ESTHER LESSON 3
We will begin this lesson in Esther 3:1 "After these things did
king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and
advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that [were] with
him."
We do not know for sure exactly how much later this occurred. We
can safely assume that it was several years, however. There had been
no mention of Haman, up until this time. There is nothing known about
Agagite. For whatever reason, Haman had been elevated up to second in
command under the king.
Esther 3:2 "And all the king's servants, that [were] in the
king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so
commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did [him]
reverence."
It was an oriental custom to bow to the king. Perhaps, Haman had
been someone who had not been regarded highly, and the order to bow to
him would give him some respect. All of the servants of the king, who
were about the level of Mordecai in authority, bowed to Haman.
Mordecai refused to bow to him.
Esther 3:3 "Then the king's servants, which [were] in the king's
gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's
commandment?"
It appears, the servants did not want Mordecai to get into
trouble for not bowing to Haman. They asked him why he didn't just go
ahead and bow, and keep down trouble.
Esther 3:4 "Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him,
and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether
Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he [was] a
Jew."
It appears, that Mordecai had explained to them that he was a
Hebrew, and they were forbidden by their God to bow to a man. When he
paid no attention to their warning, they told Haman. They were,
probably, afraid if they did not, Haman would punish them. They did
not know whether Haman would accept that as an excuse not to bow, or
not.
Esther 3:5 "And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did
him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath."
It is very apparent, to me, that Haman had not ever had much
power before, and the power he had, now, as number two man, made him
excessively proud of himself.
Esther 3:6 "And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone;
for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought
to destroy all the Jews that [were] throughout the whole kingdom of
Ahasuerus, [even] the people of Mordecai."
Haman was a very evil man. He would like to destroy all of the
Jews in the kingdom of Persia, instead of just killing Mordecai. In
the process, Mordecai and all of his relatives would die.
Esther 3:7 "In the first month, that [is], the month Nisan, in
the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that [is], the lot,
before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, [to] the
twelfth [month], that [is], the month Adar."
This first month was the same as Abib, or our April. Esther
married the king on the seventh year, so it appears she had been
married to him over 4 years, when this happened. It appears, that
Haman cast lots {pur} to see what day and month he would set the
massacre of the Jews. Adar would have been the same as our March.
Esther 3:8 "And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a
certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all
the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws [are] diverse from all
people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it [is] not for
the king's profit to suffer them."
There were, probably, a large number of Jews in this area at this
time. Many of them had been allowed to go back to their homeland, but
some, for one reason or another, had not gone back home. Haman was
trying to stir the king up against them, by telling him they did not
keep his laws. He was the same as accusing them of being traitors to
the king.
Esther 3:9 "If it please the king, let it be written that they
may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the
hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring [it]
into the king's treasuries."
The king had trusted Haman enough, that he made him the next in
authority to him. He had no reason to doubt that what Haman said was
not true. Haman was trying to prove his sincerity in protecting the
king by offering to pay for the destruction of them.
Esther 3:10 "And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave
it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy."
This is the signet ring of the king. Anything it was stamped on
was an order of the king automatically. Haman hated the Jews.
Esther 3:11 "And the king said unto Haman, The silver [is] given
to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee."
Of course, the king would not allow Haman to use his own money
for this purpose. Haman could have all the silver he found on these
people for himself, after he killed them. The king felt that he could
trust Haman, and he told him to do whatever he felt was necessary to
do.
Esther 3:12 "Then were the king's scribes called on the
thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to
all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the
governors that [were] over every province, and to the rulers of every
people of every province according to the writing thereof, and [to]
every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was
it written, and sealed with the king's ring."
These scribes would draw up the edict that would be sealed with
the king's signet ring. They were always handy, because the king would
have them draw up edicts for himself. It seems, in this case, the king
did not even know what the wording of the edict was. He trusted Haman
with all of that. This was sent to every province, so it had to be
sent to Judah, as well.
Esther 3:13 "And the letters were sent by posts into all the
king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all
Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day,
[even] upon the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the
month Adar, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey."
The letters were sent very much like our pony express worked. The
letters were taken by horseback. They would be carried, until the
horse and rider came to another station, and sent them by horseback
from there. The contents of these edicts were that all of the Hebrew
people should be killed, even the women and the children. They should
be killed on March 13, which was several months away.
Esther 3:14 "The copy of the writing for a commandment to be
given in every province was published unto all people, that they
should be ready against that day."
Each province was to do their own killing on that particular day.
It is difficult to understand why one person could have that much hate
built up within him. He had planned to kill all the Jews. This reminds
me of the hate that Hitler had.
Esther 3:15 "The posts went out, being hastened by the king's
commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the
king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed."
There was no reason to rush to get the letters out, but Haman
wanted to make sure everyone knew. The people of Shushan could not
understand this. The Persians had been good to the Jews in the past.
Probably, the king was not informed of the exact content of the
letters. At least, we have not seen a Scripture where he knew.
Remember, he had given his signet to Haman. Haman did the
preliminaries. It seemed that Haman and the king were drinking
friends.
Esther 3 Questions
1. Who did king Ahasuerus promote to second in command?
2. Who bowed to him?
3. Who was the exception to that?
4. It was an ___________ custom to bow to the king.
5. What question did the other servants ask Mordecai?
6. Why was it so important to Haman, that they bow to him?
7. When did they tell Haman about Mordecai?
8. How did Haman feel about Mordecai not bowing?
9. Who did Haman really want to kill?
10. What does "pur" mean?
11. What month is the same as the first month mentioned in verse 7?
12. What lie did Haman tell the king?
13. Did Haman tell him the people were the Jews?
14. What did Haman suggest they do about this?
15. What did the king give Haman to use, that was a symbol of his
authority?
16. What benefit does the king tell Haman will be his?
17. When were the scribes called to write the edict?
18. Who will the edicts be sent to?
19. Why did the king not know what was in the edict?
20. How were the letters sent?
21. Who were to be killed?
22. When was this to happen?
23. After the edict went out, what did Haman and the king do?
24. Why did the people of Shushan not understand this edict?
25. How could the king, possibly, not know what the edict said?
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