Abstract:
Rereading of Esther 3:8–15 depicts that lawlessness and revolt on the part of the Jewish diaspora
community ignited the genocide in the Persian Empire. The narrative is explicit that Haman was
not comfortable with two main issues concerning the Jews: (1) their laws were different from
those of every other people and (2) they did not keep the king’s laws. In addition, some Jewish
individuals were disrespectful to Persian superiors: Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman.
Following Haman’s report, Emperor Xerxes endorsed the proposition of exterminating the Jews
as a possible solution. The present study argues against a populist view that puts Haman in a
bad light. Existing studies on the genocide narrative in Esther 3:8–15 appear to sympathise with
the Jewish diaspora community in Persia in spite of their attitude that portrayed some rebellious
tendencies. Examined from a security and defence perspective, Haman’s position should be
given its merit because the Jews disobeyed the Persian laws and did not show respect to the
Persian authorities. The study employs a narrative approach to argue that the Jewish diaspora
community orchestrated the genocide by disobeying the Persian laws. It is further argued that
Haman had correctly foreseen it coming and confided with Emperor Xerxes. The study will also
discuss Haman as a strategist who speculated a possible Jewish revolt, which was confirmed by
the massacre of 75 000 people including Haman’s children (9:1–10). This study will present to the
academic readership a new dimension of reading Esther 3:8–15.
CONTRIBUTION : Previous studies variously provided some magnanimity on the book of Esther.
The contribution of the present study to the readership and the academic community seeks to
suggest a new reading of the book by arguing that the Jews provoked the Persian authorities
by disobeying the laws of the land.
