Haman’s Position in The Kingdom is Given to Mordecai

Topic: Responsibility

Passage: Esther 8:1–9

December 9, 2019

Commentary

In the culture of Esther’s day any person who received the death penalty automatically had to turn over his estate to the king (v 1). This included all of Haman’s property, possessions, as well as all the people in his house. The king gave all of this to Esther, and she then turned it all over to Mordecai for his care and keeping. We know from Esther chapter 9 that Haman had ten sons, all of which were slain not long after this. This emphasizes the fact that it was no small thing when the king turned over the property of Haman to Queen Esther. At the same time, Mordecai was promoted to the highest office in the kingdom, second in command, which is the same position that Haman held (v. 2). He became even more powerful than Daniel, who was made the third ruler in Babylon.

Since the edict to exterminate the Jews (3:13) was still in effect, something had to be done quickly. Esther appeared before the king a second time begging him to put an end to this evil plan (v. 3). King Xerxes held out the golden scepter to Esther (v. 4). She was willing to be known as a Jewess for she spoke of my people and my family, and her request was simple (vv. 5-6). She simply wanted a decree to stop the extermination of the Jewish race which Haman wanted to be carried out. The King wanted to please his wife and immediately sent out another written decree which was to override the first decree (vv. 7-8). Though Haman’s decree could not be revoked, a second one could supersede it (v. 9). Esther and Mordecai now had the power and authority that previously belonged to Haman and therefore they could use that power to their advantage.

Application

I want to be bold like Esther and willing to stand for what is right before Kings if necessary. We are living in a wicked world which may soon try to get us to renounce our faith in Jesus Christ and support things like homosexuality which are in direct opposition to what the Bible teaches.

Esther 8:1– 9 (NET)

¹ On that same day King Ahasuerus gave the estate of Haman, that adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Now Mordecai had come before the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her. ² The king then removed his signet ring (the very one he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s estate.

³ Then Esther again spoke with the king, falling at his feet. She wept and begged him for mercy, that he might nullify the evil of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had intended against the Jews. ⁴ When the king extended to Esther the gold scepter, she arose and stood before the king.

⁵ She said, “If the king is so inclined, and if I have met with his approval, and if the matter is agreeable to the king, and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces. ⁶ For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?”

⁷ King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have already given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he took hostile action against the Jews. ⁸ Now write in the king’s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be rescinded.”

⁹ The king’s scribes were quickly summoned—in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan), on the twenty-third day. They wrote out everything that Mordecai instructed to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the officials of the provinces all the way from India to Ethiopia —127 provinces in all—to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, and to the Jews according to their own script and their own language.