Zeresh was the wife of Haman, the powerful advisor to King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) in Persia. She is known from the book of Esther as the one who advised Haman to build a gallows to hang Mordecai, but later realized that Haman's plans against the Jews would lead to his downfall.
After Haman became enraged because Mordecai refused to bow down to him, Zeresh and his friends advised him to erect a gallows fifty cubits high and ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it.
11and he recounted to them the splendor of his wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and raised him above the officials and servants of the king.
12"What is more," Haman said, "Queen Esther invited no one but me to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And tomorrow I am invited by her again, along with the king.
14His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a pole set up, fifty cubits high, and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet in good spirits." The advice pleased Haman, and he had the pole set up.
When Haman was forced to honor Mordecai publicly instead of humiliating him, he returned home in grief and told Zeresh and his friends what had happened.
13Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you cannot prevail against him; you will surely fall before him."
Zeresh and his advisors warned Haman that if Mordecai, before whom he had begun to fall, was of Jewish descent, he would not be able to prevail against him but would certainly fall.
13Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you cannot prevail against him; you will surely fall before him."
Haman's ten sons, whom Zeresh bore, are mentioned in connection with the fate of the family. They were eventually killed by the Jews during their defense in Susa.
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."