Esther 3:1-6

2. Haman’s promotion 3:1-6

The events we read in chapter 3 took place four years after Esther became queen (cf. Esther 2:16; Esther 3:7).

Agag was the name of an area in Media that had become part of the Persian Empire. [Note: Gleason L. Archer Jr., A Survey of Old Testament Introduction, p. 421.] However, Agag was also the name of the Amalekite king whom Saul failed to execute (1 Samuel 15:8; cf. Numbers 24:7). By mentioning both Kish, Saul’s father, and Agag, the Amalekite king, the writer may have been indicating that both men were heirs to a long-standing tradition of ethnic enmity and antagonism. [Note: Bush, p. 384. Cf. Baldwin, pp. 71-72; and Longman and Dillard, pp. 221-22.] King Saul, a Benjamite, failed to destroy King Agag, an Amalekite; but Mordecai, also a Benjamite (Esther 2:5), destroyed Haman, an Amalekite. This story pictures Haman as having all seven of the characteristics that the writer of Proverbs 6:16-19 said the Lord hates: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. [Note: Wiersbe, pp. 716-17.]

Mordecai’s refusal to bow before Haman (Esther 3:2) evidently did not spring from religious conviction (cf. 2 Samuel 14:4; 2 Samuel 18:28; 1 Kings 1:16) but from ancient Jewish antagonism toward the Amalekites. [Note: Bush, p. 385; Wiersbe, p. 718.] Mordecai did not have to worship Haman (cf. Daniel 3:17-18). Not even the Persian kings demanded worship of their people. [Note: Paton, p. 196.] Nevertheless, Ahasuerus had commanded the residents of Susa to honor Haman (Esther 3:3). So this appears to have been an act of civil disobedience on Mordecai’s part. Probably people knew that Mordecai was a Jew long before his conflict with Haman arose (Esther 3:4).

"While the fact that he was a Jew (4) would not preclude his bowing down, the faith of the exiles tended to encourage an independence of judgment and action which embarrassed their captors (Daniel 3; Daniel 6)." [Note: Baldwin, pp. 72-73.]

Haman might have been successful in getting Mordecai executed. However, when he decided to wipe out the race God chose to bless, he embarked on a course of action that would inevitably fail (cf. Genesis 12:3).