Original Word: וַיְזָתָא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Vayzatha'
Pronunciation: vay-ZAH-thah
Phonetic Spelling: (vah-yez-aw'-thaw)
KJV: Vajezatha
NASB: Vaizatha
Word Origin: [of foreign origin]

1. Vajezatha, a son of Haman

Vajezatha

Of foreign origin; Vajezatha, a son of Haman -- Vajezatha.

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a son of Haman
NASB Translation
Vaizatha (1).

וַיְזָתָא proper name, masculine (perhaps = Persian proper name, masculine Vahyazdâta Benfey^{Pers. Keilinschr. (1847) 18, 93} compare Spieg^{APK 240}, who conjectures meaning given-of-the-Best-One (vom Besten gegeben)), — a son of Haman Esther 9:9.

וָלָד, וֶלֶד see below ילד.

Name and Identity

Vaizatha is the tenth and last-listed son of Haman the Agagite (Esther 9:9). As a member of Haman’s household, he shares in the Amalekite lineage that had long opposed the covenant people of God (compare Exodus 17:14-16; 1 Samuel 15:8-33).

Scriptural Context

Esther 9 records the climactic reversal in which the Jews of the Persian Empire, once marked for annihilation, lawfully defend themselves. Within the citadel of Susa they strike down “five hundred men” (Esther 9:6) including “Parmashta, … and Vaizatha” (Esther 9:9). At Queen Esther’s further request, the bodies of the ten brothers are publicly displayed (Esther 9:14). Their collective fate underscores the complete overthrow of Haman’s house foretold in Esther 7:10.

Historical Background

1. An Agagite House. Haman’s connection to Agag, king of the Amalekites, links Vaizatha to a people under divine judgment for unprovoked hostility toward Israel (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).
2. Persian Jurisprudence. The irrevocable nature of Persian law (Esther 8:8) necessitated a counter-edict rather than simple repeal—making the downfall of Haman’s lineage, including Vaizatha, a visible testimony to the sovereignty of God above imperial decree.
3. Purim Origins. The defeat and exposure of Haman’s sons form part of the founding events of Purim (Esther 9:20-32). Vaizatha’s place in the narrative is therefore recalled annually in Jewish liturgy, where each of the ten names is read in a single breath to signify their simultaneous demise.

Theological Themes

• Covenant Faithfulness. Vaizatha’s death illustrates the Lord’s long-promised blotting out of Amalek (Exodus 17:14) and vindicates His faithfulness to protect His people (Genesis 12:3).
• Poetic Justice. The gallows built for Mordecai become a symbol of poetic justice; likewise, the executed sons mirror their father’s pride and fall (Proverbs 16:18).
• Reversal and Deliverance. The listing of Vaizatha and his brothers marks the turning of sorrow into joy (Esther 9:22), prefiguring the ultimate reversal accomplished in Christ’s resurrection.

Ministry Significance and Contemporary Application

1. Confidence in Providence. Vaizatha’s account encourages believers to trust God’s unseen hand amid political and cultural pressures.
2. Heritage and Holiness. The fate of an Agagite household warns against generational persistence in rebellion and highlights the necessity of repentance.
3. Spiritual Warfare. As Amalek once attacked Israel from behind, so the church faces spiritual adversaries. The finality of Vaizatha’s defeat anticipates the sure victory promised in Revelation 19:11-21.
4. Celebration of Salvation. Purim’s joy foreshadows Christian worship centered on deliverance. Remembering Vaizatha among the defeated cultivates gratitude for redemption that extends beyond national Israel to all who are in Christ.

Related References for Further Study

Exodus 17:8-16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19; 1 Samuel 15:2-3; Esther 3:1-15; Esther 7:10; Esther 9:6-17; Galatians 6:7-8; Revelation 19:1-3.

וַיְזָֽתָא׃ ויזתא׃ vayZata way·zā·ṯā wayzāṯāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts