12/10/06
Greg Tomlinson
How could Haman be an Agagite if Saul killed all of the Amalekites?
The history of the Amalekites and their relationship with the Hebrews legitimately raises questions regarding how Haman even came into being.
1.Who is Haman?
Esther 3:1-6
Haman is an Agagite who was promoted to be one of the highest officials in the Babylonian kingdom of Ahasuerus. As a result of Mordecai’s refusal to give to him proper allegiance or positional respect, Haman sought out the destruction of all of the Jews in the Babylonian empire.
2.When was Ahasuerus in power?
Ezra 4:5-7
Ezra 1:1-8; 5:13-17; 6:3
2 Chronicles 26:22-23
Isaiah 44:28-45:1
Daniel 1:21; 6:28; 10:1
2 Kings 25:22
Ahasuerus was the King of Babylon after the Babylonian exile had begun. This was roughly at about 515 BC. This follows the kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus and Darius. Some view Darius and Ahasuerus to be the same person.
3.What is an Agagite?
1 Samuel 15:8-9, 20, 32-33
An Agagite would be a descendant of King Agag of the Amalekites whom Saul was supposed to “utterly destroy” but Saul preserved Agag who was later put to death by Samuel.
4.What do we know about the ancestors of Haman?
Genesis 36:12
Exodus 17:8-16 cmp
Deuteronomy 2:4-6
Numbers 13:29; 14:41-45
Deuteronomy 25:16-19
Judges 6:3-4; 33-36;
7:12-15; 10:12-18
Haman is a descendant of King Agag who is a descendant of Amalek, grandson of Esau. After Israel left Egypt in the Exodus, the Amalekites fought against them in Rephadim, which is in the Sinai Peninsula (Saudi Arabia). This area is well outside of the land promised to Israel, although the Amalekites lived in the southern end of the Promised Land. God had told Israel to avoid messing with the Edomites (Esau) since they were close relatives. Israel probably would have left the Amalekites alone who most likely lived just south of the Promised Land, with some actually living in it. His pursuit and fighting against Israel was deemed completely inappropriate by God and thus the harsh words and condemnation against them. Throughout the time of the Judges, the Amalekites were a part of Israel’s oppressors.
5.What about Saul and the Amalekites?
1 Samuel 15:1-9,
32-33
In fulfillment of God’s curse against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:14), God commissioned Saul to “utterly destroy” the Amalekites. Saul killed the Amalekites “from Havilah … to Shur” but kept Agag and some of the livestock alive for a period of time. It was Samuel who later killed King Agag. Do recognize that the slaughter was from Havilan to Shur
6.What does it mean to “utterly destroy”?
Exodus 22:20
Numbers 21:1-3
Deuteronomy 2:33-35; 3:4-7; 7:1-5; 13:12-16; 20:15-17
Joshua 6:20-22; 8:26-29; 10:28-41; 11:18-22
1 Kings 9:20-21
2 Kings 19:10-13
Jeremiah 25:8-11 cmp Luke 2:36; Revelation 7:5-8
It essentially means to obliterate all that you encounter so that there is nothing of any real value left. It is interesting to note that the list of people (nations) that are in the Promised Land that are to be destroyed does not include the Amalekites.
Note that Jericho was “utterly destroyed” by Joshua but he still sent in the spies to bring out Rahab. This means that there were some that survived, although the number of survivors was near to zero. Also note that God told Israel that Nebuchardrezzar of Babylon would “utterly destroy” Israel and the nations around them. The nation of Israel was essentially destroyed but we know that some survived from those 10 northern tribes.
Summary:
Haman was a legitimate descendant of Agag who was an Amalekite. King Saul did “utterly destroy” them but based upon the usage of the Hebrew word and phrase, it seems very likely that the term means to essentially wipe out so that there is little or no hope of their being empowered again. It does not mean to completely obliterate their existence from off the face of the earth. For all intents and purposes, they are completely destroyed and are hopeless. Therefore, when Saul “utterly destroyed” the Amalekites, there remained a remnant from whom Haman the Agagite was born.