You are strongly recommended to add to your library the excellent revised edition of Harper's Bible Dictionary titled, The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary, Revised Edition [book review], edited by Paul J. Achtemeier, with the Society of Biblical Literature (NY: Harper Collins, 1996). It is currently the best one-volume Bible dictionary in English, and it is available at Border's Books, Christian Science Reading Rooms, http://www.borders.com, or http://www.christianbook.com.

Haman, the villain in the book of Esther, who was appointed prime minister by the Persian ruler Ahasuerus. He plotted to destroy all Jews when Mordecai the Jew refused to prostrate himself before him. Esther and Mordecai collaborated to defeat Haman, and the tables were turned when he was hanged on the gallows he had erected for Mordecai; Mordecai then assumed Haman’s office and estate.

Haman is called an Agagite (Esther 3:1) and Mordecai is placed in the line of Kish (Esther 2:5), linking their enmity with that of Agag the Amalakite and Saul son of Kish (1 Sam. 15).