Protos

Who was Haman in the Bible?

Persian, during the exile and the return

Haman is the primary antagonist in the book of Esther. He was an Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekite kings, and a high-ranking official in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Haman appears in 44 verses of the Bible.

Esther Accuses Haman
Esther Accuses Haman · Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What does the Bible say about Haman?

Haman is the primary antagonist in the book of Esther. He was an Agagite, a descendant of the Amalekite kings, and a high-ranking official in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Haman was promoted to a position of authority and commanded all the royal officials to bow down to him (Est.3.1-2). However, Mordecai, a Jew, refused to bow to Haman (Est.3.2-4). Enraged, Haman plotted to destroy not only Mordecai but all the Jews in the empire (Est.3.5-6). He convinced the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of the Jews (Est.3.8-15). Haman also had a gallows built to hang Mordecai (Est.5.14). However, Haman's plans were thwarted by Queen Esther, who revealed her Jewish identity to the king and exposed Haman's plot (Est.7.1-6). The king ordered Haman to be hanged on the very gallows he had prepared for Mordecai (Est.7.7-10). Haman's ten sons were also executed (Est.9.10-14). The king then issued a new decree, allowing the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies (Est.8.1-14). Haman's story serves as a powerful example of how God can use individuals to protect His people and bring about justice, even in the face of great adversity.

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

Where does Haman appear in the Bible?

Haman is referenced in 44 verses. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

Showing the first 24 of 44.

Open all 44 references in Protos

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Haman.

Common questions

How many times does the Bible mention Haman?

Haman appears in 44 verses, all of them in Esther.

Which books of the Bible mention Haman?

Just one: Esther.

Where can I read every verse about Haman?

This page lists 24 of them. Protos carries all 44, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

Read it in context

Read Esther with Haman explained on the verse.

Tap any name, place, or word you do not recognize and the background opens on the verse you are reading. No second tab, no search, no losing your place.

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Fabio Jonathan ArifinFabio JonathanFounder of Protos · Portland Bible College graduate

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