Home › Glossary › Letter H

Haman

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Persian official who plotted to exterminate the Jews, thwarted by Esther

Detailed Definition
Haman, the villain of Esther, erected a gallows for Mordecai but was hanged on it himself after his genocidal decree was reversed. In poetry, Haman represents anti-Semitic malice, sudden reversal of fortune (peripeteia), and the hidden hand of providence—frequently evoked in themes of justice and deliverance.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Haman’s plot (Esther 3–7) illustrates pride’s downfall; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "Esther," Haman symbolizes the tyrant undone by his own gallows; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Haman’s elevation and fall model the danger of self-exaltation; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Haman represents the enemy of God’s people; In Christina Rossetti’s "Later Life," Haman’s decree prefigures the futility of anti-divine schemes; In T.S. Eliot’s "The Waste Land," Haman’s pride echoes in modern hubris.
Additional Notes
Haman: Agagite vizier in Esther who plots Jewish genocide; executed on his own gallows. In poetry, Haman symbolizes pride, anti-Semitism, and poetic justice (“schemer ensnared by his own trap”). His name evokes villainy—ideal for satirical, dramatic, or Purim-themed verse. Contrast with Mordecai to explore reversal (Esther 6–7)—a classic example of peripeteia in biblical narrative.
Also Known As
Haman the Agagite Haman son of Hammedatha
Skip to main content