Original Word: אֲרִידַי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Ariyday
Pronunciation: ah-ree-dah'-ee
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-ee-dah'-ee)
KJV: Aridai
NASB: Aridai
Word Origin: [of Persian origin]

1. Aridai, a son of Haman

Aridai

Of Persian origin; Aridai, a son of Haman -- Aridai.

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

אֲרִידַי proper name, masculine a son of Haman Esther 9:9 (Persian, perhaps = haridayas, delight of Hari, see Add Thes⁷²; but text very uncertain; compare different tradition as to the names in ᵐ5).

Scriptural Occurrence

Aridai is mentioned a single time in the Hebrew Scriptures, within the list of Haman’s ten sons defeated and executed in the providential deliverance recorded in Esther 9:9.

Family and Genealogical Setting

Aridai was one of the sons of Haman the Agagite, chief antagonist of the Jews in the Book of Esther. Haman was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15), an ancient enemy of Israel. The death of Aridai and his brothers therefore represents the final cutting-off of a lineage long opposed to the covenant people of God.

Historical Background

The Book of Esther unfolds during the reign of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) of Persia. Haman plotted genocide against the Jews (Esther 3:6), but the Lord overturned the scheme through Esther and Mordecai. After the Jews received royal authority to defend themselves, Haman’s ten sons, including Aridai, joined their father’s cause against the Jews and fell in the ensuing conflict (Esther 9:7–10). The narrative emphasizes that their bodies were hanged publicly (Esther 9:14) to signify complete judgment.

Contribution to the Narrative of Esther

1. Fulfillment of Justice: Aridai’s demise confirms the lex talionis principle—those who sought to destroy God’s people met the very fate they intended for others (Esther 9:25).
2. Reversal Theme: His death highlights the book’s signature motif of reversal. The Jews, once under a death sentence, are delivered; their enemies, poised for victory, are routed.
3. Covenant Preservation: In eliminating the line of Haman, the Lord preserved the Jewish nation through whom Messiah would come. Aridai, though minor in mention, stands as part of this redemptive thread.

Theological and Doctrinal Significance

• Divine Providence: The fall of Aridai illustrates how God directs “times and seasons” (Daniel 2:21) to protect His people.
• Consequences of Sin: Generational hostility toward God’s covenant finds ultimate reckoning (Exodus 17:16). Aridai bears the consequence of his family’s obstinate opposition.
• Holy War Paradigm: Echoes of Israel’s earlier conflicts with Amalek resurface (Deuteronomy 25:17–19), underscoring God’s unfailing remembrance of covenant justice.

Practical Ministry Reflections

• Spiritual Vigilance: Just as Esther and Mordecai remained watchful, believers must discern threats against the faith community and act with courage.
• Intercessory Leadership: Esther’s prayerful advocacy prefigures the church’s call to stand in the gap for the vulnerable.
• Corporate Memory: Retelling Aridai’s downfall during Purim urges believers to commemorate deliverance and reinforce identity in Christ.

Intertextual and Eschatological Echoes

The extinction of Haman’s house, closing with Aridai, foreshadows the ultimate defeat of all powers opposed to God’s kingdom (Revelation 20:10). The book’s concluding peace (“For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes,” Esther 10:3) anticipates the reign of the greater Son of David, under whom every adversary will be subdued (1 Corinthians 15:25).

אֲרִדַ֖י ארדי ’ă·ri·ḏay ’ăriḏay ariDaiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts