This deliverance is commemorated by the inauguration of the Jewish festival of Purim on the fourteenth and fifteenth of Adar (mid-February through mid-March). 4:16). In Esther’s story, God’s involvement is implicit rather than explicit. The book of Esther has served the Jewish people as support of their national hope and especially so … He ruled over a vast empire that extended from India to Ethiopia (Esther 1:1).Esther was a descendant of the tribe of Benjamin, which had been part of the kingdom of Judah. The fate of God’s chosen people is at the very center of the story, but God seems to … But at a key moment in the book (chap. Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, appears first as an adoptive father, whose solicitude for Esther leads him to the king’s gate, where he foils a plot to assassinate the king. While there are only a few contradictions between these Greek additions and the older Hebrew text, reading the book with these additions is a very different experience from reading the book without them. 5–6 is particularly fast); Mordecai passes from the threat of death (5:9–14) to royal honors (6:10–11) within twenty-four hours. Historians believe the book was written between 470-424 B.C. The Greek version of the book dates from ca. A whole series of banquets structure the work: two by the king, one by Vashti, three by Esther, and the joyful banqueting that ends the book. There are many exaggerations, and even sarcastic implausibilities (cf. Hence it belongs to the best-known OT-books with the Jews and it is also the book, which has the oldest copies. Would like to use if at the Paul’s Run Retirement Community for a March weekly study of the Book of Esther. It is one of five scrolls included in the Jewish biblical cannon and part of the Ketuvim, the final section of the Hebrew Bible called the Tanakh. The book of Esther (or any other) should not be meddled with. This summary of the book of Esther provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Esther. And watch God silently weave all events to Judah under Zerubbabel. © 2021 Insight for Living Ministries. The book was written no earlier than 470 BC and probably no later than 424 BC, during the reign of Xerxes’ son Artaxerxes. The book of Esther is one special book. Her ancestors were among the Jews wh… Judaism refers to Esther as The Megillah of Esther, meaning scroll of Esther. ), who makes momentous decisions for trivial reasons, and his wicked minister, Haman, who takes advantage of the king’s compliance to pursue a personal vendetta against the Jews by having a royal decree issued ordering their destruction. The story of Esther takes place in the Persian Empire during the reign of Ahasuerus, known more familiarly to us by the Greek form of his name, Xerxes I. God is also the great Promise Keeper. The book of Esther is one of only two books in the Bible named for women. Although there are unfortunately those today who suggest that some of the stories in the Old Testament are legends, there is substantial evidence that the events of Esther actually occurred. Almost 70 years after that, the king of Persia defeatedthe armies of Babylon in battle. God was at work. Trust and obey, as Esther did. They seemed Using eight feasts to systematically build and resolve suspense, the author constructed the story chiastically—using a Hebrew literary device in which events mirror each other inversely. Yet from the start it makes use of Christian symbols and iconics as if the ancient Hebrews were spiritually at one with G-d through the Roman torture system. I struggle with this one, myself. The events that the first chapter of the book of Esther describeshappened about 483 BC (Before Christ). The work is a composite of reversals (cf. This little gem, tucked away in an obscure corner of the Old Testament, is a very rich book, and it is historical. This would not be unusual in a book whose subject matter or outlook was more secular, but Esther is a book in which the religious element is prominent: the Jews fast in order to be delivered from imminent peril, experience deliverance at the eleventh hour, and commemorate their deliverance with an annual festival. The book is a free composition, not a historical document. Because his perspective was pro-Jewish, scholars believe he was a Jew writing for the remnant that had returned The book of Esther may remind you of a classic, “once upon a time” children’s story with a wealthy king, his beautiful queen, and an evil villain. We are shown a Persian emperor, Ahasuerus (loosely based on Xerxes, 485–464 B.C. It has come down to us in two versions: an older Hebrew version, and a Greek version based on a text similar to the Hebrew, but with additions and alterations as described below. Her story is recorded in the Old Testament book bearing her name. This book is also the reason why the Jewish people created the Jewish festivity of Purim, which is celebrated annually amongst all Jewish people in the world. She risked execution. III. A … Esther’s character matures over the course of the narrative. But while the characters might resemble a fairy tale, the book of Esther depicts actual events that shaped Jewish history and instituted the festival of Purim, In the Protestant canon, Esther appears between Nehemiah and Job. Epilogue: The Rise of Mordecai (9:24–10:3; F:1–11). While the primary purpose of the book of Esther was to relate the dramatic origins of the feast of Purim, a greater theme shines through the story. : 1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus--this is Ahasuerus who reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces-- content to stay in Susa, the capital city of Persia, in which the story is set. 7. Their influence and intervention allow the Jews to turn the tables on their enemies and rout their attackers. The book of Esther (or any other) should not be meddled with. This unlikely contestant for a beauty pageant was crowned queen of Persia and renamed Esther, meaning “star.”. The sovereignty and faithfulness of God permeate each scene. and for our good. [There were spreads of] white, fine cotton, and blue, embroidered with cords of linen and purple, on … One thought on “ The Book of Esther ” Rabbi Steven M. Brown , Ed.D 11/02/2020 at 21:34. As a Diaspora story–a story about, and presumably for, Jews in the Diaspora during the Persian period–it provides an optimistic picture of Jewish survival and success in a foreign land. The Book of Esther says Mordechai was exiled from Judah with King Jeconiah: "Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordechai Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away" (Esther 2:5-6). In this it resembles other Diaspora stories such as the biblical Book of Daniel (chapters 1-6) and the apocryphal books of Judith and Tobit. Jesus called us “friends” ( John 15:15), and the Spirit is our “Helper” (14:26). The sets were awful, as were the props. Esther and Mordecai Plead for Help (4:1–17; C:1–D:16; 5:1–5), VI. THE BOOK OF ESTHER The Book of Esther describes the Jewish heroine Esther, who saved the Jewish people in Persia from annihilation during the reign of King Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) of … Although the Book of Esther was questioned by some early Christians, even St. Jerome, the whole book, including the Greek additions, was included in the canon of Scripture by the Council of Trent. They also elaborate on the content of the edicts from Ahasuerus as illustrations of Gentile attitudes toward Jews. https://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-historical-books/esther This message is clear: God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense. Mordecai said to Esther: “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish” (Esther 4:14). God’s timing is perfect. א וַיְהִי, בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ: הוּא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, הַמֹּלֵךְ מֵהֹדּוּ וְעַד-כּוּשׁ--שֶׁבַע וְעֶשְׂרִים וּמֵאָה, מְדִינָה. The story of Esther begins with a king’s banquet. Difficult times happen, and pain cannot be avoided. For example, when Esther asks the Jews to fast, we can assume this included prayer (Est. When he learns of the edict against the Jews, he encourages Esther to confront the king. But unlike those books, Esther lacks overtly pious characters and does not model a religious lifestyle. After the Babylonian empire destroyed the Jerusalem temple and decimated the kingdom of Judah (587/586 b.c. Then the people in Persia allowed the *Jews toreturn to their own country, but not many *Jews did return. The additions to Esther are an excellent example of a process that occurs throughout the Bible: further reflections on the story become part of the story itself. The book confronts the modern reader with important themes, the evils of genocide and racism. The book is named for the “star” of the story, a young Jewish girl named Hadassah who was taken from her guardian, Mordecai, and forced to compete for the affection of the king. During this time period, the first remnant of Jews who had returned to Judah were struggling to reestablish temple worship according to the Law of Moses. And if I perish, I … . Like Song of Solomon, Obadiah, and Nahum, the New Testament does not quote or allude to Esther. Moreover, there are indirect references to divine activity (for example, in 4:14). He cast the lot, called “pur,” in order to determine the day that the Jews would be exterminated (Esther 3:7–9). Much like the book of Ruth, this book stands as one of the most skillfully written biblical books. As a girl she is recruited for the king’s harem because of her physical beauty. In the present translation, the Greek additions are indicated by the letters A through F. The regular chapter numbers apply to the Hebrew text. Esther became queen in 479 B.C. Its fictional character can be illustrated by many examples of literary motifs: the use of extensive conversation to move the plot along; the motif of concealment (Esther is a Jew, related to Mordecai, but Haman does not know it, even as he comes to her banquet in chap. Listen to Chuck Swindoll’s overview of Esther in his audio message from the Classic series God’s Masterwork. Esther is the only book in the Bible not to mention the name of God. He overcame the *Jews and he tookmany *Jews to Babylon. THE BOOK OF ESTHER The Book of Esther tells a story of the deliverance of the Jewish people. It was written approximately 470 B.C. Sign up to receive e-mail from Insight for Living Ministries. Bible; Bible Search; Books of the Bible; Esther ; These are all of the chapters of the book of Esther.Clicking on a chapter will show you the text of that chapter of Esther … We must stand with courage. The Book of Esther is one of the Megillot, five scrolls read on stated Jewish religious holidays. the book of Esther is the absence of any mention of God. Esther is read during the Purim feast on 14th and 15th Adar (February/March). After Cyrus defeated the Babylonians and established his Persian empire, Cyrus granted freedom for the exiled Jewish people to return to their ho… The era is pre-christian. In the story of Esther, you'll meet a beautiful young queen who risked her life to serve God and save her people. I’m so type A. But Esther and Mordecai, along with many other Jews, had chosen not to make the trek back to Judah. Nothing is truly coincidental, the book of Esther says to us. Life can be hard. ), a significant portion of the remaining Jewish population was exiled to Babylon. Haman’s Plot Against the Jews (3:1–13; B:1–7; 3:14–15), IV. Let the book of Esther encourage you that God is always present. Queen Vashti Deposed - This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. All rights reserved.Site by Ascendio, Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity, audio series, Esther: A Woman of Strength and Dignity, softcover book, Paws & Tales: The Story of Esther, A Girl Who Became Queen to Save Her People. At that point, she transforms her status as queen from a position of personal privilege to one of power and public responsibility. He worked through their dark days (Esther was taken to the harem [2:1–16]), their faithful obedience (Esther risked her life before the king [5:1–3]), and their victories (Esther revealed Haman’s plot Esther is t… The threat is averted by two Jews, Esther and Mordecai. Yet from the start it makes use of Christian symbols and iconics as if the ancient Hebrews were spiritually at one with G-d through the Roman torture system. Ours is flawed. The Jewish Feast of Purim celebrates this particular deliverance of the Jews. the effect of Vashti’s disobedience in 1:17–18), and huge ironies (e.g., Haman in 6:6, 10). The era is pre-christian. The feast of Purim, still celebrated by Jews today, commemorates the Jews’ deliverance from Haman’s plot (9:24–32). and the Jews’ destruction of their enemies [7–9]). Further artificialities are clear in the way characters are paired (e.g., Mordecai and Esther) and in the delays and the speed of the action (Esther delays the banquet in 5:3–8, but the tempo of chaps. But that is not to say that God was absent. A planner. . for His glory . God’s sovereignty is best summarized in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther: “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). His presence permeates much of the story, as though He were behind the scenes coordinating “coincidences” and circumstances to make His will happen. The key personalities are Esther, Mordecai, King … The Greek additions to Esther have many explicit references to God, as well as explicit descriptions of the beliefs and emotional states of Esther and Mordecai. The book was probably written in the third or second century B.C. Please contact us or click here to learn more about how to enable JavaScript on your browser. . When life doesn’t make sense, do you turn to God or away from Him? Discover more resources related to Esther. Some have suggested Mordecai himself was the author, though the accolades for him found in the text suggest that another person, perhaps one of his younger contemporaries, was the author. Please note, our website requires JavaScript to be supported. Haman, the king’s evil second-in-command, was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people (Numbers 24:7; 1 Samuel 15:8). “I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. Watch top rated Christian #movies on Pure Flix!SYNOPSIS: Good battles evil in this timeless story of Biblical heroism. 116 to 48 B.C. When Mordecai learns of Haman’s (the king’s advisor) plot to annihilate all of … He was the son of Darius the Great and reigned from 486-465 B.C. One striking feature of the Hebrew version of the Book of Esther is that no divine names or titles are employed here; God is not mentioned at all. Over 100 years earlier, Nebuchadnezzar(the king of Babylon) had attacked Jerusalem. Esther. 9:1) in the lives of individuals and communities. The book ends with Mordecai as the king’s chief minister. The genre of the book of Esther is Narrative History. 4), she rises to the challenge to risk her life for the salvation of her people. The sets were awful, as were the props. This book and the Book of Ruth are the only Old Testament books named after women. . The book of Esther is set far away from the Promised Land, on the opposite end of the world in the city of Susa, the capital of the powerful Persian empire (c. 539–331 b.c.). My small group and I have been greatly blessed, and I want to let you know and thank you for inspiring us to "strengthen our grip," even in this current time where things seem to have only gotten worse. Mordecai’s words reflected his faith that God would honor His eternal covenant with Abraham and David. The order of the Vulgate text in relation to the order of the Greek text is as follows: New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE), Upgrade to Bible Gateway Plus, and access the abridged. View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Esther, which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses. during the reign of Artaxerxes, son of King Xerxes. We are shown a Persian emperor, Ahasuerus (loosely based on Xerxes, 485–464 B.C. Early listeners to the story would have recognized significant events and followed the rising tension with understanding. Its author is anonymous however; some believe Mordecai, (Esther’s cousin and guardian), wrote it. This is a wonderful resource. (see note on F:11). The Jewish Victory and the Feast of Purim (8:3–12; E:1–24; 8:13–9:23), VII. The Book of Esther records the institution of the Feast of Purim and the obligation of its perpetual observation. The acting is terrible. The acting is terrible. The events in the book of Esther occurred from 483 BC to 473 BC, during the first half of the reign of King Xerxes, who chose Esther as his queen. It’s one of the most beautiful books in the Bible and so full of great takeaways for the modern Christian today. The Book of Esther The Book of Esther tells a story of the deliverance of the Jewish people. But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. When the story ofEsther happened, most *Jews were still living in the countr… In the Roman Catholic canon, Esther appears between Judith and Job and includes six chapters that are considered apocryphal in the Jewish and Protestant traditions. The other is the book of Ruth. The Book of Esther Your browser does not support JavaScript. in Persia. 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