Esther 3:1-6
Haman is angry with Mordecai
1 After some time, King Xerxes gave one of his officers greater authority. The officer's name was Haman. He was the son of Hammedatha, a descendant of Agag. Haman became the most important officer who served the king. 2 The king commanded that all the royal officers at the king's gate must bend down low down to Haman. So they all gave Haman honour when he passed them. Only Mordecai would not bend down and give honour to Haman.
3:2We do not know why Mordecai refused to give honour to Haman. Perhaps it was because Haman's father was a descendant of Amalek, through Agag. The Israelites and the Amalekites had been enemies for a long time. See Exodus 17:16. 3 The officers at the king's gate asked Mordecai, ‘Why do you not obey the king's command?’ 4 They warned Mordecai every day. But he would not agree to bend down low to Haman. So the officers told Haman about this. Mordecai had told them that he was a Jew. So they wanted to know if Haman would let Mordecai do this.
5 When Haman realized that Mordecai would not give him honour, he became very angry. 6 But he did not want to destroy only Mordecai. Now he knew that Mordecai was a Jew, he decided to destroy all the Jews who lived in Xerxes' whole kingdom.
