Aridatha
Aridatha was one of the ten sons of Haman, who were killed and hanged after their father's downfall.
Biography
Aridatha was the sixth of ten sons of Haman the Agagite, the powerful and murderous vizier of the Persian king Ahasuerus. His name is listed in Esther 9:8 among the sons who fell in the retaliatory conflict that erupted after Haman's downfall. Haman had secured a royal edict to exterminate all Jews throughout the Persian Empire, motivated by deep hatred for Mordecai, who refused to bow before him. The counter-edict issued through Esther's courageous intercession turned the tide, and Aridatha, together with his nine brothers, was slain in Susa on the appointed day of reckoning. The bodies of all ten sons were subsequently hanged publicly, symbolizing the complete overthrow of Haman's house.
Significance
Aridatha's death is part of the broader theological statement made by the Book of Esther regarding divine justice. While God's name is never explicitly mentioned in the book, His hand is unmistakable in the systematic undoing of every element of Haman's plot. The destruction of Haman's sons, including Aridatha, demonstrates that threats to the covenant community carry lasting consequences across generations. This episode undergirds the annual Purim celebration (Esther 9:26–28), a perpetual reminder of divine deliverance that transcends any single generation and speaks to the enduring faithfulness of God to His people.
Verse Appearances (1)
Esther
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]