Haman Hangs

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People... Did not fret Mordecai, the Jew? 00:00:06 Speaker 2: You will not need to wait long to meet your fate. He must be made an example. His death must be public. And most importantly, wrote all here. Let all Jews know. 00:00:22 Speaker 3: My word, sealed with the king's ring, is law. 00:00:26 Speaker 2: I will not be mocked. I will not be undermined. 00:00:31 Speaker 4: On the seventh day of the month, two royal guards conspired against the king. 00:00:35 Speaker 1: The plot was uncovered and reported by Mordecai. 00:00:39 Speaker 5: What honor or reward was given to the man? Harry, and do just as you proposed. For Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the city gate, to take my own garment and a horse from my stables for him. 00:00:53 Speaker 6: The words struck like a hammer blow. Haman's vision blurred. His stomach twisted. 00:00:59 Speaker 5: Yes. 00:00:59 Speaker 3: Yes. 00:01:01 Speaker 4: My king. 00:01:03 Speaker 6: In that moment, Haman knew. The winds had shifted, and the rope he had ordered was tightening around his own neck. Outside, the gallows loomed in the midday sun, a monument to pride, an omen of doom. The trap was set, but not for the man it was built for. Haman sat in silence long after his wife and his friends had gone. The afternoon was turning to evening fast, too fast for comfort. Dark, leering shadows mocked him as the time for the queen's banquet drew nearer and nearer. His wife's chilling final words to him still echoed in his mind. 00:01:56 Speaker 7: Your downfall has already begun. 00:02:00 Speaker 6: Before he could rise to shake the dread from his bones, there was an ominous knock at the door that reverberated through the stone corridors of the estate. One of his servants answered, and mere moments later, Mamucan, the king's eunuch, appeared, sneering in Haman's entryway. He could scarcely contain his malicious glee at Haman's damaged social standing due to his very public shaming earlier. The sight of his greedy smile made Haman's stomach turn. 00:02:34 Speaker 1: Lord Haman, the queen's banquet awaits. 00:02:38 Speaker 2: The king has summoned you. 00:02:41 Speaker 6: The very banquet he once anticipated, he now dreaded. It was an uncomfortable ride with Mamucan in the royal carriage sent from the palace. When they arrived, Mamucan slunk off to the edges of the grand hall as he was not invited to dine with the queen. At least in that regard, Haman was still favoured. He took solace in that, but there was not much else to be grateful for after the terrible reversal of fate earlier. The palace dining hall glistened with gold and candlelight. Rich tapestries draped the walls and delicate crystal goblets sparkled beneath the soft glow. Esther's breath caught as she took in the scene. Once again, Hetark's careful touch had transformed the room. Platters of roasted meats glistened with fragrant steam, mingling with the scents of honey dates, warm bread and spiced wine. The table was an opulent masterpiece, each detail more lavish than the last. Esther steadied herself, smoothing her gown. Every movement measured. Her heart fluttered. but she fought to keep her face serene. She took her place, standing tall, and waited to greet her husband. The doors opened with a flourish. King Xerxes swept into the room, surrounded by his hand-selected noblemen and an entourage of loyal attendants, including the young Jewish cup-bearer from the last banquet. Esther's demeanour eased at the sight of him. It comforted her that she was not the only Jew in the palace tonight, Perhaps this was a sign that the god of their shared homeland was with them. The king's grin was wide and eager, like a child anticipating ripping into a long-awaited gift. His eyes sparkled with curiosity. Esther bowed low. When she rose, he gently lifted her chin and kissed her forehead. She met his gaze with a soft, radiant smile, determined to remain in his favour. even as the weight of her request pressed heavily on her heart. Haman arrived shortly after the king, flanked by one of the king's eunuchs, Mamucan. Esther knew of him, but little else, yet his sharp glance toward Haman told her more than words could. There was no warmth between them. Mamucan bowed low before the king, then slipped to the edge of the grand dining hall, blending into the cluster of attendants and noblemen. Esther took note. He was a quiet observer, watching the undercurrents swirl. Just the sort of man her cousin had warned her about in King Xerxes' court, always sizing up an opportunity to advance his ambitions. Esther's eyes returned to Haman. His unbridled lust for power dwarfed Mamucan or anyone else she had seen in the king's court. though his condescending charm seemed somewhat dampened from what it was yesterday. She forced herself to stand and offer Haman the seat of honour across from her, beside the king. Her pulse quickened. She met Haman's eyes with a smile so carefully practised it felt brittle in her cheeks. Esther sat poised throughout the meal, reclining on the couch, as was the day's custom, at the edge of the lavish table beside the king. She spoke little, offering soft smiles and polite nods while reminding herself that she and her people and her newfound loyal friends had fasted and prayed for three days for this moment. With each breath, she willed her courage to rise, and she was surprised to find that her voice remained calm and steady. The rich aromas of roasted meats and spiced bread had faded, and now the servants crept through the room, refilling goblets with fine wine. Among them, the young Jewish cupbearer approached the king, his movements precise and practiced. Esther did not look directly at him, but his quiet presence steadied her heart as the moment drew nearer. The king reclined beside her, swirling his cup, his curiosity building with every moment. At last, As soon as decorum allowed, he leaned toward her, his eyes bright with anticipation. 00:07:25 Speaker 4: My queen, I can no longer wait. What is your petition? Whatever you desire, up to half my kingdom, it shall be given. 00:07:38 Speaker 6: Esther's breath came slow and deliberate. The weight of the moment pressed down on her. The room fell silent. 00:07:46 Speaker 7: If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if the king is pleased, spare my life. This is my request. 00:07:55 Speaker 6: The king's brow furrowed. Haman's eyes narrowed over the goblet he had just raised to his lips. 00:08:02 Speaker 2: Your life? What do you mean? 00:08:07 Speaker 4: Who would dare threaten the queen? 00:08:10 Speaker 6: Esther's heart pounded in her chest. She could sense the protective edge in the king's voice. She just hoped that it would last as she continued in her request. She had heard from Hettarg how the king's anger had turned on Queen Vashti and how she was banished from Persia because of it. But despite the gnawing apprehension of what she was about to do, Esther met the king's gaze with a strength she didn't know she possessed, her voice clear, unwavering. 00:08:41 Speaker 7: Yes, I ask for my life. For my people and I have been sold to destruction and annihilation. If it were mere slavery, I would have remained silent. But this evil cannot be ignored. 00:08:55 Speaker 6: The king sat up straight, his face darkening. She could see his eyes calculating, searching, his anger rising at this ignorance of a policy in his court. 00:09:07 Speaker 5: Who is this? And where is the one who would devise such a scheme? 00:09:14 Speaker 6: Esther turned her gaze slowly, deliberately. Before she spoke, she looked once more to the young cupbearer. He met her gaze, a flicker of solidarity in his eyes. Whether he realized what he did or not, he gave the smallest nod. Courage surged within her, and. 00:09:35 Speaker 2: Then she spoke. 00:09:37 Speaker 7: My people are the Jews of Israel. And we have been marked for extermination by royal edict on the 13th day of Adar, in the 12th month of the year. But the man who authored the edict in the king's authority is here. The adversary and enemy of my people is this evil Haman. 00:09:57 Speaker 6: Gasps rippled through the room. Haman's face drained of color. The shock that washed over his features was unmistakable. He had not known. The very woman whose favor he had basked in was now his opponent. The shy young girl whose beauty had turned the head of the king was now a monarch in her own right. She was an unexpected force rising against him, threatening to topple his foul reign. Xerxes' fury erupted. He rose, blocking over his goblet, wine spilling like blood across the table. He whirled on Haman, cowering on the floor like a worm, and looked as though he might strike him for a moment, but then thought better of it. Without a word, he stormed into the garden, his mind racing. Hetark had explained the stakes to Esther. She knew that whether or not Xerxes had penned the edict, it still carried his authority, and as her cousin Mordecai had always taught her, the king's word was law. Outside, Xerxes paced furiously. His pride warred with his conscience. 00:11:14 Speaker 2: Can I undo a decree sealed by my own ring? Was I blind or manipulated by the man I trusted most? 00:11:25 Speaker 6: He clenched his fists. Rage simmered beneath the surface. 00:11:29 Speaker 2: Hermans ensnared me in one of his political schemes. This is how he rewards my favor. But was it ignorance or willful deceit? 00:11:43 Speaker 6: His thoughts turned darker. 00:11:45 Speaker 2: If he dared plot against my queen, how long before he sets his sight on his king? 00:11:55 Speaker 6: Xerxes' breath came fast and shallow. The fury in him boiled, seeking a place to land. Inside, the hall around Esther exploded into unabashed chatter in the king's absence of what had just taken place. Soon the halls of the palace and the streets of Susa would be buzzing with the queen's request and her accusation. The declaration of her heritage revealed at last. In the chaos, Esther noticed the eunuch Mamucan lingering in the shadows, eyes sharp. plans forming, taking it all in. Across from Esther, Haman turned desperate. He stumbled to her side of the table and fell at her feet. 00:12:40 Speaker 3: Please, please, spare me. I beg you, I didn't know her. Had I known my queen was a Jew, I never would have. I never would have. 00:12:53 Speaker 2: Believe me, my queen, I swear it. 00:12:56 Speaker 3: Have mercy. 00:12:57 Speaker 7: Have mercy. 00:12:59 Speaker 6: A fury rose in Esther, foreign but fearsome. 00:13:03 Speaker 7: You would only spare me because I have a title, because I have privilege. What of my people? What of the hundreds of thousands of innocents throughout Persia? 00:13:16 Speaker 6: Esther's anger drew out new depths of Haman's desperation as he sobbed in terror and grasped for her wrists. Esther recoiled, but he clung to her, his fear suffocating. 00:13:29 Speaker 7: Get off me! Let go! 00:13:31 Speaker 6: At that very moment, the king re-entered. He froze at the sight of Haman sprawled across the queen's couch, clawing at her hands, trying to control her. He roared over the chaos in the banquet hall. 00:13:47 Speaker 3: Oh, would he violate my queen while I am in the house? 00:13:52 Speaker 6: The room fell into stunned silence. The royal guard surged forward, tearing Haman off of Esther. Haman's knees scraped the floor as they dragged him to his feet, where he swayed, dazed and horrified. Xerxes stormed forward, his face etched in fury. He seized Haman savagely by the front of his robe, pulling him close enough for their breath to mingle. One wheezed with terror, the other burning with rage. Esther wanted desperately to look away from the feral violence, but found in her shock she could not tear her eyes away. Then, with a violent lunge, Xerxes ripped the signet ring from Haman's trembling right hand. Esther winced as the flesh of his knuckles scraped against the engraved gold. Blood welled, but it went unnoticed by the dumbstruck Haman. The king then hurled the ring across the floor in his unbridled fury. The heavy gold struck stone with a sharp, echoing clang. Every head turned. The sound rang with an eerie finality. Haman's fate was sealed. The guards yanked a black cloth over Haman's head. a mark of shame and final condemnation, as the king turned away in disgust, weighing not if Haman would die, but how. Esther collapsed into her seat and let out a shaky breath as her heart rate began to slow after the commotion. The king was still shouting and reeling in anger as his attendants and noblemen clambered around him, their voices a frenzy of counsel and caution. Esther noticed Mamucan slink forward like a snake in the grass, his voice oily and precise. 00:15:50 Speaker 3: My king, a gallow stands at Haman's estate, seventy feet high. It was built just last night, and it was built for Mordekai, the very man who saved your life. 00:16:04 Speaker 6: Esther's eyes widened in horror. If her banquet had been delayed, would Haman have executed her cousin? Esther trembled at the thought, but Xerxes' face hardened into stone. 00:16:18 Speaker 2: Hang Haman on it. 00:16:23 Speaker 6: The guards dragged Haman from the hall. His struggles were useless. His cries drowned beneath the weight of royal decree. From across the hall, the young cupbearer met Esther's gaze again, his face grave. He had seen the fall of the mighty. he would remember this night. Moments later, across town, the gallows outside Haman's home held its builder. His body hung, impaled 75 feet above the ground, a gruesome sight, taller than any tree for all of Susa to behold. The enemy of the Jews was vanquished, but the king's edict still loomed, sharp as any sword. 00:17:12 Speaker 1: The danger was far from over. This Pray.com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Schellebarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradok, Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com productions on the Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate and leave a review.