E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Esther 3:11
the People also. This was the aim of the great enemy, who was using Haman as he had tried to use Pharaoh in Egypt. See App-23 . read more
the People also. This was the aim of the great enemy, who was using Haman as he had tried to use Pharaoh in Egypt. See App-23 . read more
B. Haman’s Proposal 3:7-15His pride having been wounded, Haman set about to take revenge, not only on Mordecai, but also on all of Mordecai’s relatives. read more
3. The king’s permission 3:10-15The imprint of an official’s signet ring (Esther 3:10) was the equivalent of his signature in ancient times (cf. Genesis 41:42; Esther 8:2; Esther 8:8; Esther 8:10). Ahasuerus gave permission to Haman to confiscate the Jews’ wealth and to put them to death (Esther 3:11; cf. Proverbs 18:13). Merrill suggested that Ahasuerus viewed the Jews as a scapegoat to blame for his humiliating losses to the Greeks. [Note: Eugene H. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests, p. 502.] The... read more
Haman’s Revengeful Design Against the Jews1. The Agagite] It has been suggested that the name is an epithet meant to recall the Amalekite Agag hewn in pieces by Samuel (1 Samuel 15:33), and intended to indicate contempt and abhorrence.2. Mordecai bowed not, etc.] In the apocryphal ’Rest of Esther’ Mordecai explains in a prayer to the Almighty that he refused to bow down to Haman, ’that he might not prefer the glory of man above the glory of God.’ Amongst many heathen peoples divine honours were... read more
(11) And the king said . . .—With indifference which seems incredible, but which is quite in accordance with what we otherwise know of Xerxes, the king simply hands over to his minister the whole nation and their possessions to do with as he will. The king perhaps was glad to throw the cares of government on his minister, and, too indolent to form an opinion for himself, was content to believe that the Jews were a worthless, disloyal people. read more
The Solitariness of Principle Esther 3:8 In this story of the Persian Empire it is related how Haman, the king's chief favourite, felt insulted because Mordecai the Jew neglected to give him sufficient honour. His wounded dignity demanded revenge, but could not be satisfied with merely inflicting punishment on the man who had offended him. Because Mordecai was a Jew he would have the indignity wiped out by the extermination of the whole tribe. So Haman, by a little judicious flattery of the... read more
HAMAN AND HIS WICKED PLOT CHAPTER 3 1. The promotion of Haman and Mordecai’s faithfulness (Esther 3:1-6 ) 2. Haman’s proposal and the King’s assent (Esther 3:7-11 ) 3. The proclamation of death (Esther 3:12-15 ) Esther 3:1-6 . How long after these things the history of this chapter came to pass is not definitely stated. It probably happened after a short interval. We are now introduced to Haman, the Son of Hammedatha the Agagite. Him the king promoted and set his seat above all the... read more
HAMAN'S ADVANCEMENT AND CONSPIRACY (vv. 1-15) After this (though we are not told how long after) King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, an Agagite, to a position above all the princes (v. 1).Agag had been the king of the Amalekites(1 Samuel 15:8), who were bitter enemies of Israel from the time Israel came out of Egypt(Exodus 17:8-16) concerning whom God said He would utterly blot out the remembrance of them from under heaven (Exodus 17:8-14). King Saul had later spared Agag when destroying the... read more
THE JEWS IMPERILLED The events of this book belong chronologically after Zerubbabel’s company have gone to Jerusalem, and before the commissions of Ezra and Nehemiah. The scene is laid in Persia. Cyrus and Darius 1 have passed away, and Ahasuerus, son of the last named, and identified by some with Xerxes, and by others with Darius Hystaspes, is on the throne. He is a sensual, fickle, cruel despot. It was his great fleet that was defeated by the much smaller one of Greece at Salamis, about... read more
Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Esther 3:1-15
3:1-7:10 PLAN TO DESTROY THE JEWSHaman plots evil (3:1-15)Some time later, a proud and ambitious man named Haman was promoted to the position of chief minister in the Empire. He apparently demanded that people honour him almost as if he were a god. Mordecai refused, letting it be known that he was a Jew, and claiming that to give Haman such honour was against his Jewish religion. Haman was furious, and decided to get his revenge by killing all the Jews in the Empire (3:1-6). (Esther had now... read more