Topical Bible: Wives: Bad: Zeresh

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Topical Encyclopedia

Zeresh is a figure in the Old Testament, known primarily as the wife of Haman, the Agagite, who served as a high-ranking official in the Persian Empire under King Xerxes (Ahasuerus). Her account is recounted in the Book of Esther, where she plays a pivotal role in the narrative surrounding the plot against the Jews.

Biblical Account

Zeresh is introduced in Esther 5:10-14, where her husband Haman, filled with pride and anger towards Mordecai the Jew, seeks counsel from her and his friends. Haman's hatred for Mordecai is fueled by Mordecai's refusal to bow to him, which deeply offends Haman's sense of honor and status. Zeresh, along with Haman's friends, advises him to construct a gallows seventy-five feet high and to ask the king for permission to hang Mordecai on it. The Berean Standard Bible records this counsel: "His wife Zeresh and all his friends told him, 'Have a gallows seventy-five feet high built, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go to the banquet with the king and be happy.' This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the gallows constructed" (Esther 5:14).

Zeresh's advice is marked by malice and a lack of moral discernment. Her suggestion to execute Mordecai is not only extreme but also reveals a willingness to support her husband's vengeful desires without consideration of justice or righteousness. This counsel ultimately contributes to Haman's downfall, as the very gallows he prepares for Mordecai becomes the instrument of his own execution (Esther 7:9-10).

Character Analysis

Zeresh's role in the narrative of Esther highlights the influence a wife can have on her husband, for better or worse. In this case, Zeresh's counsel exacerbates Haman's pride and leads him further down a path of destruction. Her actions serve as a cautionary example of how a wife's influence, when rooted in wickedness, can contribute to the moral and spiritual decline of her household.

From a conservative Christian perspective, Zeresh embodies the antithesis of the virtuous wife described in Proverbs 31. Instead of offering wise and godly counsel, she encourages her husband in his sinful pursuits. Her account underscores the importance of a wife's role in supporting her husband in righteousness and the potential consequences when that role is misused.

Theological Implications

Zeresh's account is a reminder of the biblical principle that "bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33). Her influence on Haman illustrates how ungodly counsel can lead to devastating outcomes. The narrative also reflects the sovereignty of God, as the evil plans devised by Haman and Zeresh are ultimately thwarted, leading to the deliverance of the Jewish people and the exaltation of Mordecai.

In summary, Zeresh is remembered as a negative example of a wife's influence, one that encourages sin rather than righteousness. Her account serves as a warning to seek wisdom and godliness in marital relationships, emphasizing the profound impact a wife can have on her husband's life and decisions.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Esther 5:14
Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends to him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak you to the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go you in merrily with the king to the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Concerning Esther and Mordecai and Haman; and How in the Reign of ...
... hath informed us, be destroyed, with their wives and children ... Jew in the court."
Hereupon his wife Zeresh advised him ... he perceived that he was in a very bad case ...
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