Easily Deceived

Promote Haman that is, raised him to the rank of prime confidential minister, whose pre-eminence in office and power appeared in the elevated state chair appropriated to that supreme functionary. Such a distinction in seats was counted of vast importance in the formal court of Persia.
I wonder what the king saw in Haman that was commendable or praiseworthy it is plain that he was not a man of honor or justice, of any true courage or steady conduct, but proud, and passionate, and revengeful; yet was he promoted, and caressed, and there was none so great as he.
Haman whom both the Targums make to descend from Amalek, and to be of the stock or family of Agag, the common name of the kings of Amalek; and so Josephus; but this is not clear and certain; in the apocryphal Esther he is said to be a Macedonian.
Princes gave him the first place and seat, which was next to the king.
Reverenced Haman was to gave him divine honors, as to a deity; for such were given to the kings of Persia, and might be given to their favorites, and seems to be the case. Though Haman might not erect a statue of himself, or have images painted on his clothes for the Persians did not allow of statues and images. Yet he might make himself an idol, as Jarchi, and require divine worship, with leave of the king, which he had, an order for it. Haman being an Amalekite, one of a doomed and accursed race, was, doubtless, another element in the refusal by Mordecai to bow down on all fours.
Concerning him which shows that it was not mere civil honor and respect, for that in course would have been given him as the king's favorite and prime minister by all his servants, without an express order for it; this, therefore, must be something uncommon and extraordinary.
Mordecai did ether one which is a further proof that it was not mere civil honor that was required and given; for that the Jews did not refuse to give and that in the most humble and prostrate manner, and was admitted by them (1 Sam. 24:8) (2 Sam. 14:4) (18:28) (1 Kgs. 1:16). Had the homage been a simple token of civil respect, Mordecai would not have refused it; but the Persian kings demanded a sort of adoration, which, it is well known, even the Greeks reckoned it degradation to express. As Xerxes, in the height of his favoritism, had commanded the same honors to be given to the minister as to himself, this was the ground of Mordecai's refusal.
Nor can it be thought that Mordecai would refuse to give it from pride and resentment, and thereby risk the king's displeasure, the loss of his office, and the ruin of his nation; but it was such kind of reverence to a man, and worship of him, which was contrary to his conscience, and the Law of his G-d. The religion of a Jew forbade him:
1. To give such extravagant honors as were required to any mortal man, especially so wicked a man as Haman was. In the apocryphal chapters of this book (chap. 13:12–14) Mordecai is brought in thus appealing to G-d in this matter: “Thou knowest, L-rd, that it was neither in contempt nor pride, nor for any desire of glory, that I did not bow down to proud Haman, for I could have been content with good will, for the salvation of Israel, to kiss the soles of his feet; but I did this that I might not prefer the glory of man above the glory of G-d, neither will I worship any but thee.”
2. He especially thought it a piece of injustice to his nation to give such honor to an Amalekite, one of that devoted nation with which G-d had sworn that He would have perpetual war (Ex. 17:16) and concerning which he had given that solemn charge (Deut. 25:17), Remember what Amalek did. Though religion does by no means destroy good manners, but teaches us to render honor to whom honor is due, yet it is the character of a citizen of Zion that not only in his heart, but in his eyes, such a vile person as Haman was is contemned, Ps. 15:4. Let those who are governed by principles of conscience be steady and firm, however scorn or threatened, as Mordecai was.
It makes Haman’s proud spirit rage, and fret, and boil, within him, so that he becomes uneasy to himself and all about him. It is soon resolved that Mordecai must die. The head must come off that will not bow to Haman; if he cannot have his honors, he will have his blood.
He thought that revenge was unsuitable to his quality.
Lay hands on Mordecai alone that would not be a sufficient gratification of his revenge; he was too low and mean a person only to wreak his vengeance on; nothing short of his whole nation would satisfy him.
Destroy all the Jews even the people of Mordecai. Not merely to be revenged on Mordecai, but because he plainly saw, that both by his example, and upon the same principle with him; they would all to a man refuse to give him reverence; and therefore he was resolved to root them out of the whole empire, that he might not be mortified by them. And doubtless Haman included those who were returned to their own land: for that was now a province of his kingdom. Thousands of innocent and valuable lives must be sacrificed to his indignation.
Herein appear Haman’s intolerable pride, insatiable cruelty, and the ancient opposition of an Amalekite to the Israel of G-d. Saul the son of Kish, a Benjamite, spared Agag, but Mordecai the son of Kish, a Benjamite (2:5), shall find no mercy with this Agagite, whose design is to destroy all the Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. Come and let us cut them off from being a nation, Ps. 83:4. Nero’s barbarous wish is his, that they had all but one neck.
Haman said – Or "had said", nor indeed is it likely that Haman should cast lots to know when would be a proper time to destroy the Jews, until he had got leave of the king to do it.
He makes a false and malicious representation of Jews, and their character, to the king. The enemies of G-d’s people could not give them such bad treatment as they do if they did not first give them a bad name. He would have the king believe:
1. That the Jews were a despicable people, and that it was not for his credit to harbor them. "A certain people there is,’’ without name, as if nobody knew whence they came and what they were; "they are not incorporated, but scattered abroad and dispersed in all the provinces as fugitives and vagabonds on the earth, and inmates in all countries, the burden and scandal of the places where they live.’’
2. That they were a dangerous people and that it was not safe to harbor them. "They have laws and usages of their own, and conform not to the statutes of the kingdom and the customs of the country; and therefore they may be looked upon as disaffected to the government and likely to infect others with their singularities, which may end in a rebellion.’’
People in all the provinces though many of the Jews returned to their own land, on the proclamation of Cyrus, yet others remained, being well settled as to worldly things, and not having that zeal for G-d and His worship as became them. Not caring to be at the trouble and expense of such a journey, and especially those of the ten tribes; now Haman, through contempt of them, mentions them not by name, only describes them as a scattered insignificant people.
Their laws are diverse from all people concerning their diet and observation of days, and other things; that they were a separate people from all others in those things.
Neither keep they the king's laws he had a special respect to the non-observance of the king's command to give him reverence; and in like manner the Jews are represented by Heathen writers.
King’s profit to suffer them to dwell in his dominions; he got nothing by them, and they might be harmful to his subjects, and poison them with their notions; and since they were not obedient to the laws of the kingdom, it was not fit and equitable that they should be continued in it.
A law made, signed and sealed, for their destruction, and letters written and sent everywhere, ordering it to be put in execution.