Esther 1
Book of Esther — Quick facts:Purpose: To demonstrate God’s providential care of his people and to trace the origin of the Festivalfeast of Purim
Author: Unknown
Date: Records events that occurred around 483–473 BC
Setting: The Persian capital, Susa, during the reign of Xerxes, after a number of Jews had returned to Judea
Book of Esther — Overview:
Setting
The book of Esther is set during the reign of King Xerxes of Persia (486–465 BC). In a previous generation (538 BC), about 50,000 people had returned to Judea from Babylonia (Ezra 1:1-5 a; 2:64-67 b). But many Jewish families, including Esther’s, had stayed behind.
During Xerxes’ reign, the Persian empire was near its peak. Xerxes and his military had accomplished great things, including a decisive victory over Egypt. Wealth from taxes poured into the Persian capital of Susa, and Xerxes oversaw the construction of a luxurious new palace at Persepolis. However, Xerxes was a tyrannical king. Esther entered Xerxes’ court and was chosen to be his queen. She was faced with the challenge of serving God and her people in a time of crisis while being the faithful wife of a pagan king.
Summary
When King Xerxes gave a lavish banquet for key leaders of Persia, Queen Vashti refused to show off her beauty, so Xerxes deposed her and searched for a new queen (1:1–2:4 c). Mordecai’s cousin Esther, a Jew, was chosen (2:5-18 d).
After Mordecai became a palace official, he uncovered a plot against the king and reported it through Esther. On a later occasion Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, Xerxes’ highest official, which led to Haman’s vindictive plot to kill all the Jews in the empire (2:19–3:15 e). As the Jewish community prayed (4:16 f), Esther endangered her own life, approaching the king uninvited, and asked the king and Haman to come to a feast (ch 4 g). Haman, meanwhile, had built a pole so that he could impale Mordecai (5:14 h).
After realizing that Mordecai had never been rewarded for uncovering the assassination plot, the king ordered that Haman lead a procession designed to honor Mordecai, a humiliating turn of events for Haman (ch 6 i). Then, at the banquet, Esther revealed that Haman’s plot was a personal attack on her people. Haman was impaled on his own poleput to death on his own gallows (ch 7 j).
King Xerxes then allowed the Jewish people to defend themselves against their enemies (8:1-14 k). The Jews rejoiced, Mordecai was promoted, and Haman’s sons were executed (9:1-17 l). The Jewish people then defended themselves successfully and celebrated God’s marvelous deliverance at the first Festival of Purim.
Authorship and Date
The text of Esther does not indicate who wrote the book or when it was written. Some early church fathers thought that Ezra wrote Esther, but Clement of Alexandria suggested Mordecai. Since there are many Persian words in the book and there is no Greek influence, the book was probably written between 460 BC (i.e., after the conclusion of Xerxes’ reign) and 331 BC (i.e., before Alexander the Great conquered Persia).
Genre: History or Fiction?
The book of Esther is a biographical narrative similar to the account of Joseph (Gen 37–48 m) and the book of Ruth. Some question the historicity of this account because of the implausibility that (a) a Persian king would issue a decree for widespread extermination of the Jews, (b) the Jews would slaughter seventy-five thousand enemies in one day, (c) a non-Persian like Esther would be queen, and (d) a large number of improbable coincidences would take place.
On the other hand, the historical accuracy of the book is supported because (a) the book uses authentic Persian names, titles, and customs; (b) elsewhere God works behind the scenes to use improbable coincidences to his glory (e.g., Gen 37–48 n; Ruth 1–4 o); (c) Esther hid her identity as a Jew until long after she became queen; and (d) kings do not usually oppose the slaughter of their enemies, especially at the suggestion of their highest officials.
Additions to the Book of Esther
The Hebrew text of Esther is defined by a strong and consistent Hebrew manuscript tradition. Nevertheless, the Targums and Midrash (interpretation and commentary on the Hebrew Old Testament), the Greek Old Testament, the Latin Vulgate, and Josephus (a first-century Roman Jewish historian) all include additional stories that are not included in the Hebrew text but were composed later. The additions mention God numerous times, whereas the Hebrew text does not. None of the additions contain authoritative original information; some just repeat information from the Hebrew version of Esther, while some contradict information. Other additions are based on the imagination of later authors. Instead of inserting these additions where they fit chronologically and making them look like an authentic part of the story, Jerome, who translated and edited the Latin Vulgate, collected them together at the end of the Old Testament in the deuterocanonical books, which are included in Roman Catholic and Orthodox translations.
Meaning and Message
Although the book of Esther never mentions God, its central purpose is to demonstrate that God works providentially to take care of his people. God used Xerxes’ drunken arrogance to elevate Esther to a position of influence (chs 1–2 p). Haman’s evil plans to kill the Jews were brought back on his own head through a series of unique and ironic circumstances, and the day of execution became a day of joy for God’s people. The book of Esther reminds us that God providentially directs people and events to accomplish his purposes.
1:1 q The name Xerxes comes from the Greek transliteration of the Persian Xshayarshan, which the Hebrew text renders ’akhashwerosh (Ahasuerus). His father, Darius I (521–486 BC), was king when Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the people of Judah to finish building the Temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 4:24–6:22 r; Hag 1:1 s; Zech 1:1 t).
• 127 provinces: Xerxes reigned over a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia.
1:2 u The fortress of Susa was the king’s winter capital during the cold months.
1:4 v The celebration lasted 180 days: Officials probably took turns attending different events planned during this six-month period of celebration, thus maintaining the nation’s military and infrastructure throughout the celebration.
• This tremendous display of pomp and splendor was designed to impress others with the king’s greatness; it also illustrates Xerxes’ pride.
1:5 w A second, briefer banquet allowed members of every level of society (from the greatest to the least) to experience the king’s majestic wealth. Because of the large numbers of people who could attend, this continuous open-house reception was held outdoors in the paved courtyard of the palace garden.
1:6 x White and blue (or violet) were royal colors. Even the mosaic pavement was exquisitely opulent.
1:8 y no limits were placed on the drinking: Often guests would drink only when the Persian king bade them with a toast (see Xenophon, Cyropaedia 8.8.18); at this banquet people were able to drink without restraint.
1:9 z Since Vashti means the best, desired, beloved, this is possibly the title for a favored wife rather than her actual name. Ancient Greek historians refer to her as Amestris (e.g., Herodotus, Histories 7.114). Her son, Artaxerxes I, became king of Persia (465–424 BC) after Xerxes’ death (see Ezra 4:7-23 aa; 6:14 ab; 7:1 ac, 7 ad, 11-26 ae; 8:1 af; Neh 1:1 ag; 2:1 ah; 5:14 ai; 13:6 aj).
1:10 ak Xerxes was in high spirits: He was probably fairly drunk and apt to do something foolish.
• Eunuchs were servants who had been castrated because their roles brought them into frequent contact with the women of the royal harem.
1:11 al she was a very beautiful woman: The king wanted to display one of his prized possessions.
1:12 am she refused to come: The queen’s refusal is not explained. Perhaps she feared the drunken king would humiliate her in some way.
• This made the king furious: The king’s anger was probably heightened by his drunken state and by his humiliation before his male friends.
1:13 an The king did not react immediately but consulted with his wise advisers, following his normal custom of checking with Persian legal advisers to see what could be done about his disobedient wife (1:15 ao).
1:15 ap What penalty does the law provide: In his humiliation, the king no doubt wanted to punish Vashti to the fullest extent.
Summary for Esth 1:16-18: 1:16-18 aq Queen Vashti has wronged: The adviser Memucan did not quote Persian law as precedent to guide the king’s decision. His impetuous advice to the king turned Vashti’s action into a potential crime by all women.
1:17 ar Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands: Fear of consequences rather than facts or law motivated the council’s decision.
1:19 as issue a written decree ... that cannot be revoked: The written decree would become unalterable law that could not be changed (8:8 at; Dan 6:8 au, 12 av).
1:22 aw The decree was published in each region in its own script and language so that the decree would be understood by every language group in the vast Persian Empire.
• every man should be the ruler of his own home: It was already the cultural norm throughout the ancient Near East at that time that men ruled their houses. The decree added legal enforcement of the custom.
Esther 2
2:6 ax His family (literally He): Since King Jehoiachin was exiled in 597 BC (2 Kgs 24:6-16 ay), over 100 years earlier, it was probably one of Mordecai’s ancestors who was part of the group taken into Babylonian captivity.2:7 az Hadassah is a Hebrew name that means myrtle; Esther is a Persian name that means star.
2:9 ba ordered a special menu ... beauty treatments: Hegai knew the king’s taste and singled out the best prospects for special attention.
• Hegai assigned seven of the best assistants to Esther, indicating that he thought she was one of the very best candidates for becoming the queen.
2:10 bb Mordecai had probably already experienced some prejudice against Jews. Esther’s Jewish background would later become the key to her exposing Haman’s terrible plot.
2:12 bc The twelve months of preparation no doubt involved training in court customs as well as beauty treatments, but the focus here is on physical beauty.
2:14 bd the second harem: Each woman would spend one night with the king in his bedroom and then live essentially as a widow the rest of her life unless the king remembered her name and called for her. The women in the second harem lived an easy life in a luxurious setting under the care of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch.
2:15 be Hegai apparently knew the king’s preferences, so he was able to give Esther good advice, which she wisely accepted and followed.
2:17 bf he set the royal crown on her head: Now Esther had access to the king’s heart as his favored wife. She was now in a place where God could use her to impact the thoughts and actions of the king.
2:18 bg he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor: Now the king honored his wife instead of putting her on display (cp. 1:11 bh).
• declaring a public holiday: The Hebrew word translated “public holiday” (hanakhah) is related to the verb that means “rest” (nukh). The book as a whole describes how the Jewish people obtained rest from the threats of their enemies (see 9:16-22 bi).
2:19 bj Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem: Since the queen had been chosen, those in waiting would join the other concubines.
• Mordecai had become a palace official (literally Mordecai was sitting in the gate of the king): Court cases were decided and much official business was conducted at the gate. There Mordecai was able to hear about the plot against the king (2:21-23 bk).
2:20 bl keep her family background and nationality a secret: That this is mentioned twice (see also 2:10 bm) indicates how important it was for the rest of the story.
• With humility, she was still following Mordecai’s directions. She did not become conceited and forget her people or the family that raised her.
2:21 bn Bigthana might be the Bigtha of 1:10 bo, one of the king’s seven eunuchs. He and Teresh guarded the king’s bedroom, so it would not have been hard for them to carry out their plot if they hadn’t been discovered.
2:22 bp gave the information to Queen Esther: The quickest, safest way for the information to get to the king was through the queen.
• Although Esther could have promoted herself by taking credit for this information, she gave Mordecai credit for the report, an important point later in the story (6:1-3 bq).
2:23 br impaled on a sharpened pole (literally hanged on a tree, or hanged on wood): This phrase has traditionally been translated hanged on a gallows, but inscriptions from ancient Persia show that impalement was a standard form of execution. Xerxes’ father, Darius I, claimed to have impaled 3,000 Babylonians when he conquered Babylon. Sometimes criminals were executed first and then displayed on a stake, as with the execution of Haman’s sons (9:5-14 bs).
• This was all recorded: Mordecai was not rewarded until much later (6:1-14 bt).
• While various records of Xerxes’ reign have been found, the particular book mentioned here no longer exists.
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