3239 AM (521 BCE) – INSOLENCE AND INTRIGUE
Hammedatha had heard the news from King Cyrus that the Jews would be allowed back to Judah. He could not believe it. It was treachery! Just when Hammedatha was convinced that the Jews were going to pay for the cruelty of Samuel the Prophet, that had been inflicted on his people, the Amalekites, this happened.
Hammedatha had heard stories from his father about how the Jews were marched first out of Israel and then finally out of Judah. Justice had been meted out by the gods. It was poetic! The conquerors of cruelty, who ousted his people from their land, were cruelly conquered and, themselves, exiled to Babylon.
But now? It was not fair, at least in Hammedatha’s mind. How he hated the Jews. If only he could turn the Persians so that they would hate the Jews as well, as Babylon had hated the Jews for the longest time. If only. And then Hammedatha would see what would come of that decree of Cyrus and that pitiful caravan of Jews trying to find their way back to Judah.
But how?
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Despite the darkness in the heart of Hammedatha, he had a very upbeat and light demeanor. He was friendly and well-connected. As a transplant to Persia, the Agag family had been accepted and integrated into the Persian way of life.
A while after the first caravan of Jews left for Judah, word came back from Judah to the royal court that trouble was stirring among some locals.
When Hammedatha heard the news, he mused, “Those are my kind of people.”
But then a thought occurred to Hammedatha—perhaps he could do something similar on his end. But what? And how? Thoughts began to flood Hammedatha’s awareness. They were dark and insidious thoughts, yet they were also wicked and exciting.
Hammedatha’s first realization was that this was not quite the right time; he was not the right person to pull it off. The Jews had curried too much favor with the people because of Cyrus, but when the great Cyrus dies …
Hammedatha mulled it over.
“What if,” he thought to himself, “what if I could groom one of my sons? What if I could get one of them ready to take over my position? After all, I am old … well, older, but who would be best suited?”
Hammedatha thought through each of his sons. They were bright and strong. Some were already high up in the Persian government, but not to the level he was. And they were also older—too old for this plan. So he thought about his younger sons. This one was too nice, and that one was not going to amount to anything.
But then, like lightning in a dust storm, the beautiful face of his youngest son flooded his mind. Why had he not thought of him before? He was perfect! He was young, and he had such passion for life … and for death … and even for the death of the Jews. Zealous! Yes! Hammedatha could groom his youngest son for the task, and he would certainly not let his father down.
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As Cyrus was departing for battle, a dark harbinger hung over the whole of the land. Many did not think Cyrus would return, and it was rumored that Darius would be the next to come to power.
Now was the time.
For the sake of his people, for the sake of his family, and for the sake of exterminating the elect of Adonai, Hammedatha would have to work his magic, both metaphorically and literally, to gain the ear and the favor of this new king. His youngest son, Haman, would most certainly be victorious over all the Jews infesting Persia.
It was now just a matter of time.
Used with permission by the author. Find the author’s complete works online: Complete Works of Mack Samuels
