History and rivalry of the Amalekites and the Jews

Israel and the Amalekites had a longstanding history of conflict. The Amalekites first opposed Israel during their journey out of Egypt, as recounted in Exodus 17:8, where they were ultimately defeated. The Amalekite aggression towards Israel was far from honorable. According to Deuteronomy 25:17-18, the Amalekites targeted the vulnerable "tail" of Israel's group, which consisted of those who were lagging behind, often the elderly, weak, and sick. Essentially, the Amalekites displayed cowardice by attacking those who were unable to protect themselves. Due to the wickedness of Amalek, God vowed to erase the memory of Amalek from existence (Exodus 17:14).

The conflict persisted into Saul's reign, marked by his massacre of the majority of the Amalekites as recorded in 1 Samuel 15. Notably, Saul showed mercy to Agag and possibly a few others. This act of sparing the Amalekites ultimately contributed to Saul's downfall, as they later abducted David's wives and family, preventing him from assisting Israel and Saul in a crucial moment, as recounted in 1 Samuel 30.

Considering that Saul was the one who only partially destroyed the Amalekites, it is understandable why the Amalekites would harbor animosity towards Saul. This sentiment would be even stronger if the Amalekite in question was an Agagite, potentially linked to the royal lineage, such as the Agag mentioned in 1 Samuel 15. It is significant to note that Saul, a Benjaminite and the son of Kish (1 Sam 9:1-2), shares a familial connection with Mordecai, a Benjaminite and son of Kish as described in Esther 2:5.

It is not surprising that Haman held a deep hatred towards Mordecai. The longstanding conflict between the Jews and the Amalekites spans generations. Furthermore, the fact that Mordecai's relative (Saul) had slain Haman's kin adds another layer to this animosity. This context sheds light on why the narrator labels Haman as "the enemy of the Jews" (3:10) and clarifies Haman's fervent desire to exterminate the Jewish population.