Parmashta

Background and Family

Parmashta was a son of Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite. His father, Haman, held the highest administrative position under King Xerxes (often identified with Xerxes I) and was a bitter enemy of Mordecai and the Jewish people. While the Bible does not explicitly name his mother, traditional interpretations often associate him with Zeresh, Haman's wife. Parmashta was one of ten brothers, including Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha.

The family was likely part of the high-ranking Persian aristocracy, living in the citadel of Susa. As an Agagite, Parmashta’s lineage suggests a historical connection to the Amalekites, the ancestral enemies of Israel, which adds a layer of covenantal history to his family's downfall.

Major Life Events

The biblical record for Parmashta is limited to the ninth chapter of Esther. Following Haman’s execution on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, the King issued a second decree allowing the Jewish people to defend themselves against those who sought to destroy them. On the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, the Jews in Susa struck down their enemies.

During this conflict, Parmashta and his nine brothers were killed (Esther 9:9). Although they were dead by the end of the first day of fighting, Queen Esther requested that the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows the following day. This was likely done as a public display of the King's judgment and to serve as a deterrent against further insurrection by Haman's remaining supporters.

Relationship to Other Biblical Figures

Parmashta’s primary relationship is as a member of the house of Haman. His fate is inextricably linked to the actions of his father. As a sibling to nine other brothers, he represents the collective destruction of a lineage that had sought the annihilation of the Jews. His death marks the fulfillment of the decree that allowed the Jewish population to act against the "house of Haman."

Spiritual Significance

In the context of the Book of Esther, Parmashta serves as a symbol of the complete overthrow of evil. The listing of his name, along with his brothers, is traditionally read in Jewish liturgy in a single breath to signify their simultaneous end. The death of Parmashta reinforces the theme of peripeteia—the sudden reversal of circumstances—which is central to the theology of Esther, illustrating that those who plot against God’s people often fall into the very traps they set.