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The term Agagite is used in the Book of Esther as a description of Haman. The term is understood to be an ethnonym although nothing is known with certainty about the people designated by the name. As the events of the Book of Esther occur in Persia, it is considered likely that the term refers to people form the Persian town of Agag.

A well known Midrashic explanation of the term relates it to King Agag of the Amalekites whereby it is viewed as meaning either a literal descendant of Agag or an anti-semite, the Amalekites having come to be symbolic of the antithesis to Judaism.

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+The term <b>Agagite</b> is used in the [[Book of Esther]] as a description of [[Haman]]. The term is understood to be an ethnonym although nothing is known with certainty about the people designated by the name. As the events of the [[Book of Esther]] occur in Persia, it is considered likely that the term refers to people form the Persian town of Agag.
-<b>Agagites</b> were descendants of King [[Agag]] of the [[Amalekites]] (see 1 Samuel 15).  The Amalekites were enemies of the children of Israel who were attacked by them in Exodus 17.  Exodus 17:14 is a key verse because it emphasizes the Lord's response to this attack.  Many have interpreted this chapter as a type of the war between the flesh and the spirit.  Just as the flesh and the human spirit oppose each other (Galatians 5:17) so the children of Israel could never bow down to the Amalekites or the Agagites, their descendants.  This was the central problem presented in the book of Esther.  Because [[Haman]] was a descendant of [[Amalek]], [[Mordecai]] could not bow down to him.  In the same way the believers in Christ today are instructed that they must never give any ground to their flesh.
+A well known [[Midrash]]ic explanation of the term relates it to King [[Agag]] of the [[Amalekites]] whereby it is viewed as meaning either a literal descendant of Agag or an [[anti-semite]], the Amalekites having come to be symbolic of the antithesis to [[Judaism]].
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