Esther 3:1-6

Esther 3:1-6

[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  [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.  [3] Then the king's  servants,  which were in the king's  gate,  said  unto Mordecai,  Why transgressest  thou the king's  commandment?  [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.  [5] And when Haman  saw  that Mordecai  bowed  not, nor did him reverence,  then was Haman  full  of wrath.  [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. 

What does Esther 3:1-6 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The events we read in chapter3took 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. [1] 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. [2] 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. [3]
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. [4] Mordecai did not have to worship Haman (cf. Daniel 3:17-18). Not even the Persian kings demanded worship of their people. [4]9 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)." [6]
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).