ESTHER

INTRODUCTION

The Author

The author of Esther was apparently a Jew who had intimate knowledge of Persian etiquette, customs, and palace life in Shushan. This suggests he lived in Persia and witnessed the events recorded. Mordecai is commonly suggested as the probable author, though chapter 10 implies this was written after his career had ended unless an editor added the conclusion. Another likely possibility is a younger contemporary of Mordecai. Others have suggested Ezra or Nehemiah, but there are too many stylistic differences with their works. The Talmud ascribed the book to the "Great Synagogue" of which Ezra was said to be president. Thus it is possible he was a collaborator.

The Date

Since chapter 10 speaks of the reign of Ahasuerus (465-435BC) in the past tense, Esther was probably written shortly after this time but certainly no later than 400BC because there is no trace of Greek influence in the historical detail or language.

The Historical Background

The actual events of the book extend over a decade from the third year of Ahasuerus (1:1, 483BC) to the end of his twelfth year (3:7, 473BC). Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes, was a strong king who brought the Persian Empire to its zenith of power. He tried to extend his rule over Greece but suffered the devastation of his fleet at the Island of Salamis. This occurred between chapters 1 and 2 of Esther. Shushan, the setting for this story, was the summer capital of the king located about 250 miles east of Babylon. The Persians treated the dispersed Jews well allowing many to return to Jerusalem. However, many Jews chose to stay in the Persian territories and Esther forms an important biblical portrait of them.

The religious atmosphere in Jerusalem is the same as under Ezra and Nehemiah. Indifference and disillusionment ruled in large part. Jews living in the dispersion were tolerated by the Persians because dualistic Persian Zoroastrianism favored beneficent and true deities.

The Purpose

Historically, Esther documents the preservation of the Jews in Persia and recounts the origin of the feast of Purim. Theologically, it illustrates God's providential and unfailing preservation of His people. God is not mentioned, but He providentially guides the events of the book. Thus the story would serve to encourage the dispersed Jews and the returned remnant to be faithful to God because he is concerned for them and faithful to His covenant with them.

Argument

The book proceeds in normal story fashion. The setting is established with the selection of Esther as queen, then the threat to the Jews adds conflict to the plot. Finally, the conflict is resolved with the triumph of the Jews over their enemies.

Esther is selected as queen (1:1-2:20), after the rebelliousness of Ahasuerus' wife, Vashti, brings her removal (1:1-22). Mordecai is introduced with Esther as the one who raised her and remains her secret connection to her Jewish heritage after she is selected by the king (2:5-11, 19-20).

At this point, a threat to the Jews brings a conflict to the story

(2:21-4:17). But preempting this is the important notation of Mordecai's discovery and disclosure of a plot to murder the king (2:21-23). Mordecai also figures in Haman's hatred of the Jews because he refused to honor Haman (3:1-6). Thus Haman formulates a plot to exterminate the Jews and wins the king's support (3:7-15). When Mordecai learns of the plan, he appeals to Esther to use her influence (4:1-17). His appeal recognizes the providence of God in placing Esther in a position of power (4:14), and Esther's response indicates she is trusting God to find favor with the king (4:16).

The resolution of the conflict and the triumph of the Jews (5:1-10:3), begins with the personal triumph of Mordecai over Haman (5:1-8:2). As Esther plans to reveal to Ahasuerus the evil design of Haman (5:1-8), Haman is plotting to have Mordecai hanged (5:9-14). Yet divine providence keeps the king from sleeping so that he discovers Mordecai's earlier unrewarded deed and chooses Haman to honor the Jew (6:1-14). Haman's death on the gallows prepared for Mordecai (7:1-10), and Mordecai's inheritance of Haman's house (8:1-2), are the last of a series of providentially configured ironies that illustrate God's care.

The Jews eventually triumph over their enemies (8:3-9:32), because of a new royal decree allowing them to defend themselves (8:3-17). The enemies are destroyed in two days (9:1-16), and the spontaneous celebration of the Jews leads to the institution of the Feast of Purim to commemorate God's deliverance (9:17-32). The book closes by noting Mordecai's prominence in the Persian kingdom (10:1-3).

The story of Esther is an encouragement to Jews concerning God's covenant care for them. Moreover, the feast of Purim serves as a yearly reminder of God's unfailing preservation of His people.

Esther 1


Queen Vashti Deposed

¹ This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush : ² At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, ³ and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
⁴ For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. ⁵ When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa. ⁶ The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. ⁷ Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king's liberality. ⁸ By the king's command each guest was allowed to drink in his own way, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.
⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

Esther 1:1-9

Explanation:

1:1   Esther's story begins in 483 B.C., 103 years after Nebuchadnezzar had taken the Jews into captivity (2 Kings 25), 54 years after Zerubbabel  led the first group of exiles back to Jerusalem (Ezra 1; 2), and 25 years before Ezra led the second group to Jerusalem (Ezra 7).  Esther lived in the kingdom of Persia, the dominant kingdom in the Middle East after Babylon's fall in 539 B.C.  Esther's parents must have been among those exiles who chose not to return to Jerusalem, even though Cyrus, the Persian king, had issued a decree allowing them to do so.  The Jewish exiles had great freedom in Persia, and many remained because they had established themselves there or were fearful of the dangerous journey back to their homeland.   Xerxes the Great was Persia's fifth king (486-465 B.C.).  He was proud and impulsive, as we see from the events in chapter 1.  His winter palace was in Susa, where he held the banquet described in 1:3-7.  Persian kings often held great banquets before going to war.  In 481, Xerxes launched an attack against Greece.  After his fleet won a great victory at Thermopylae, he was defeated at Salamis in 480 and had to return to Persia.  Esther became queen in 479.

1:2   In this context, citadel means palace.

1:4   The celebration lasted 180 days (about 6 months) because its real purpose was to plan the battle strategy for invading Greece and to demonstrate that the king had sufficient wealth to carry it out.  Waging war was not only for survival; it was a means of acquiring more wealth, territory, and power.

1:5-7   Persia was a world power, and the king, as the center of that power, was one of the wealthiest people in the world.  Persian kings loved to flaunt their wealth, even wearing precious stones in their beards.  Jewelry was a sign of rank for Persian men.  Even soldiers wore great amounts of gold jewelry into battle.

1:8   Each guest was allowed to drink in his own way means that the guests could drink as much or as little as they wished. (Usually the king controlled how much his guests could drink.)

1:9   Ancient Greek documents call Xerxes' wife Amestris, probably a Greek form of Vashti.  Vashti was deposed in 484/483 B.C., but she is mentioned again in ancient records as the queen mother during the reign of her son, Artaxerxes, who succeeded Xerxes.  Toward the end of Xerxes' reign, either Esther died or Vashti was able through her son to regain the influence she had lost.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him-Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas- ¹¹ to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. ¹² But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
¹³ Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times ¹⁴ and were closest to the king-Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
¹⁵ "According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?" he asked. "She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her."
¹⁶ Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, "Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. ¹⁷ For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, 'King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.' ¹⁸ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen's conduct will respond to all the king's nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.
¹⁹ "Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. ²⁰ Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest."
²¹ The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memucan proposed. ²² He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, proclaiming in each people's tongue that every man should be ruler over his own household.

Esther 1:10-22

1:10  Some advisers and government officials were castrated in order to prevent them from having children and then rebelling and trying to establish a dynasty of their own.  A castrated official was called a eunuch.

1:10, 11  Xerxes made a rash, half-drunk decision, based purely on feelings.  His self-restraint and practical wisdom were weakened by too much wine.  Poor decisions are made when people don't think clearly.  Base your decisions on careful thinking, not on the emotions of the moment.  Impulsive decision making leads to severe complications.

1:12   Queen Vashti refused to parade before the king's all-male party, possibly because it was against Persian custom for a woman to appear before a public gathering of men.  This conflict between Persian custom and the king's command put her in a difficult situation, and she chose to refuse her half-drunk husband, hoping he would come to his senses later.  Some have suggested that Vashti was pregnant with Artaxerxes, who was born in 483 B.C., and that she did not want to be seen in public in that state.  Whatever the reason, her action was a breach of protocol that also placed Xerxes in a difficult situation.  Once he made the command, as a Persian king he could not reverse it.  While preparing to invade Greece, Xerxes had invited important officials from all over his land to see his power, wealth, and authority.  If it was perceived that he had no authority over his own wife, his military credibility would be damaged-the greatest criterion for success for an ancient king.  In addition, King Xerxes was accustomed to getting what he wanted.

1:15   Middle Eastern kings often did not have close personal relationships with their wives.  Xerxes demonstrates because (1) he had a harem; (2) he showed no respect for Vashti's personhood; (3) Esther, when she became queen, did not see him for long periods of time.

1:16-21   Perhaps the men's thinking had been clouded by drinking.  Obviously this law would not cause the women of the country to respect their husbands.  Respect between men and women comes from mutual regard and appreciation for each other as those created in God's image, not from legal pronouncements and orders.  Forced obedience is a poor substitute for the love and respect wives and husbands should have for each other.

1:19   A Persian king was thought to be a god by many of his people; therefore, when he issued a law or command, it stood forever.  The law could never be canceled, even it was ill-advised; but if necessary, a new law could be issued to neutralize the effects of the old law.

Esther 2


Esther Made Queen

¹ Later when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. ² Then the king's personal attendants proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. ³ Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. ⁴ Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.
⁵ Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, ⁶ who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. ⁷ Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
⁸ When the king's order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. ⁹ The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king's palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.
¹⁰ Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. ¹¹ Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
¹² Before a girl's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. ¹³ And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. ¹⁴ In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.
¹⁵ When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. ¹⁶ She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
¹⁷ Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.


Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy
¹⁹ When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. ²⁰ But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.
²¹ During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. ²² But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. ²³ And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were hanged on a gallows. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

Esther 2:1-23

Explanation:

2:1   he phrase, he remembered Vashti, may mean that the king began to miss his queen and what she had done for him.  But he also remembered that in his anger he had banished her from his presence with a decree that couldn't be rescinded. 

2:3, 14-17   Persian kings collected not only vast amounts of jewelry, but also great numbers of women.  These young virgins were taken from their homes and were required to live in a separate building near the palace, called a harem.  Their sole purpose was to serve the king and await his call for sexual pleasure.  They rarely saw the king, and their lives were restricted and boring.  If rejected, Esther would be one of many girls the king had seen once and forgotten.  But Esther's presence and beauty pleased the king enough that he crowned her queen in place of Vashti.  The queen held a more influential position than a concubine, and she was given more freedom and authority than others in the harem.  But even as queen, Esther had few rights-especially because she had been chosen to replace a woman who had become too assertive.

2:5, 6   Mordecai was a Jew.  The Jewish population had increased since their exile over 100 years earlier.  They had been given great freedom and were allowed to run their own businesses and hold positions in government (2:19; Daniel 6:3).

2:6   The Bible says that Mordecai was carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.  If this referred to Mordecai himself, he would have been over 100 years old at the time of this story.  This difficult phrase can be resolved by understanding that the word 'who' referring to Mordecai, can also mean whose family.  It is likely that Mordecai's great-grandparents were carried into captivity rather than Mordecai himself.

2:10   With virtually no rights and little access to the king, it was better for Esther not to reveal her identity.  While boldness in stating our identity as God's people is our responsibility, at times a good strategy is to keep quiet until we have won the right to be heard.  This is especially true when dealing with those in authority over us.  But we can always let them see the difference God makes in our lives.

2:17   God placed Esther on the throne even before the Jews faced the possibility of complete destruction, so that when trouble came, a person would already be in position to help.  No human effort could thwart God's plan to send the Messiah to earth as a Jew.  If you are changing jobs, position, or location and can't see God's purpose in your situation, understand that God is in control.  He may be placing you in a position so you can help when the need arises.

Esther 3


Haman's Plot to Destroy the Jews

¹ After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. ² All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.
³ Then the royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's command?" ⁴ Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai's behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
⁵ When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. ⁶ Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

Esther 3:1-6

Explanation:

3:2   Mordecai's determination came from his faith in God.  He did not take a poll first to determine the safest or most popular course of action; he had the courage to stand alone.  Doing what is right will not always make you popular.  Those who do right will be in the minority, but to obey God is more important than to obey people (Acts 5:29).

3:2-4   Mordecai refused to kneel down before Haman.  Jews did bow down to government authorities, at times, as a sign of respect, but Haman's ancestors were ancient enemies of the Jews.  Israel had been commanded by God to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven (Deuteronomy 25:17-19; see also Exodus 17:16).  Mordecai was not about to kneel before wicked Haman and, by his act, acknowledge Haman as a god.  Daniel's three friends had the same convictions (Daniel 3).  We must worship God alone.  We should never let any person, institution, or government take God's place.  When people demand loyalties or duties from you that do not honor God, don't give in.  It may be time to take a stand.

3:5, 6   Why did Haman want to destroy all Jews just because of one man's action?  (1) Haman was an Agagite, a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:20). The Amalekites were ancient enemies of the Israelites (see Exodus 17:16; Deuteronomy 25:17-19).  Haman's hatred was directed not just at Mordecai, but at all the Jews.  (2) As second in command in the Persian empire, Haman loved his power and authority and the reverence shown him.  The Jews, however, looked to God as their final authority, not to any man.  Haman realized that the only way to fulfill his self-centered desires was to kill all those who disregarded his authority.  His quest for personal power and his hatred of the Jewish race consumed him.   Haman enjoyed the power and prestige of his position, and he was enraged when Mordecai did not respond with the expected reverential bow.  Haman's anger was not directed just toward Mordecai, but toward what Mordecai stood for-the Jews' dedication to God as the only authority worthy of reverence.  Haman's attitude was prejudiced: he hated a group of people because of a difference in belief or culture.  Prejudice grows out of personal pride-considering oneself better than others.  In the end, Haman was punished for his arrogant attitude.  God will harshly judge those who are prejudiced or whose pride causes them to look down on others.

⁷ In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the pur (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
⁸ Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. ⁹ If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business."
¹⁰ So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹ "Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please."
¹² Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring. ¹³ Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews-young and old, women and little children-on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. ¹⁴ A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day.
¹⁵ Spurred on by the king's command, the couriers went out, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.

Esther 3:7-15

Explanation:

3:7   Haman cast lots to determine the best day to carry out his decree.  Little did he know that he was playing into the hands of God, for the day of death was set for almost a year away, giving Esther time to make her plea to the king.  The Persian word for lots was purim, which became the name for the holiday celebrated by the Jews when they were delivered, not killed, on the day appointed by Haman.

3:9   Haman must have hoped to acquire this tremendous sum of money by plundering the homes and businesses of the Jews who would be killed through his decree.  A large number of Jews were living in the kingdom at this time.  Little did Haman know that his treachery would backfire.

3:10-12   Officials in the ancient world used signet rings as personal signatures.  The ring's surface had a raised imprint made of metal, wood, or bone; Xerxes' was probably made of silver or gold.  Each individual had his own imprint.  Letters were sealed by pressing the ring into soft wax, and official documents were certified by using the royal signet.  By giving Haman  his signet ring, Xerxes gave him his personal signature and with it the authority to do whatever he wished.  Little did the king realize that his own ring would sign the death warrant for his queen, Esther.

Esther 4


Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

¹ When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. ² But he went only as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. ³ In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
⁴ When Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. ⁵ Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.
⁶ So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate. ⁷ Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸ He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to urge her to go into the king's presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
⁹ Hathach went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰ Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, ¹¹ "All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."
¹² When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³ he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴ For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"

Esther 4:1-14

Explanation:

4:11-14   Esther risked her life by coming before the king.  Her courageous act gives us a model to follow in approaching a difficult or dangerous task.  Like Esther, we can: (1) Calculate the cost.  Esther realized her life was at stake.  (2) Set priorities.  She believed that the safety of the Jewish race was more important than her life.  (3)  Prepare.  She gathered support and fasted.  (4)  Determine a course of action and move ahead boldly.  She didn't think too long about it, allowing the interlude to lessen her commitment to what she had to do.   So you have to face a hostile audience, confront a friend on a delicate subject, or talk to your family about changes to be made?  Rather than dreading difficult situations or putting them off, take action with confidence by following Esther's inspiring example.

4:13   Although Esther was the queen and shared some of the king's power and wealth, she still needed God's protection and wisdom.  No one is secure in his or her own strength in any political system.  It is foolish to believe that wealth or position can make us impervious to danger.  Deliverance only comes from God.

4:13, 14   After the decree to kill the Jews was given, Mordecai and Esther could have despaired, decided to save only themselves, or just waited for God's intervention.  Instead, they saw that God had placed them in their positions for a purpose, so they seized the moment and acted.  When it is within our reach to save others, we must do so.  In a life-threatening situation, don't withdraw, behave selfishly, wallow in despair, or wait for God to fix everything.  Instead, ask God for his direction, and act!  God may have placed you where you are for such a time as this.

4:14   God is not specifically mentioned in the book of Esther, but it is obvious that Mordecai expected God to deliver his people.  While the book of Esther does not mention God directly, his presence fills the pages.  Esther and Mordecai believed in God's care, and because they acted at the right time, God used them to save his people.

¹⁵ Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶ "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
¹⁷ So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions.

Esther 4:15-17

Explanation:

4:16  By calling for a fast, Esther was asking the Jews to pray for God's help on her dangerous mission.  In the Old Testament, prayer always accompanies fasting (see Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9; Ezra 8:21-23).  An important function of a community of believers is mutual support in difficult times.  When you are experiencing struggles, turn to fellow believers for support by sharing your trials with them and gaining strength from the bond that unites you.   Ask them to pray for you.  And when others need your support, give it willingly.  Save your own skin and watch out for number one are mottoes that reflect our world's selfish outlook on life.  Esther's attitude stands in bold contrast to this.  She knew what she had to do, and she knew it could cost her her life.  And yet she responded, if I perish, I perish.  We should have the same commitment to do what is right despite the possible consequences.  Do you try to save yourself by remaining silent rather than standing up for what is right?  Decide to do what God wants, and trust him for the outcome.

4:17   God was in control, yet Mordecai and Esther had to act.  We cannot understand how both can be true at the same time, and yet they are.  God chooses to work through those willing to act for him.  We should pray as if all depended on God and act as if all depended on us.  We should avoid two extremes: doing nothing, and feeling that we must do everything.

Esther 5


Esther's Request to the King

¹ On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. ² When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
³ Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you."
⁴ "If it pleases the king," replied Esther, "let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him."
⁵ "Bring Haman at once," the king said, "so that we may do what Esther asks."
So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. ⁶ As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, "Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."
⁷ Esther replied, "My petition and my request is this: ⁸ If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king's question."


Haman's Rage Against Mordecai
⁹ Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. ¹⁰ Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home.
Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, ¹¹ Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. ¹² "And that's not all," Haman added. "I'm the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. ¹³ But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate."
¹⁴ His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows built, seventy-five feet high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with the king to the dinner and be happy." This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the gallows built.

Esther 5:1-14

Explanation:

5:9   Hatred and bitterness are like weeds with long roots that grow in the heart and corrupt all of life.  Haman was so consumed with hatred toward Mordecai that he could not even enjoy the honor of being invited to Esther's party.  Hebrews 12:15 warns us to watch out that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.  Don't let hatred and its resulting bitterness build in your heart.  Like Haman, you will find it backfiring against you.  If the mere mention of someone's name provokes you to anger, confess your bitterness as sin.  Ignoring bitterness, hiding it from others, or making superficial changes in behavior is not enough.  If bitterness isn't completely removed, it will grow back, making matters worse.

5:14   Haman's family and friends, who were as arrogant as he, suggested that the gallows be 75 feet high, probably built on the city wall or some prominent building.  They wanted to make sure that all the people of the city saw Mordecai's death and would be reminded of the consequences of disobeying Haman.  Ironically these high gallows allowed everyone to see Haman's death.

Esther 6


Mordecai Honored

¹ That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. ² It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
³ "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked.
"Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered.
⁴ The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had erected for him.
⁵ His attendants answered, "Haman is standing in the court."
"Bring him in," the king ordered.
⁶ When Haman entered, the king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?"
Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?" ⁷ So he answered the king, "For the man the king delights to honor, ⁸ have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. ⁹ Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king's most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, 'This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!' "
¹⁰ "Go at once," the king commanded Haman. "Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended."
¹¹ So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, "This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!"
¹² Afterward Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, ¹³ and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.
His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him-you will surely come to ruin!" ¹⁴ While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.

Esther 6:1-14  

Explanation:

6:1, 2   Unable to sleep, the king decided to review the history of his reign, and his servants read to him about Mordecai's good deed.  This seems coincidental, but God is always at work.  God has been working quietly and patiently throughout your life as well.  The events that have come together for good are not mere coincidence; they are the result of God's sovereign control over the course of people's lives (Romans 8:28).

6:7-9   Haman had wealth, but he craved something even his money couldn't buy-respect.  He could buy the trappings of success and power, but his lust for popularity had become an obsession.  Don't let your desires for approval, applause, and popularity drive you to immoral actions.

6:10-13   Mordecai had exposed a plot to assassinate Xerxes-thus he had saved the king's life.  Although his good deed was recorded in the history books, Mordecai had gone unrewarded.  But God was saving Mordecai's reward for the right time.  Just as Haman was about to hang Mordecai, unjustly, the king was ready to give the reward.  Although God promises to reward our good deeds, we sometimes feel our payoff is too far away.  Be patient.  God steps in when it will do the most good.

Esther 7


Haman Hanged

¹ So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, ² and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted."
³ Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life-this is my petition. And spare my people-this is my request. ⁴ For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king. "
⁵ King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, "Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?"
⁶ Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman."
Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. ⁷ The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.
⁸ Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining.
The king exclaimed, "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?"
As soon as the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. ⁹ Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king."
The king said, "Hang him on it!" ¹⁰ So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.

Esther 7:1-10

Explanation:

7:6-10   Haman's hatred and evil plotting turned against him when the king discovered his true intentions.  He was hanged on the gallows he had built for someone else.  Proverbs 26:27 teaches that a person who digs a pit for others will fall into it himself.  What happened to Haman shows the often violent results of setting any kind of trap for others.

7:8   They covered Haman's face.  A veil was placed over the face of someone condemned to death because Persian kings refused to look upon the face of a condemned person.

Esther 8


The King's Edict in Behalf of the Jews

¹ That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. ² The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.
³ Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. ⁴ Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.
⁵ "If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. ⁶ For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?"
⁷ King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows. ⁸ Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring-for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."
⁹ At once the royal secretaries were summoned-on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. ¹⁰ Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.
¹¹ The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies. ¹² The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. ¹³ A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
¹⁴ The couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the king's command. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.
¹⁵ Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. ¹⁶ For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. ¹⁷ In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

Esther 8:1-17

Explanation:

8:1-7   While we should not expect earthly rewards for being faithful to God, they often come.  Esther and Mordecai were faithful, even to the point of risking their lives to save others.  When they were willing to give up everything, God gave then a reward in proportion to their all-out commitment.

8:8   Haman's message had been sealed with the king's signet ring and could not be revised, even by the king.  It was part of the famed 'law of the Medes and Persians.'  Now the king gave permission for whatever other decree Mordecai could devise that would offset the first, without actually canceling it.

8:12   This was the day set by Haman for the extermination of the Jews.

8:15-17   Everyone wants to be a hero and receive praise, honor, and wealth.  But few are willing to pay the price.  Mordecai served the government faithfully for years, bore Haman's hatred and oppression, and risked his life for his people.  The price to be paid by God's heroes is long-term commitment.  Are you ready and willing to pay the price?

Esther 9


Triumph of the Jews

¹ On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. ² The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. ³ And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king's administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. ⁴ Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.
⁵ The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. ⁶ In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. ⁷ They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸ Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, ¹⁰ the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
¹¹ The number of those slain in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. ¹² The king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted."
¹³ "If it pleases the king," Esther answered, "give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day's edict tomorrow also, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on gallows."
¹⁴ So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman. ¹⁵ The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.
¹⁶ Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. ¹⁷ This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

Esther 9:1-17

Explanation:

9:5-16  Haman had decreed that on the 13th day of the 12th month anyone could kill the Jews and take their property.  Mordecai's decree could not reverse Haman's because no law signed by the king could be repealed.  Instead, Mordecai had the king sign a new law giving the Jews the right to fight back.  When the dreaded day arrived, there was much fighting, but the Jews killed only those who wanted to kill them, and they did not take their enemies'  possessions, even though they could have.  There were no additional riots after the two day slaughter, so obviously selfish gain or revenge were not primary motives of the Jews.  They simply wanted to defend themselves and their families from those who hated them.

9:11   Here the word citadel seems to refer to the fortified city of Susa.  The king appears to be more concerned about Esther's wishes than the slaughter of his subjects.

Purim Celebrated
¹⁸ The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.
¹⁹ That is why rural Jews-those living in villages-observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.
²⁰ Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, ²¹ to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar ²² as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.
²³ So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. ²⁴ For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. ²⁵ But when the plot came to the king's attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. ²⁶ (Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur .) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, ²⁷ the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. ²⁸ These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants.
²⁹ So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. ³⁰ And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes-words of goodwill and assurance- ³¹ to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. ³² Esther's decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

Esther 9:18-32

Explanation:

9:19-22    People tend to have short memories when it comes to God's faithfulness.  To help counter this, Mordecai wrote down these events and encouraged an annual holiday to commemorate the historic days of Purim.  Jews still celebrate Purim today.  Celebrations of feasting, gladness, and gift-giving are important ways to remember God's specific acts.  Today the festivities of Christmas and Easter help us remember the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Don't let the celebration or the exchanging of gifts hide the meaning of these great events.

9:29-31   Among Jews, women were expected to be quiet, to serve in the home, and to stay on the fringe of religious and political life.  But Esther was a Jewish woman who broke through the cultural norms, stepping outside her expected role to risk her life to help God's people.  Whatever your place in life, God can use you.  Be open, available, and ready because God may use you to do what others are afraid even to consider.

Esther 10


The Greatness of Mordecai

¹ King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. ² And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? ³ Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.

Esther 10:1-3

Explanation:

10:3   Mordecai enjoyed a good reputation among the Jews because he was still their friend when he rose to a place of power.  Corruption and abuse of authority often characterize those in power.  But power used to lift the fallen and ease the burden of the oppressed is power used well.  People placed by God in positions of power or political influence must not turn their backs on those in need.  No archaeological records of Mordecai's being second-in-command have been discovered, but during this time there is a strange gap in ancient Persian records.  The records indicate that another man held that position in 465 B.C., about seven years after Mordecai was first appointed.  One tablet has been discovered naming Mardukaya as an official in the early years of Xerxes'  reign; some believe this was Mordecai.   In the book of Esther, we clearly see God at work in the lives of individuals and in the affairs of a nation.  Even when it looks as if the world is in the hands of evil people, God is still in control, protecting those who are his.  Although we may not understand everything happening around us, we must trust in God's protection and retain our integrity by doing what we know is right.  Esther, who risked her life appearing before the king, became a hero.  Mordecai, who was effectively condemned to death, rose to become the second highest ranking official in the nation.  No matter how hopeless our condition, or how much we would like to give up, we need not despair.  God is in control of our world.