Poratha is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Poratha was one of the sons of Haman, the chief enemy of the Jews in the Persian Empire during the reign of King Ahasuerus. Haman had devised a plot to destroy all the Jews throughout the kingdom, but his scheme was exposed through Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai. As a result, the king issued a decree permitting the Jews to defend themselves against those who sought their destruction.
When the day appointed for the attack arrived, the Jews gathered to defend themselves and struck down their enemies throughout the provinces. Among those killed were Haman’s ten sons, including Poratha. Esther 9:8 lists him among the sons of Haman who perished: “And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha.” These deaths occurred in the citadel of Susa, where the sons of Haman were slain during the Jews’ defense.
Scripture records nothing else about Poratha beyond his name appearing in this list. He is identified solely as a son of Haman, sharing in the fate of his father’s household. His death formed part of the deliverance that the Jews commemorated afterward in the festival of Purim. The text presents him not as an actor in the story but as one who fell alongside his brothers when the plot against God’s people was overturned.
The Name
The name Poratha appears to be of Persian origin, consistent with the setting of the Book of Esther. Its precise meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from well-established linguistic evidence. Various suggestions have been offered, but none is certain enough to state as the actual meaning. As with several of the names in this list of Haman’s sons, the exact sense of the name remains uncertain, and it is best to acknowledge that rather than assign it a meaning that cannot be verified.
A Closing Thought
Poratha’s brief appearance in Scripture is a reminder that a person can be remembered only for the ruin that came through a household’s pride and cruelty. His name survives not because of anything he built or gave, but because he stood with his father’s violent designs against God’s people. Yet even this somber record invites us to consider our own legacy. What we inherit from others does not have to define us, and the choices we make can either join in harm or turn toward mercy. May we be remembered for kindness rather than for the fall of those who opposed the Lord.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Esther 9:8 — And Poratha, and Adalia, and Aridatha,