Haman (Bible)

This article is about the Haman mentioned in the Bible. For Haman in the Qur'an, see Haman (Islam).

Haman (or Haman the Agagite המן האגגי) is an individual who, according to Old Testament tradition, was a 4th Century B.C.E. Persian noble and vizier of the empire under Persian King Ahasuerus, traditionally identified as Artaxerxes II (most scholars identify him as Xerxes I).

Haman in the Hebrew Bible

The Punishment of Haman, by Michelangelo.

Haman enters the scene after the beautiful Jewish maiden Esther has become the queen of Persia and her guardian and uncle Mordecai has uncovered a plot to assassinate King Ahasuerus. The king elevates Haman to be his prime minister, and commands his officials to honor Haman by kneel down before him. Mordecai, however, refuses to kneel. Despite pressure from the kings officers, Mordecai persists in his refusal to obey the king command.

Learning of Mordecai's behavior, Haman too offense and determined to take revenge not only on Mordecai himself, but all of his people. Haman and his and his wife Zeresh then instigate a plot to kill the entire population of the Jews of Persia. Ahasuerus gives Haman his signet ring and authorizes him to carry out the plan. Haman causes the edict to be sent throughout the Persian empire. All the Jews, including women and children, are to be killed and their properties confiscated.

Hamantashen, the fruit-filled pastries shaped like Haman's three-corned hat, eaten by Jewish children of all ages at Purim.

Mordecai informs Esther of the plot and Haman's role in it, and Esther agrees to help, even at the risk of her life. She devises a scheme to expose the Haman and save her people at the same time. Cleverly, she convinces the king to grant her one boon, which she will reveal at a banquet in Haman's honor. Haman, meanwhile, prepares to have Mordecai publicly executed. At his wife's suggestion, he constructs a gallows 75 feet high.

Ahasuerus, however, is mysterious reminded of Mordecai's loyalty and wishes to reward him. He asks Haman: "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?" Haman replies that he should be given a public parade with great honor. The king immediately commands Haman to have Mordecai honored in the manner Haman suggested, much to the evil minister's chagrin.

The king then hosts the banquet that Esther has planned for Haman. She reveals to Ahasuerus that Haman's plans to kill her and her people, including even the loyal Mordecai. The king leaves in a rage, and the terrified Haman begs Esther for mercy, only to have the king return and find him in a compromising position that the king interprets as an attempt to molest the queen.

The wicked Haman meets his just fate on the very gallows he had had prepared for Mordecai. The loyal Mordecai then becomes prime minister in Haman's place, and the king issues a new edict authorizing the Jews to take revenge on their enemies. In a final act of fate, the dead bodies of Haman's ten sons are also hanged after they die in battle trying to kill the Jews.

Haman in other Judeo-Christian sources

Midrash

In Rabbinical tradition, Haman is considered an archetype of evil and persecutor of the Jews. Having attempted to exterminate the Jews of Persia, and rendering himself thereby their worst enemy, Haman naturally became the center of many Talmudic legends. Being at one time in extreme want, he sold himself as a slave to Mordechai (Meg. 15a). He was a barber at Kefar Karzum for the space of twenty-two years (ib. 16a). Haman had an idolatrous image embroidered on his garments, so that those who bowed to him at command of the king bowed also to the image (Esth. R. vii.).

Haman was also an astrologer, and when he was about to fix the time for the massacre of the Jews he first cast lots to ascertain which was the most auspicious day of the week for that purpose. Each day, however, proved to be under some influence favorable to the Jews. He then sought to fix the month, but found that the same was true of each month; thus, Nisan was favorable to the Jews because of the Passover sacrifice; Iyyar, because of the small Passover. But when he arrived at Adar he found that its zodiacal sign was Pisces, and he said, "Now I shall be able to swallow them as fish which swallow one another" (Esth. R. vii.; Targ. Sheni iii.).

Haman had 365 counselors, but the advice of none was so good as that of his wife, Zeresh. She induced Haman to build a gallows for Mordechai, assuring him that this was the only way in which he would be able to prevail over his enemy, for hitherto the just had always been rescued from every other kind of death. As God foresaw that Haman himself would be hanged on the gallows He asked which tree would volunteer to serve as the instrument of death. Each tree, declaring that it was used for some holy purpose, objected to being soiled by the unclean body of Haman. Only the thorn-tree could find no excuse, and therefore offered itself for a gallows (Esth. R. ix.; Midr. Abba Gorion vii., ed. Buber, Wilna, 1886; in Targum Sheni this is narrated somewhat differently).

Haman's lineage is given in the Targum Sheni as follows: "Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, son of Srach, son of Buza, son of Iphlotas, son of Dyosef, son of Dyosim, son of Prome, son of Ma'dei, son of Bla'akan, son of Intimrom, son of Harirom, son of Sh'gar, son of Nigar, son of Farmashta, son of Vayezatha, son of Agag, son of Sumki, son of Amalek, son of the concubine of Eliphaz, firstborn son of Esau". There are apparently several generations omitted between Agag, who was executed by Samuel the prophet in the time of King Saul. and Amalek, who lived several hundred years earlier.

Josephus

Haman is mentioned by Josephus in his Antiquities of the Jews. Josephus' account of the story is drawn from the Septuagint translation of the Book of Esther and from other Greek and Jewish sources, some are no longer extant.

Purim traditions

The Jewish holiday of Purim commemorates the story of the deliverance of the Jews and the defeat of Haman. On that day, the Book of Esther is read publicly and much noise and tumult is raised at every mention of his name. A special noisemaker called a Gragger is used to express disdain for Haman. Pastry known as Oznei Haman (אוזני המן, lit. Ears of Haman) are traditionally eaten on this day.

Etymology and meaning of the name

Several etymologies have been proposed for the name. It has been equated with the Persian name Omanes recorded by Greek historians, derived from the Persian Vohuman . Alternatively it has been associated with the Persian word Hamayun meaning "illustrious" (naming dictionaries typically list it as meaning "magnificent"), or with the sacred drink Haoma . The 19th century Bible critic Jensen associated it with the Elamite god Humban a view dismissed by later scholars. .

References

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• This article incorporates text from the 1901–1906 Jewish Encyclopedia, a publication now in the public domain.

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