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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

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ESTHER, Book of

Old Testament book telling the story of a Jewish woman’s protection of her people after her marriage to a gentile king.

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• Author

• Date, Origin, and Purpose

• Canonicity

• Background

• Content

Author

The book of Esther is an anonymous composition. The reference in 9:20 that Mordecai “recorded these things” implies that part, if not all, of the book was written by him. The absence of God’s name in the book of Esther may be due to the fact that the author intended the book to become part of the official Persian court record. The use of God’s name might have prevented that from happening.

The author of the book had considerable knowledge of Persian court life and customs. Thus, Mordecai might be identified with a Morduka mentioned as a Persian court official in the reign of Darius I (521–486 BC) and Xerxes (486–464 BC).

Date, Origin, and Purpose

Immediate impressions favor a date for the book of Esther shortly after 465 BC, if Ahasuerus is identified with Xerxes, who died that year. Many contemporary scholars, however, favor a later date. The apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus, written about 180 BC, refers to that period. Jewish heroes are mentioned there, but Esther and Mordecai are not included. Some also suggest the period of the Maccabees as the time of the book’s writing. Others have identified it with a cultic story from ancient Babylon, associating Esther with the goddess Ishtar and Mordecai with the god Marduk. The earliest postbiblical reference to the Feast of Purim is 2 Maccabees 15:36, probably written about 75 BC.

The book of Esther claims to record events in Persia sometime during the fifth century BC, surrounding the selection of Esther as queen. If a later date is preferred, the book can be viewed as written to encourage Jews during a time of persecution. One definite purpose of the book of Esther is to explain the origin of the Jewish Feast of Purim (Est 9:16-28). The term “purim” is probably related to the Assyrian word puru, meaning a small stone used for casting lots.

Canonicity

The major theological problem with the book of Esther is the absence of any mention of God and the lack of even an intimation of divine providence. As a result, some scholars in both Jewish and Christian circles question its canonicity. But closer observation reveals an obvious providential dimension in the book. The reference to fasting in 4:16, for example, implies prayer as well as abstinence from food. Esther’s being in the right place at the right time is no accident. The fall of Haman is also not accidental. On the negative side, the extreme measures taken in hanging Haman’s sons reflects a collective view of guilt that is not acceptable today (9:13-14). Implicit, too, is the theme of God’s protection of his covenant people even in times of persecution. That fact has made the book of Esther a favorite of Jews throughout history.

Its practical implications, however, have not kept some from questioning the book’s genuineness as a part of the Bible. The book of Esther appears in the third part of the Jewish canon, as part of the five scrolls known as the Megilloth; its companions there are Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations. The Septuagint (Greek version of the OT) contains 107 extra verses in the book of Esther. These additions form part of the Apocrypha in English versions of the Bible. Even as late as the Reformation era, Esther’s canonicity was being debated, and some contemporary evangelicals have raised doubts about its value. Its canonicity is favored by (1) its history of acceptance in both Judaism and the Christian church, and (2) its illustrative value for teaching God’s providential care of the Jewish people (see Rom 9–11; Rv 7, 14).

Background

A number of historical problems have been noted: (1) Xerxes’ known wife was named Amestris, according to the historian Herodotus. But it is likely that the king had more than one wife. (2) The implication that Mordecai went into exile in 597 BC would have made him about 120 years old during the reign of Xerxes. But the text of 2:5-6 might mean that Mordecai’s great-grandfather was the original exile rather than Mordecai. (3) Various details seem fanciful to some modern readers: a banquet lasting 180 days; Esther’s 12-month beauty treatment; a gallows 83 feet (25.3 meters) tall; the Jews killing 75,000 of Xerxes’ subjects (see 1:4; 2:7, 12; 7:9; 9:16). But what appears mythological sometimes turns out to be historical.

Several elements in the book of Esther point to a genuinely historical setting for the book. Ahasuerus is usually identified with Xerxes. Xerxes’ father was Darius, from whom have come some notable inscriptions and relief sculptures, one of them showing Darius seated on his throne with Xerxes standing behind him. Xerxes is believed to have been a weak-willed man in domestic affairs, easily influenced by flattering and scheming courtiers. On the field of battle, however, he was a vigorous leader who ferociously pursued his objectives. His energetic suppression of a revolt in Egypt was a prelude to mustering a navy to attack Athens. Only the skill and daring of the Greek forces at the naval battle of Salamis (480 BC) saved Greece from complete Persian occupation. Xerxes eventually lost the war and retired to his elegant palaces at Persepolis and Susa. He rejected the traditional gods of Egypt and Babylon and became a devotee of Ahuramazda, the Persian spirit of good.

Content

The book of Esther portrays the reign of King Ahasuerus, whose empire stretched from India to Ethiopia (1:1-9). The center of his empire was in Susa (Shushan), in Persia. Because Queen Vashti disgraced the king by refusing his order to appear in court, she was removed, and a search began for a new queen (1:10-22). A young Jewish woman named Hadassah, without parents and living with her kinsman Mordecai, was selected to replace Queen Vashti (2:1-18). Early in her reign Esther and Mordecai helped to save the king’s life (vv 19-23). A man named Haman, who was promoted to an influential position in the palace court, plotted to kill the Jews because he hated Mordecai (ch 3). Mordecai intervened through Queen Esther, and the queen called on the Jews in Susa to fast for deliverance (ch 4). Esther’s intervention with the king led to a sleepless night for Ahasuerus (5:1–6:1). He reviewed the records of “memorable deeds,” and discovered that Mordecai’s earlier help had gone unrewarded. When Haman arrived to initiate his plot against the Jews, the king ordered him to honor Mordecai (ch 6). When Haman’s plot was then discovered, the schemer was hanged (ch 7). The king honored Mordecai and sent out an edict protecting the Jews from harm (ch 8). The Jews, by the king’s permission, killed the soldiers who would earlier have killed them in Haman’s plot (9:1-16). To celebrate their national deliverance, the Jews planned a great celebration (9:17–10:3). That celebration became the Festival of Purim—a time of feasting and distribution of gifts to all, especially to the poor.