Porata was one of the ten sons of Haman, the Agagite, who was an enemy of the Jewish people in the Persian Empire. He was killed along with his brothers when the Jews defended themselves against their enemies according to King Ahasuerus's decree. His death marked God's protection of His people and is celebrated during the festival of Purim.
1After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, advancing him and setting his seat above all the officials who were with him.
2All the king's servants at the King's Gate knelt and bowed down to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel or bow down.
4Day after day they spoke to him, but he would not listen to them. So they reported it to Haman, to see whether Mordecai's words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew.
6Yet he thought it beneath him to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who Mordecai's people were. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.
2And again on this second day, as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done."
3Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your eyes, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be granted me as my petition, and my people as my request.
4For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, and annihilated. If we had merely been sold as slaves and servant girls, I would have kept silent, for such trouble would not be worth disturbing the king."
9Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "Look, the gallows Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke up for the king's good, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high."[fn] The king said, "Hang him on it."
13Esther answered, "If it pleases the king, let the Jews in Susa be allowed to act tomorrow as well, according to today's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows."