Hammedatha הַמְּדָתָא
The father of Haman, the enemy of the Jews.
Who is Hammedatha in the Bible?
Hammedatha was the father of Haman, the primary antagonist in the book of Esther who plotted to destroy the Jews in the Persian Empire. He is identified as an Agagite in Esther 3:1, suggesting possible descent from Agag, the Amalekite king defeated by King Saul. While Hammedatha himself appears only briefly in the biblical narrative, he is significant because his son Haman rose to prominence in King Ahasuerus's court and nearly succeeded in orchestrating the genocide of the Jewish people (Esther 3:8-15). The mention of Hammedatha's lineage underscores the historical roots of Haman's animosity toward the Jews, ultimately connecting the ancient conflict between Israel and Amalek to the events of Esther's time. Though Hammedatha does not directly participate in the events of Esther, his role as Haman's father makes him part of the genealogical foundation for one of the Bible's most dramatic accounts of Jewish deliverance.
Biography
Hammedatha is mentioned in the book of Esther as the father of Haman, the primary antagonist who plotted to destroy the Jews in the Persian Empire. He is identified as an Agagite (Est.3.1), which suggests that he may have been a descendant of Agag, the Amalekite king who was defeated by King Saul (1 Samuel 15). Hammedatha's son, Haman, rose to a high position in the court of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) and used his influence to persuade the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all Jews in the empire (Est.3.8-15). However, Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai ultimately thwarted Haman's plans, leading to his downfall and execution, along with his ten sons (Esther 7-9). The mention of Hammedatha in the book of Esther serves to provide background information on Haman's lineage and to emphasize the long-standing enmity between the Amalekites and the Israelites.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEsther 5 verses
- 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."
Study Esther → - 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."
Study Esther → - Esther 8:5
"“If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if I have found favor in his sight, and the matter seems proper to the king, and I am pleasing in his sight, may an order be written to revoke the letters that the scheming Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews..."
Study Esther → - Esther 9:10
"They killed these ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder."
Study Esther → - Esther 9:24
"For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the Pur (that is, the lot) to crush and destroy them."
Study Esther →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | הַמְּדָתָא |