Est 5:14 | KingComments | STEP | However, all greatness and prestige are overshadowed for Haman by the thought of Mordecai in the gate. Mordecai is his obsession. In his blind hatred of that man he finds no satisfaction in his own greatness. He is inspired by only one thing and that is to get rid of Mordecai. To him the word from Proverbs 21 applies more than to anyone else: ““Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names, who acts with insolent pride” ( ). “Zeresh his wife” is the first to respond to his anger at Mordecai. She supports and encourages her husband in evil. Thus, Sapphira supports her husband Ananias in an evil cause ( ). We can learn from this that our marriage can be a blessing, but also a curse. Haman’s wife also has a proposal and that is that a gallows be erected for his enemy. His friends wholeheartedly agree with the proposal. The sinister company encourages Haman to act immediately. Tomorrow, at the first opportunity he has to speak to the king, he must tell him that Mordecai should be hanged on the gallows he has had made. His ‘counselors’ don’t talk about making a request to the king, but rather use the commanding form. Haman’s wife may have been “a beautiful woman”, but she is a woman who “lacks discretion” and therefore she is “[as] a ring of gold in a swine’s snout” ( ). Haman’s friends prove to be foolish counselors by joining Zeresh’ foolish proposal. They expect a favorable effect of their counsel. This is evidenced by their encouragement that Haman can “go joyfully with the king to the banquet”. According to them this is going to be all right tomorrow. Rage is rarely patient. Outraged Haman cannot wait the day for his enemies to be killed. That would take months. He embraces the proposal of his wife and friends to hang Mordecai the very next day at a height that everyone can see him hanging. Haman sees his triumph. He will sleep well. But while he sleeps, another does not: the king. This is where the next chapter begins.

‏ Esther 5:14

The Hatred Against Mordecai

However, all greatness and prestige are overshadowed for Haman by the thought of Mordecai in the gate. Mordecai is his obsession. In his blind hatred of that man he finds no satisfaction in his own greatness. He is inspired by only one thing and that is to get rid of Mordecai. To him the word from Proverbs 21 applies more than to anyone else: ““Proud,” “Haughty,” “Scoffer,” are his names, who acts with insolent pride” (Pro 21:24).

“Zeresh his wife” is the first to respond to his anger at Mordecai. She supports and encourages her husband in evil. Thus, Sapphira supports her husband Ananias in an evil cause (Acts 5:1-2 ; 9). We can learn from this that our marriage can be a blessing, but also a curse. Haman’s wife also has a proposal and that is that a gallows be erected for his enemy. His friends wholeheartedly agree with the proposal.

The sinister company encourages Haman to act immediately. Tomorrow, at the first opportunity he has to speak to the king, he must tell him that Mordecai should be hanged on the gallows he has had made. His ‘counselors’ don’t talk about making a request to the king, but rather use the commanding form.

Haman’s wife may have been “a beautiful woman”, but she is a woman who “lacks discretion” and therefore she is “[as] a ring of gold in a swine’s snout” (Pro 11:22). Haman’s friends prove to be foolish counselors by joining Zeresh’ foolish proposal. They expect a favorable effect of their counsel. This is evidenced by their encouragement that Haman can “go joyfully with the king to the banquet”. According to them this is going to be all right tomorrow.

Rage is rarely patient. Outraged Haman cannot wait the day for his enemies to be killed. That would take months. He embraces the proposal of his wife and friends to hang Mordecai the very next day at a height that everyone can see him hanging. Haman sees his triumph. He will sleep well. But while he sleeps, another does not: the king. This is where the next chapter begins.