A Name Erased by the Providence of God
The Word of God is a book of meticulous record, where every name, whether of a faithful servant or a fleeting enemy, is inscribed to serve the eternal purpose of truth. Dalphon is one such name—a minor figure whose only claim to historical memory is his relationship to the infamous enemy of the Jews, Haman the Agagite, and his resultant, comprehensive execution. Though he is mentioned but once in the King James Version, his fate serves as a towering monument to the certainty of divine retribution upon those who lift their hand against the chosen of the Lord.
The Agent of the Adversary
Dalphon was the second of the ten sons of Haman, the Persian official who orchestrated the plot to annihilate the entire Jewish population within the empire of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes). Haman’s wickedness was a targeted spiritual attack, seeking to sever the lineage of promise and thwart the Messianic purpose of God. Dalphon and his brothers were raised in an atmosphere of inherited hatred, positioned as the next generation of oppressors to follow their father’s counsel, which was set against the very seed of Abraham.
The Hebrew root of the name Dalphon is often connected to the idea of “dripping” or “weeping.” If we are to understand this etymologically, the name might be seen as prophetically defining the ultimate outcome of the adversary’s lineage: a family destined to weep under the weight of God’s hand.
The Inevitability of Judgment
The Book of Esther records one of the most powerful reversals in history, illustrating that no political decree of man can override the covenant and providence of God. Through the courage of Queen Esther and the wisdom of Mordecai, the plot was exposed and the King’s decree was countermanded, allowing the Jews the right of self-defense.
In the ensuing conflict, the doom of the enemy was sealed. The account of Dalphon is found within this swift, irreversible judgment:
“And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha, And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and Vaizatha, 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.” (Esther 9:7-10, KJV)
The meticulous listing of the ten sons—including Dalphon—is the inspired testament to the completeness of God’s deliverance. The enemy’s bloodline was not simply defeated; it was terminated. This act was an essential guarantee that the seed of the great conspiracy would never rise again to plague the covenant people. Moreover, the Jewish people’s refusal to “lay their hand on the spoil” highlights their obedience to the righteous spirit of the decree, seeking not plunder, but justice and survival.
A Lesson for All Adversaries
Dalphon’s single appearance in Scripture is a severe, necessary truth for all those who align themselves with the forces of darkness, whether a literal false god like Dagon or the spirit of wickedness embodied in Haman’s house. The principle is clear: to set oneself against the body of Christ or the eternal plan of God is to invite certain and irreversible judgment. The brief life of Dalphon teaches us that every name associated with the attempted destruction of God’s truth will be recorded not for honour, but for the indelible record of divine justice.