancestral note is critical for understanding his hatred of the Jews and frames the entire narrative of Esther.
Biblical Occurrences
All fifty-four Hebrew occurrences are confined to the Book of Esther, spanningEsther 3:1 to 9:25. They trace a rapid rise to power, an attempted genocide, and a dramatic downfall. Key texts include:
•Esther 3:1 – “After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman… and advanced him and placed his seat above all the officials who were with him.”
•Esther 3:8 – Haman presents his murderous decree.
•Esther 5:9 – Haman’s pride and rage against Mordecai.
•Esther 7:10 – “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.”
•Esther 9:24-25 – The formal record of his plot and its reversal, providing the basis for Purim.
Historical Background
Ahasuerus’ empire encompassed “one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Cush” (Esther 1:1). Persian kings commonly delegated vast authority to favorites, explaining how Haman could issue an empire-wide edict (Esther 3:12-13). The reference to “lots” (Pur) reflects Persian and Mesopotamian divination practices (Esther 3:7), which the Lord overruled in His providence.
Character Profile
1. Ambition: He covets royal honor (Esther 6:6-9) and is infuriated when one man, Mordecai, refuses to bow (Esther 3:5).
2. Malice: Instead of targeting Mordecai alone, Haman seeks to destroy “all the Jews” (Esther 3:6).
3. Manipulation: He offers ten thousand talents of silver to the royal treasury (Esther 3:9), a bribe roughly two-thirds of the annual Persian revenue.
4. Pride’s Collapse: The pivot comes when he must parade Mordecai through Susa (Esther 6:11), a humiliation signaling divine reversal.
Relationship to Amalek
Exodus 17:16 declares perpetual war between the Lord and Amalek. Saul’s failure to annihilate Agag (1 Samuel 15) left a surviving line that resurfaces in Haman. Mordecai, a Benjaminite descended from Kish (Esther 2:5), thus confronts the unfinished business of his forefather Saul. The clash in Esther is the last biblical episode in that centuries-long conflict, ending with Amalek’s extinction.
Theological Significance
Providence: God’s name is absent from Esther, yet His sovereignty permeates the plot. Timing—the king’s sleepless night (Esther 6:1) or Esther’s unscheduled audience (Esther 5:2)—reveals an unseen Hand.
Covenant Preservation: Haman’s decree threatens the Messianic line. By overturning it, God safeguards His redemptive promises, culminating in Jesus Christ (Matthew 1).
Retributive Justice: Haman is executed on the very gallows he built (Esther 7:10). His ten sons are likewise hanged (Esther 9:13-14), illustratingProverbs 26:27 in narrative form.
Purim
Haman’s plot and its reversal are memorialized annually on the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar (Esther 9:20-22). Purim celebrates divine deliverance, highlighting joy, feasting, generosity to the poor, and reading the Megillah (Esther).
Typological Foreshadowing
Many expositors view Haman as a prototype of the ultimate adversary, prefiguring both Antiochus IV, Roman oppression, and the eschatological Antichrist. His genocidal ambition, manipulation of governmental power, and final downfall mirror future patterns foretold in Daniel and Revelation.
Lessons for Ministry
• Spiritual vigilance: Ancient enmities may resurface in new guises; believers must remain watchful.
• Humility: Haman’s ruin warns against pride, while Mordecai’s exaltation reflectsJames 4:6.
• Courageous intercession: Esther’s advocacy models sacrificial leadership.
• Confidence in providence: Even in diasporic settings under pagan rule, God’s plan is unstoppable.
Jewish and Christian Reception
In Jewish liturgy, Haman’s name is drowned out by noisemakers during Purim readings. Christian commentators—from Josephus to the Reformers—underscore God’s faithfulness. Modern missions literature employs Esther’s reversal as a paradigm for kingdom advance in hostile contexts.
Conclusion
Haman stands as Scripture’s archetypal enemy of God’s people. His narrative exposes the futility of opposing the Lord’s covenant purposes and offers enduring assurance that divine providence turns intended evil into blessing.
Forms and Transliterations
הָמָ֔ן הָמָ֖ן הָמָ֗ן הָמָ֛ן הָמָ֜ן הָמָ֟ן הָמָ֡ן הָמָ֣ן הָמָ֤ן הָמָ֥ן הָמָ֧ן הָמָ֨ן הָמָֽן׃ הָמָן֒ הָמָן֙ המן המן׃ וְהָמָ֔ן וְהָמָ֗ן וְהָמָ֣ן וְהָמָן֙ והמן לְהָמָ֔ן לְהָמָ֗ן לְהָמָ֧ן להמן מֵֽהָמָ֔ן מהמן hā·mān haMan hāmān lə·hā·mān lehaMan ləhāmān mê·hā·mān mehaMan mêhāmān vehaMan wə·hā·mān wəhāmān
Links
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Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
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