Bible Strands
Esther 3:1
After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him to a position above all the princes who were with him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator places the scene in the Persian court immediately following a period of royal activity, as the king’s officials are required to honor Haman at the palace gate.
The words — גִּדַּל (gi.Dal) translates literally as “he made great,” describing the king’s active elevation of Haman above his existing courtiers.
The thread — This promotion echoes the Agagite lineage condemned in Numbers 24:7 and later fuels Haman’s boastful recounting in Esther 5:11.
Why it lands — The text states that royal favor can instantly invert social hierarchies, forcing an immediate choice between compliance and conviction.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Numbers 24:7 Water will flow from his buckets, and his seed will have abundant water. His king will be greater than Agag, and his kingdom will be exalted.
- Esther 5:11 Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
- Daniel 6:2 and over them three administrators, including Daniel, to whom these satraps were accountable so that the king would not suffer loss.
- 1 Samuel 15:33 But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
- Esther 3:10 So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.
- Genesis 41:40 You shall be in charge of my house, and all my people are to obey your commands. Only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.”
- 1 Samuel 15:8 He captured Agag king of Amalek alive, but devoted all the others to destruction with the sword.
- Genesis 41:55 When extreme hunger came to all the land of Egypt and the people cried out to Pharaoh for food, he told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.”
- Ezra 7:14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
- Esther 1:14 His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.