Esther

Esther’s story takes place in Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire, in the time of King Ahasuerus, an extremely powerful king who ruled 127 provinces.

Esther and Mordecai

Esther was a young Jewish woman named Hadassah (Esther was her Persian name). She lost both her parents when she was little. Her older cousin, Mordecai, took her as his own daughter and raised her with love.

Mordecai worked at the palace gate. Esther grew up beautiful both in appearance and in character.

The Background: A Crisis in the Palace

King Ahasuerus had given a great feast and asked Queen Vashti to come and show herself to the guests. Vashti refused. The king was furious and removed her as queen.

His advisers suggested searching the whole empire for beautiful young women from whom the king could choose a new queen.

Hidden Providence

Esther came to the palace without knowing why God had brought her there. She did not yet understand the role she would play.

Young women from all the provinces of the empire were brought to the palace in Susa. Each one went through 12 months of preparation before being presented to the king.

Esther Wins Hearts

Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her, including Hegai, the official in charge of the women in the palace. He gave her a special place and the best beauty treatments.

Mordecai had told Esther not to reveal that she was Jewish. Esther obeyed.

Chosen by the King

When it was Esther’s turn to be presented to the king, Ahasuerus loved her more than all the others. The king set the royal crown on her head and proclaimed her queen in place of Vashti.

He held a great banquet in her honor, declared a holiday, and gave out gifts.

A Secret in Her Heart

Esther was now queen of the greatest power in the world. But she carried an important secret: she was Jewish. Mordecai kept going to the palace gate every day to see what was happening to her.

God had put Esther in the right place, even though the purpose was not yet visible.

King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite to the highest rank in the empire. All the servants at the gate had to kneel and bow down to him.

Mordecai Refuses

Mordecai would not bow down to Haman. The others warned him day after day, but he would not listen. He explained his attitude by his faith: he was a Jew and could not bow down to a man as to a god.

When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow to him, he was filled with fury. But he was not content to take revenge on Mordecai alone. He wanted to destroy the whole Jewish people throughout Ahasuerus’s empire.

Haman’s Plan

Haman went to the king and described the Jews as a dangerous people with different laws. He asked permission to wipe them out. He even promised to pay a large sum of money.

The king gave Haman his royal signet ring, which meant full authority.

They cast lots (called Pur in Persian, which is where the word Purim comes from) to choose the exact day for the killing. It fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month.

The decree was sent throughout the empire: all the Jews were to be killed in a single day.

Mordecai learned about the decree. He tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and wept loudly. All the Jews in the provinces were weeping and fasting.

Mordecai’s Message

Esther heard that Mordecai was weeping and sent him new clothes. But Mordecai sent back a copy of the whole decree with the instruction that she should go in to the king and make request for her people.

Esther sent back: “whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death… but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days.”

Mordecai’s Answer

Mordecai sent a message that changed everything:

Esther’s Decision

Esther received the message. She asked all the Jews in Susa to fast for her for 3 days. And she made her decision:

Not safety, not comfort, not survival, but duty to God and to her people.

After three days of fasting, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace. The king was on his throne.

The King’s Favor

King Ahasuerus saw Esther and smiled kindly at her. He held out the golden scepter to her, a sign that he welcomed her. Esther came near and touched the tip of the scepter.

The king asked: “What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.”

Esther’s Wisdom

Esther could have asked right away. But she chose not to rush. She invited the king and Haman to a banquet. At the banquet the king asked again what she wanted. Esther invited them to a second banquet.

Haman left the palace happy, because the queen had invited him personally! But at the gate he saw Mordecai, and his anger came back. At home, advised by his wife, he had a tall gallows built for Mordecai.

The Night in Between

That very night the king could not sleep. He asked for the royal record book to be read to him, and it came to the place where it said that Mordecai had uncovered a plot against the king. The king asked: “What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this?” The answer started something important.

At the second banquet, the king asked again what Esther wanted. This time she spoke:

Haman’s Downfall

The king asked angrily: “Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?” Esther pointed to Haman.

The king got up in anger and went out into the garden. Haman fell at Esther’s feet, begging. When the king came back and saw him, he lost his patience completely.

A servant said that Haman had built a gallows for Mordecai. The king ordered: “Hang him thereon.” Haman died on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai.

The People Saved

Esther fell at the king’s feet, weeping, and begged him to cancel Haman’s decree. The king sent a new decree: the Jews could defend themselves and fight their enemies.

Purim, the Feast of Thanksgiving

The Jews celebrated their rescue with great joy. Mordecai and Esther established the feast of Purim, which Jewish people keep every year to this day, in memory of how God saved them.