The Slaying of the Magi - from AncientOrigins.net a "Pop Archaeology site"
Despite their name, the Magi weren’t wizards or magicians. They were a group of people from Media with a unique set of religious beliefs. In time, they would find a niche for themselves in Persian society, with so many of them serving as priests that the words "priest" and "Magi" would almost become indistinguishable. But when the Slaughter of the Magi happened, they were still newcomers in a foreign land.
At the time, the Magi had only been in Persia for 27 years. Throughout most of their history, the Magi had been one of the six tribes of Media. But in 549 BC, their homeland was conquered by the Persian king Cyrus the Great. After years living among their own, they became strangers in a strange land inside of the Persian Empire.
Darius and his assassins ran through the castle, slaughtering Magian eunuchs and priests until they finally reached the man who called himself King Smerdis. They killed him on the spot, chopped off the heads of the dead and went out into the streets.
They waved the decapitated heads in front of people’s faces, telling them that their king was an imposter replaced in a Magian plot. They told the people to grab any weapon they could find, hunt down every Magi, and slaughter them all.
The king they’d killed had actually been incredibly popular across the Persian Empire. According to Greek sources, he’d sent aides to the farthest reaches of the kingdom and let them off the hook from paying tribute to the capital.
The people in the capital, however, hated him. They were used to being on top, and they didn’t like that this new king was changing things. When Darius told them that the king was a Magi imposter, they were only too willing to believe it.
They got their weapons and ran through the city, grabbing every Magi they could find and cutting them to pieces. The city was overflowing with their blood. As Herodotus put it: “If nightfall had not stopped them they would not have left one Magus alive.”
For years afterward, The Slaughter of the Magi was an annual holiday. On the anniversary of Smerdis’s death, the Persians would hold massive feasts. They would give thanks to the gods, eat with their family, and celebrate the day an immigrant community was nearly wiped out.
This was a major holiday. Multiple ancient sources talk about it, and while it’s not entirely clear how long it lasted, it’s said that, during the reign of Darius I, the Slaughter of the Magi was “the greatest holy day that all Persians alike keep”.
Despite their name, the Magi weren’t wizards or magicians. They were a group of people from Media with a unique set of religious beliefs. In time, they would find a niche for themselves in Persian society, with so many of them serving as priests that the words "priest" and "Magi" would almost become indistinguishable. But when the Slaughter of the Magi happened, they were still newcomers in a foreign land.
At the time, the Magi had only been in Persia for 27 years. Throughout most of their history, the Magi had been one of the six tribes of Media. But in 549 BC, their homeland was conquered by the Persian king Cyrus the Great. After years living among their own, they became strangers in a strange land inside of the Persian Empire.
Darius and his assassins ran through the castle, slaughtering Magian eunuchs and priests until they finally reached the man who called himself King Smerdis. They killed him on the spot, chopped off the heads of the dead and went out into the streets.
They waved the decapitated heads in front of people’s faces, telling them that their king was an imposter replaced in a Magian plot. They told the people to grab any weapon they could find, hunt down every Magi, and slaughter them all.
The king they’d killed had actually been incredibly popular across the Persian Empire. According to Greek sources, he’d sent aides to the farthest reaches of the kingdom and let them off the hook from paying tribute to the capital.
The people in the capital, however, hated him. They were used to being on top, and they didn’t like that this new king was changing things. When Darius told them that the king was a Magi imposter, they were only too willing to believe it.
They got their weapons and ran through the city, grabbing every Magi they could find and cutting them to pieces. The city was overflowing with their blood. As Herodotus put it: “If nightfall had not stopped them they would not have left one Magus alive.”
For years afterward, The Slaughter of the Magi was an annual holiday. On the anniversary of Smerdis’s death, the Persians would hold massive feasts. They would give thanks to the gods, eat with their family, and celebrate the day an immigrant community was nearly wiped out.
This was a major holiday. Multiple ancient sources talk about it, and while it’s not entirely clear how long it lasted, it’s said that, during the reign of Darius I, the Slaughter of the Magi was “the greatest holy day that all Persians alike keep”.
וַיָּבֹ֖א עֲמָלֵ֑ק וַיִּלָּ֥חֶם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בִּרְפִידִֽם׃ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֤ה אֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֙עַ֙ בְּחַר־לָ֣נוּ אֲנָשִׁ֔ים וְצֵ֖א הִלָּחֵ֣ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק מָחָ֗ר אָנֹכִ֤י נִצָּב֙ עַל־רֹ֣אשׁ הַגִּבְעָ֔ה וּמַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים בְּיָדִֽי׃ וַיַּ֣עַשׂ יְהוֹשֻׁ֗עַ כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר אָֽמַר־לוֹ֙ מֹשֶׁ֔ה לְהִלָּחֵ֖ם בַּעֲמָלֵ֑ק וּמֹשֶׁה֙ אַהֲרֹ֣ן וְח֔וּר עָל֖וּ רֹ֥אשׁ הַגִּבְעָֽה׃ וְהָיָ֗ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר יָרִ֥ים מֹשֶׁ֛ה יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֣ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָנִ֛יחַ יָד֖וֹ וְגָבַ֥ר עֲמָלֵֽק׃ וִידֵ֤י מֹשֶׁה֙ כְּבֵדִ֔ים וַיִּקְחוּ־אֶ֛בֶן וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ תַחְתָּ֖יו וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב עָלֶ֑יהָ וְאַהֲרֹ֨ן וְח֜וּר תָּֽמְכ֣וּ בְיָדָ֗יו מִזֶּ֤ה אֶחָד֙ וּמִזֶּ֣ה אֶחָ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י יָדָ֛יו אֱמוּנָ֖ה עַד־בֹּ֥א הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ וַיַּחֲלֹ֧שׁ יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֥ק וְאֶת־עַמּ֖וֹ לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ {פ}
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ וַיִּ֥בֶן מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יי ׀ נִסִּֽי׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַיי בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר׃ {פ}
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה כְּתֹ֨ב זֹ֤את זִכָּרוֹן֙ בַּסֵּ֔פֶר וְשִׂ֖ים בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י יְהוֹשֻׁ֑עַ כִּֽי־מָחֹ֤ה אֶמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ וַיִּ֥בֶן מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִזְבֵּ֑חַ וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יי ׀ נִסִּֽי׃ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־יָד֙ עַל־כֵּ֣ס יָ֔הּ מִלְחָמָ֥ה לַיי בַּֽעֲמָלֵ֑ק מִדֹּ֖ר דֹּֽר׃ {פ}
Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “Pick some troops for us, and go out and do battle with Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill, with the rod of God in my hand.” Joshua did as Moses told him and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Then, whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; but whenever he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur, one on each side, supported his hands; thus his hands remained steady until the sun set. And Joshua overwhelmed the people of Amalek with the sword. Then GOD said to Moses, “Inscribe this in a document as a reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven!” And Moses built an altar and named it Adonai-nissi. He said, “It means, ‘Hand upon the throne of Yah!’ GOD will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages.”
זָכ֕וֹר אֵ֛ת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ עֲמָלֵ֑ק בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֥ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָֽרְךָ֜ בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וַיְזַנֵּ֤ב בְּךָ֙ כׇּל־הַנֶּחֱשָׁלִ֣ים אַֽחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה עָיֵ֣ף וְיָגֵ֑עַ וְלֹ֥א יָרֵ֖א אֱלֹקִֽים׃ וְהָיָ֡ה בְּהָנִ֣יחַ יי אֱלֹקֶ֣יךָ ׀ לְ֠ךָ֠ מִכׇּל־אֹ֨יְבֶ֜יךָ מִסָּבִ֗יב בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְהֹוָה־אֱ֠לֹקֶ֠יךָ נֹתֵ֨ן לְךָ֤ נַחֲלָה֙ לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ תִּמְחֶה֙ אֶת־זֵ֣כֶר עֲמָלֵ֔ק מִתַּ֖חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם לֹ֖א תִּשְׁכָּֽח׃ {פ}
Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt— how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. Therefore, when the ETERNAL your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that the ETERNAL your God is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
נִחַ֗מְתִּי כִּֽי־הִמְלַ֤כְתִּי אֶת־שָׁאוּל֙ לְמֶ֔לֶךְ כִּֽי־שָׁב֙ מֵאַֽחֲרַ֔י וְאֶת־דְּבָרַ֖י לֹ֣א הֵקִ֑ים וַיִּ֙חַר֙ לִשְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וַיִּזְעַ֥ק אֶל־יי כָּל־הַלָּֽיְלָה׃
“I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned away from Me and has not carried out My commands.” Samuel was distressed and he entreated GOD all night long.
וְתִמְנַ֣ע ׀ הָיְתָ֣ה פִילֶ֗גֶשׁ לֶֽאֱלִיפַז֙ בֶּן־עֵשָׂ֔ו וַתֵּ֥לֶד לֶאֱלִיפַ֖ז אֶת־עֲמָלֵ֑ק אֵ֕לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י עָדָ֖ה אֵ֥שֶׁת עֵשָֽׂו׃
Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. Those were the descendants of Esau’s wife Adah.
אָמַר רָבָא: מִיחַיַּיב אִינִישׁ לְבַסּוֹמֵי בְּפוּרַיָּא עַד דְּלָא יָדַע בֵּין אָרוּר הָמָן לְבָרוּךְ מָרְדֳּכַי.
Rava said: A person is obligated to become intoxicated with wine on Purim until he is so intoxicated that he does not know how to distinguish between cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordecai.
וַֽיִּמְצְא֤וּ אִישׁ־מִצְרִי֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיִּקְח֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּתְּנוּ־ל֥וֹ לֶ֙חֶם֙ וַיֹּ֔אכַל וַיַּשְׁקֻ֖הוּ מָֽיִם׃ וַיִּתְּנוּ־לוֹ֩ פֶ֨לַח דְּבֵלָ֜ה וּשְׁנֵ֤י צִמֻּקִים֙ וַיֹּ֔אכַל וַתָּ֥שָׁב רוּח֖וֹ אֵלָ֑יו כִּ֠י לֹֽא־אָ֤כַל לֶ֙חֶם֙ וְלֹא־שָׁ֣תָה מַ֔יִם שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה יָמִ֖ים וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה לֵילֽוֹת׃ (ס) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֤וֹ דָוִד֙ לְֽמִי־אַ֔תָּה וְאֵ֥י מִזֶּ֖ה אָ֑תָּה וַיֹּ֜אמֶר נַ֧עַר מִצְרִ֣י אָנֹ֗כִי עֶ֚בֶד לְאִ֣ישׁ עֲמָֽלֵקִ֔י וַיַּעַזְבֵ֧נִי אֲדֹנִ֛י כִּ֥י חָלִ֖יתִי הַיּ֥וֹם שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ אֲנַ֡חְנוּ פָּשַׁ֜טְנוּ נֶ֧גֶב הַכְּרֵתִ֛י וְעַל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִֽיהוּדָ֖ה וְעַל־נֶ֣גֶב כָּלֵ֑ב וְאֶת־צִקְלַ֖ג שָׂרַ֥פְנוּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ דָּוִ֔ד הֲתוֹרִדֵ֖נִי אֶל־הַגְּד֣וּד הַזֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֡אמֶר הִשָּׁבְעָה֩ לִּ֨י בֵֽאלֹקִ֜ים אִם־תְּמִיתֵ֗נִי וְאִם־תַּסְגִּרֵ֙נִי֙ בְּיַד־אֲדֹנִ֔י וְאוֹרִֽדְךָ֖ אֶל־הַגְּד֥וּד הַזֶּֽה׃ וַיֹּ֣רִדֵ֔הוּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה נְטֻשִׁ֖ים עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ אֹכְלִ֤ים וְשֹׁתִים֙ וְחֹ֣גְגִ֔ים בְּכֹל֙ הַשָּׁלָ֣ל הַגָּד֔וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֛וּ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים וּמֵאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה׃ וַיַּכֵּ֥ם דָּוִ֛ד מֵהַנֶּ֥שֶׁף וְעַד־הָעֶ֖רֶב לְמָֽחֳרָתָ֑ם וְלֹֽא־נִמְלַ֤ט מֵהֶם֙ אִ֔ישׁ כִּי֩ אִם־אַרְבַּ֨ע מֵא֧וֹת אִֽישׁ־נַ֛עַר אֲשֶׁר־רָכְב֥וּ עַל־הַגְּמַלִּ֖ים וַיָּנֻֽסוּ׃ וַיַּצֵּ֣ל דָּוִ֔ד אֵ֛ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָקְח֖וּ עֲמָלֵ֑ק וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֥י נָשָׁ֖יו הִצִּ֥יל דָּוִֽד׃
In the open country, they came upon an Egyptian—and brought him to David. They gave him food to eat and water to drink; he was also given a piece of pressed fig cake and two cakes of raisins. He ate and regained his strength, for he had eaten no food and drunk no water for three days and three nights. Then David asked him, “To whom do you belong and where are you from?” “I am an Egyptian lad,” he answered, “the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I fell ill three days ago. We had raided the Negeb of the Cherethites, and [the Negeb] of Judah, and the Negeb of Caleb; we also burned down Ziklag.” And David said to him, “Can you lead me down to that band?” He replied, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into my master’s hands, and I will lead you down to that band.” So he led him down, and there they were, scattered all over the ground, eating and drinking and making merry because of all the vast spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. David attacked them from before dawn until the evening of the next day; none of them escaped, except four hundred young men who mounted camels and got away. David rescued everything the Amalekites had taken; David also rescued his two wives.
רִבִּי חִייָה בְּרֵיהּ דְּרִבִּי אָדָא דְּיָפוֹ רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. צָרִיךְ לְאוֹמְרָן בִּנְפִיחָה אַחַת וְעֲשֶׂרֶת בְּנֵי הָמָן עִמָּהֶן. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּירִבִּי בּוּן. צָרִיךְ שְׁיְּהֵא אִישׁ בְּרֹאשׁ דַּפָּא וְאֶת בְּסוֹפָהּ. שְׁכֵּן הוּא (סְלִיק) [שְׁנִיץ] וּנְחַת כְּהָדֵין קֶונְטְרָה. רַב אָמַר. צָרִיךְ לֵאמֹר. אָרוּר הָמָן אֲרוּרִים בָּנָיו. אָמַר רִבִּי פִינְחָס. צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר. חַרְבוֹנָא זָכוּר לַטּוֹב. רִבִּי בֶרֶכְיָה רִבִּי יִרְמְיָה רִבִּי חִייָה בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. רִבִּי יוֹנָתָן כַּד דַּהֶוָה מַטֵּי לְהַהוּא פְסוּקָא אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶגְלָ֔ה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הֲוָה אֲמַר נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת. שֶׁכָּל־ נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר דִּכְתִיב בְּיִרְמְיָה חַי הָיָה. בְּרַם הָכָא מֵת הָיָה.
Rebbi Ḥiyya the son of Rebbi Ada from Jaffa in the name of Rebbi Ze`ira: One has to recite them in one breath together with “the ten sons of Haman.” Rebbi Yose ben Rebbi Abun said, one has to write ish at the top of the column and the at the end since so it (rises) [is compressed] and sinks like a plumb-line. Rav said, one has to say, Haman be cursed, his sons be cursed. Rebbi Phineas said, one has to say, Ḥarbona be remembered for good. Rebbi Berekhiah, Rebbi Jeremiah, Rebbi Ḥiyya in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: When Rebbi Jonathan came to this verse, whom Nebuchadnezzar exiled, he used to say, Nebuchadnezzar, may his bones be pulverized; for all “Nebuchadnezzar” written in Jeremiah refer to the living, but here he was dead.
רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּוָּדַע הַדָּבָר לְמׇרְדֳּכַי״. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בֶּן דּוֹרְמַסְקִית אוֹמֵר: אֶסְתֵּר בְּרוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ נֶאֶמְרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וּבַבִּזָּה לֹא שָׁלְחוּ אֶת יָדָם״.
Rabbi Meir says: The book of Esther was said with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, as it is stated with regard to the conspiracy of Bigtan and Teresh against Ahasuerus: “And the thing became known to Mordecai” (Esther 2:22). This too could have been known only through divine inspiration. Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit says: The book of Esther was said with the inspiration of the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “But they did not lay their hands on the plunder” (Esther 9:15). The only way that could have been stated with certainty is through divine inspiration.