Why was haman promoted

Why is it important for us to know? Haman was second in command in the nation with only King Ahasuerus over him. Why did Haman hate the Jews so much and have such a great obsession to wipe them out? Haman was so angry at Mordecai and by extension, all the Jews, he was now going to work on trying to exterminate them.

Haman came up with a plot and this plan was designed to kill every Jew in the land. This law was essentially a death penalty for the Jews.

Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king.

And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast. At this point, Haman thought it was for him but then the king told them that they were for Mordecai Esther After what does the action in this verse occur? Esther , Question 3. Why does the verse mention three things Achashverosh performed for Haman? Apparently basing itself on the idea that King here refers to H-Shem, the Midrash Esther Rabbah cites a verse in Tehillim to relate that H-Shem allowed for Haman to be elevated only in order for his fall to be all-the-more steep and painful.

There is a parable told there of a horse, a donkey, and a pig. The farmer feeds the donkey and horse a limited amount, and feeds the pig without measure. This is not fair! In the next Midrash ibid.

Such is the case with Haman, made great only to be cut down the more painfully. The Chida calculates that Haman was at the peak of his power for a total of seventy days. He sent out the letters to kill the Jews on the 13th of Nisan. Seventy days later, on the 23rd of Sivan, Mordechai sent out the letters for the Jews to rescue themselves.

Similarly, there are seventy verses between this verse where Haman is elevated and the verse where Haman is hanged The Maharal writes that Haman is rewarded here instead of Mordechai because the righteous generally are not rewarded with wealth in this world, but accrue reward in the World to Come.

The insanity of weakening his empire by killing so many of its inhabitants does not strike him, nor does he ever seem to think that he has duties to those under his rule.

Careless of the sanctity of human life, too indolent to take trouble to see things with his own eyes, apparently without the rudiments of the idea of justice, he wallowed in a sty of self-indulgence, and, while greedy of adulation and the semblance of power, let the reality slip from his hands into those of the favourite, who played on his vices as on an instrument, and pulled the strings that moved the puppet.

We do not produce kings of that sort nowadays, but King Demos has his own vices, and is as easily blinded and swayed as Ahasuerus. In every form of government, monarchy or republic, there will be would-be leaders, who seek to gain influence and carry their objects by tickling vanity, operating on vices, calumniating innocent men, and the other arts of the demagogue. Where the power is in the hands of the people, the people is very apt to take its responsibilities as lightly as Ahasuerus did his, and to let itself be led blindfold by men with personal ends to serve, and hiding them under the veil of eager desire for the public good.

Benson Commentary Esther After these things — About five years after, as appears from Esther Did Ahasuerus promote Haman the Agagite — An Amalekite, of the seed-royal of that nation, whose kings were successively called Agag. And set his seat above all the princes — Gave him the first place and seat which was next the king. The religion of a Jew forbade him to give honours to any mortal man which savoured of idolatry, especially to so wicked a man as Haman.

By nature all are idolaters; self is our favourite idol, we are pleased to be treated as if every thing were at our disposal. Though religion by no means destroys good manners, but teaches us to render honour to whom honour is due, yet by a citizen of Zion, not only in his heart, but in his eyes, such a vile person as Haman was, is contemned, Ps The true believer cannot obey edicts, or conform to fashions, which break the law of God.

He must obey God rather than man, and leave the consequences to him. Haman was full of wrath. His device was inspired by that wicked spirit, who has been a murderer from the beginning; whose enmity to Christ and his church, governs all his children. Haman, however, by his own name, and the names of his sons Esther and his father, would seem to have been a genuine Persian.

The Classical writers make no mention of Haman's advancement; but their notices of the reign of Xerxes after B. After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman … set his seat above all the princes—that is, raised him to the rank of vizier, or prime confidential minister, whose pre-eminence in office and power appeared in the elevated state chair appropriated to that supreme functionary. Such a distinction in seats was counted of vast importance in the formal court of Persia.

Haman is advanced by the king, Esther ,2. Being despised by Mordecai, he seeketh to destroy all the Jews, Esther He casteth lots, Esther ; and accusing the Jews to the king, obtaineth a decree to put them to death, Esther Letters issued out to destroy all the Jews, Esther The Agagite, i. It is true, he is called a Macedonian in the apocryphal additions to this book; and so he might be by his birth or habitation in that place, though by his original he was of another people. Set his seat above all the princes that were with him; gave him the first place and seat, which was next to the king.

Compare 2 Kings Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible After these things, After the marriage of Esther, and the discovery of the conspiracy to take away the king's life, five years after, as Aben Ezra observe, at least more than four years, for so it appears from Esther did King Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite; whom both the Targums make to descend from Amalek, and to be of the stock or family of Agag, the common name of the kings of Amalek; and so Josephus g ; but this is not clear and certain; in the apocryphal Esther he is said to be a Macedonian; and Sulpitius the historian says h he was a Persian, which is not improbable; and Agag might be the name of a family or city in Persia, of which he was; and Aben Ezra observes, that some say he is the same with Memucan, see Esther , and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him; erected a throne for him, higher than the rest, either of his own princes and nobles, or such as were his captives, see 2 Kings