The name Arisai is believed to be of Persian origin, possibly carrying a meaning such as “lion-like” or “region of light.” Like Aridatha, the individual bearing this name holds a place in scripture solely due to his lineage and the dramatic, divinely orchestrated reversal of fortune recorded in the book of Esther.
Arisai was the eighth of the ten sons of Haman the Agagite, the principal antagonist against the Jewish people in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I).
The Record of Haman’s Sons
Arisai is mentioned only once in the entire biblical canon, in the crucial passage where the Bible records the names of Haman’s sons whose fate sealed the victory and deliverance of the Jewish exiles. This record is found in Esther 9:9, which lists the names that are chanted during the Jewish festival of Purim:
“And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vajezatha,” (KJV, emphasis added).
This list serves as a direct enumeration of the enemies whose demise confirmed the Lord’s protective hand over His covenant people.
An Instrument of God’s Justice
The mention of Arisai is intrinsically tied to the grand deliverance narrative of the book of Esther. Haman, in his overwhelming pride and hatred of the Jew Mordecai, secured a royal decree for the annihilation of all Jews in the empire. However, Queen Esther’s courage and divine providence turned the plot back upon the plotter.
After Haman was executed on the gallows prepared for Mordecai, the king granted the Jews the right to defend themselves. The execution of Haman’s ten sons, including Arisai, was a necessary and final step in ensuring the safety of the Jewish community and preventing any attempt at carrying out the original wicked decree.
Esther 9:10 records the decisive action:
“The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.” (KJV, emphasis added).
The fact that the Jews “laid not their hand” on the spoil (the property of the slain) is a significant detail, distinguishing their action as one of justice and self-defense against existential threat, rather than an act of mere vengeance or greedy plunder.
The Theological Significance
Arisai’s life, like those of his brothers, serves as a clear biblical illustration of divine justice and the principle found in the wisdom literature:
- The Snare of the Wicked: The fate of Arisai and his family demonstrates the principle that those who dig a pit for others often fall into it themselves. The very lineage Haman hoped to elevate became the primary recipients of the judgment that stemmed from his own malice.
- The Completeness of Deliverance: The recording and final disposition of every son of the main enemy emphasizes the completeness of the Lord’s deliverance for His people. There were no remnants of the evil house left to rise up and threaten them again.
In summary, Arisai is a figure whose name is preserved in the KJV not for any personal deed, but as a critical element in the historical and theological narrative of Purim—a reminder of the ultimate faithfulness of God to preserve His Church from her most bitter enemies.