Bible

Here in the Bible room today, we open a summary of the book of Esther, reading all 10 chapters.

(Note: This post modifies chapter 8 of the previous version of the Esther summary, in order to correct a possible misunderstanding involving Haman’s edict. The word ‘rescinded’ should have been ‘overruled’ and the explanation is added.)

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Esther

Introduction to Esther:

Writer: Unknown.  It is generally accepted that the writer is a Jew, possibly a scribe recounting this story for its historical significance in the survival of God’s People.

Scope: These events occur during the reign of the Persian King Xerxes, son of Darius, after the years of oppression under Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian captivity. When the Persians came to power, they quickly granted freedom for the Jews to choose, either to return to their Judean homeland, or remain in their adopted home in Persia. The story of Esther takes place around 460 b.c. a few years before Xerxes’s son, Artaxerxes, encouraged Ezra to lead his expedition of former exiles to Jerusalem.

Chapter 1. Upheaval

A woman named Vashti is queen; she disobeys the king:

• King Xerxes has his palace at Susa in southern Babylonia;
• He holds a six-months long party for nobles of his kingdom;
• He displays the wealth and splendor of the Persians;
• Then he gives a week-long feast for everyone in Susa;
• Queen Vashti also gives a banquet for her women;
• The king wants to put Queen Vashti on display;
• The queen is very beautiful;
• She refuses to appear before the king;
• Her disobedience cannot go unpunished;
• This will create upheaval in the kingdom;
• Women everywhere will revolt against their husbands;
• His advisors have suggestions for punishment;
• Banish the queen from the palace forever;
• Select a new queen;
• Issue a decree that husbands shall be rulers of their house;
• The king accepts their advice.

Chapter 2. Auditions

Beautiful women audition to become queen, replacing Vashti:

• King Xerxes begins a search for a new queen;
• He brings in all the beautiful girls in the kingdom;
• Mordecai is a Jew whose family was in the exile;
• He has an orphaned cousin named Hadassah;
• Also called Esther, she is very beautiful;
• She does not reveal her Jewish ancestry;
• She joins the king’s harem of concubines;
• Each woman spends a year in beauty preparation;
• Esther impresses the king more than the others;
• On her second visit to him, he makes her Queen;
• At the king’s gate Mordecai overhears guards talking;
• They are angry at the king, plot to assassinate him;
• Mordecai tells Queen Esther who tells the king;
• The king determines the talk to be true;
• The guards are then hanged on a gallows.

Chapter 3. Plot

There is a plot to annihilate the entire Jewish population:

• For no stated reason, the king promotes Haman;
• Enemy of the Jews, he is next to the king in authority;
• He demands everyone kneel before him;
• Mordecai refuses to honor the Jew hater, Haman;
• Enraged, Haman plots to kill Mordecai;
• His plan grows, he will kill all the Jews in the kingdom;
• He convinces the king the Jews are a problem;
• They do not obey Persian laws, should not be tolerated;
• The king tells Haman he can do away with the Jews;
• On a selected day all the province governors will act;
• They are to destroy all Jewish families in their region.

Chapter 4. Edict

The king has allowed Haman to issue a royal edict:

• The edict says that every Jewish family shall be destroyed;
• The king gives Haman his signet ring to seal documents;
• This edict is published and sent to all 127 provinces;
• It is written in every language spoken in the kingdom;
• All Jews everywhere are threatened, in great danger;
• There is much mourning, fasting, prayer;
• Mordecai mourns, gets word to Queen Esther;
• He pleads with her to intervene with the king;
• She sends word to Mordecai that no one can do that;
• Even the Queen can’t see the king without invitation;
• To try that, she would be subject to the death penalty;
• Mordecai convinces her that she must act quickly;
• If she doesn’t, all her family will be killed;
• He tells her she might be there just “for such a time as this;”
• She’s convinced: “If I perish, I perish;”
• She asks Mordecai to get everyone to fast and pray for her.

Chapter 5. Gallows

Haman has a very tall gallows constructed on which to hang Mordecai:

• Esther approaches the king’s chamber;
• He extends the gold scepter toward her as invitation;
• He hasn’t seen the Queen for a month;
• He is pleased with her, asks what he can do for her;
• He pledges to grant any request up to half his kingdom;
• She asks the king to bring Haman and come to a banquet;
• At the dinner, the king, and Haman, drink much wine;
• Again, the king asks her what she wanted with her visit;
• She again asks the king to bring Haman to another banquet;
• Haman is proud, he is invited again to dine with the Queen;
• Leaving the hall, Mordecai will not kneel before Haman;
• Enraged, Haman orders a gallows built, 75 feet tall;
• He plans to hang Mordecai before the next banquet.

Chapter 6. Accolades

The king is troubled, he starts looking into the official record books:

• There, he learns that Mordecai was never recognized;
• He had saved the king’s life but received no reward;
• Haman happens to be in the courtyard that morning;
• The king orders him into the throne room;
• Surprised, Haman gets the word from the king;
• He intends to honor Mordecai the next day;
• He asks Haman what he could do to honor Mordecai;
• He suggests putting a royal robe on the man;
• Put him on a decorated, royal horse;
• Parade him through the city with accolades;
• The king agrees to all this, orders it done;
• After all this is done, Haman goes home dejected;
• He’s going to have trouble hanging Mordecai;
• His wife and assistants tell him to forget Mordecai;
• Officials come and escort Haman to the banquet.

Chapter 7. Reversed

Haman’s plan to hang Mordecai, destroy the Jews, is reversed:

• At the banquet the king again asks Esther her request;
• Again, he promises anything, up to half his kingdom;
• She explains to the king how Haman is a wicked man;
• His vile plot is to destroy all of her people;
• Disturbed, the king walks out into the palace garden;
• While he is there, Haman approaches Queen Esther;
• He begs her to have the king spare his life;
• Kneeling before her, he falls against her couch;
• The king comes back from the garden, sees Haman;
• He is on his knees, appears to be touching the queen;
• Enraged, the king accuses Haman of molesting her;
• The words have barely left the king’s mouth;
• The servants tell him about the gallows at Haman’s house;
• They explain how Haman had planned to hang Mordecai;
• The king orders them to hang Haman on the gallows;
• The king is then satisfied.

Chapter 8. Overruled

Haman is hanged on his own gallows, the king rewards Queen Esther:

• The king had earlier retrieved his signet ring from Haman;
• Esther tells the king that Mordecai is her cousin;
• The king elevates Mordecai to be second to the king;
• Esther places Mordecai in charge of Haman’s estate;
• She tells the king more about the vile edict of Haman;
• Of how he had planned to annihilate the Jews;
• She pleads with the king to rescind the edict of Haman;
• By law, a king’s written edict cannot be rescinded;
• But the king agrees, something needs to be done;
• He appoints Mordecai to issue a new edict;
• Secretaries write in every language spoken in the kingdom;
• Mordecai seals the documents in the name of the king;
• The king has a stable of horses, bred to be fast runners;
• Men on these horses are dispatched to all 127 provinces;
• The edict of Haman is overruled, the Jews are spared;
• The new edict grants the Jews many new rights;
• The Jews are now allowed to defend themselves;
• They may take lethal force if attacked by anyone;
• They become a powerful nation within the empire;
• Fearful of the Jews, many non-Jews convert to Judaism;
• Jewish celebrations brake out all over the Persian empire;
• Mordecai is elevated in the king’s palace;
• The king gives all of Haman’s estate to Esther.

Chapter 9. Powerful

Mordecai becomes a powerful influence throughout Persia:

• All the nationalities living in Persia fear the Jews;
• They had the authority to kill all their enemies;
• The ten sons of Haman are hanged in Susa;
• Mordecai keeps gaining power and authority;
• 500 Jew haters are killed in Susa;
• Again, the King asks Esther what she desires;
• Her answer: extend the King’s edict for another day;
• The Jews kill 75,000 enemy soldiers;
• The Jews do not claim any enemy possessions;
• The following day becomes a great celebration;
• Feasting and joy overtake the city of Susa;
• Mordecai spreads word of this to rural areas;
• There is feasting and celebrating all over the empire;
• The people exchange gifts of food and other items;
• Mordecai and Esther call for a two-day annual feast;
• Feasts will be called the Purim to mark the days;
• The lot, the pur, had been used to start attacks on the Jews;
• Feasts of Purim will be celebrated forever, for all Jews;

Chapter 10. Preeminent

King Xerxes heaps praise and authority on Mordecai:

• Mordecai becomes preeminent in the kingdom;
• He is highly respected by all Jews;
• He had done everything he could to help the Jews.

END OF THE BOOK OF ESTHER