ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:1–2:23 Introduction. The author sets the scene for the main action by describing Queen Vashti’s downfall (1:1–22), her replacement by Esther (2:1–18), and how Mordecai prevented a plot against the king (2:19–23).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:1 Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) was king of Persia 486–464 B.C.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:2–3 Susa, in western Persia (now Shush, in southwestern Iran), was one of Persia’s four capital cities (see Neh. 1:1; Dan. 8:2). Media. Northwestern Persia, near the Caspian Sea. Once a separate nation, it was conquered c. 550 B.C. by Cyrus the Great, who founded the Persian Empire.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:4–5 The 180 days were probably spent in festivities including lavish meals. The citadel probably refers to the fortified palace complex. The feast lasting for seven days probably completed the 180 days of festivities.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:6–9 no compulsion. King Ahasuerus set aside the custom that everyone had to drink whenever the king drank. A separate feast for the women was another departure from normal Persian practice (see v. 8; 5:5–6).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:10 eunuchs. Castrated men who, among other duties, served in the royal harem.
Persian drinking vessels. The Persians were famous for making elaborate, expensive drinking cups and vessels. In fact, no two were alike. When the Greeks crushed the Persian Empire, the Persian drinking vessels were among the most highly valued spoils.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:12 The author does not explain why Vashti refused to come. Even the queen was expected to obey the king absolutely.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:13–14 wise men. Official advisers to the king. the times. The most favorable times for particular actions (see 3:7). the seven princes. The inner circle of the king’s advisers. Media. See note on 1:2–3.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:15–18 Memucan repeatedly uses the word all to warn the king of a breakdown of proper domestic order throughout society.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:19–20 The Persian king’s laws, once written, may not be repealed (see Dan. 6:8). This could cause complications if the king changed his mind (see Est. 8:5–8; Dan. 6:14–18). Never again implies divorce and the end of her queenship.
Absolute authority. Once the king wrote a law, it could not be overturned (1:19–20). But it could be modified by an additional law (8:8–9:1).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 1:21–22 speak according to the language of his people. This command is probably intended to ensure that all family members everywhere understand the edict.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:1–4 The young men were probably the king’s personal household servants (see 6:3). eunuch. See note on 1:10.
Who is King Ahasuerus? The Persian king Ahasuerus is also known as Xerxes I. It was his army that fought against the Greek Spartans in 480 B.C. at the Battle of Thermopylae.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:5 Mordecai was descended from King Saul. His great-grandfather, Kish, has the same name as Saul’s father (1 Sam. 9:1–2).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:6 Jeconiah, also known as Jehoiachin (1 Chron. 3:16), was the second-to-last king of Judah. He was deported to Babylon in 597 B.C. (2 Kings 24:10–17), which would have been 114 years before the present events. Therefore who had been carried away from Jerusalem must refer to Mordecai’s ancestor Kish, rather than to Mordecai himself (Est. 2:5).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:7 Hadassah (“myrtle”) is the Hebrew name of Mordecai’s cousin. Esther (“star”) is her Persian name.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:8–9 It is unclear from the word taken whether Esther went willingly. Given the king’s order, she probably had no choice. The seven chosen young women were her personal maids.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:10–11 Mordecai’s instruction to Esther not to reveal her people or kindred is the first hint of the prejudice against the Jewish people that will be seen in ch. 3. See note on 3:15.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:12–15 myrrh. An expensive perfume obtained from trees native to Africa and southern Asia. Concubines, the king’s mistresses, were housed separately (in the second harem). They had a lower status than his wife or wives. Abihail is the uncle referred to in v. 7.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:16 Tebeth, in midwinter, was the tenth month of the Jewish calendar. The seventh year would have been four years after the events of ch. 1 (see 1:3; and chart).
The events of Esther unfold over a period of 10 years.
| Reference | Event | Month | Day | Year of Ahasuerus’s Reign | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:3 | Ahasuerus holds his banquets | 3 | 483 B.C. | ||
| 2:16 | Esther goes to Ahasuerus | 10 | 7 | 479 | |
| 3:7 | Haman casts his lots | 1 | 12 | 474 | |
| 3:12 | Haman issues his decree | 1 | 13 | 12 | 474 |
| 3:13 | Date planned for annihilation of the Jews | 12 | 13 | 13 | 473 |
| 8:9 | Mordecai issues his decree | 3 | 23 | 13 | 473 |
| 8:12; 9:1 | Day upon which Jews could defend themselves from attack | 12 | 13 | 13 | 473 |
| 9:6–10, 20–22 | Ten sons of Haman executed; Feast of Purim celebrated | 12 | 14, 15 | 13 | 473 |
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:18 Esther’s feast honored her as the new queen (see 1:3, 5, 9). remission of taxes. A customary form of celebration. gifts with royal generosity. Probably food given to the poor, so that all could celebrate (see 9:22; Jer. 40:5).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:19–23 Mordecai happens to be in the right place at the right time to serve King Ahasuerus. This is one of many examples of God’s hidden direction of events, though God is never actually mentioned in Esther (see Introduction: Key Themes).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 2:19–21 the second time. Possibly a second gathering of all the virgins (see v. 2) to complete the celebration of Esther’s coronation. the king’s gate. Where the king’s officials dispensed justice (2 Sam. 15:2–6; see Ruth 4:1–11). Mordecai was sitting. Probably as an official, because of Esther’s new influence with the king. the threshold. The door to the king’s private rooms.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:1–9:19 Main Action. The plot to destroy the Jews (3:1–15) is foiled by the courageous actions of Esther and Mordecai (4:1–8:17), resulting in a complete victory for the Jews (9:1–19).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:1 the Agagite. A descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, one of Israel’s ancient enemies (Ex. 17:8–16). Agag was defeated by King Saul and killed by the prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 15:1–33).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:2–4 bowed down and paid homage. Bowing was the normal way of paying respect to Persian royalty. It was not an act of worship (see Gen. 23:7; 1 Kings 1:16). Mordecai did not bow, because “he was a Jew.” The text does not give any more reason. he had told them that he was a Jew. Mordecai did the very thing he had told Esther not to do (Est. 2:10, 20).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:5–6 Haman . . . disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. Haman hated the Jews and set out to destroy them all. the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. This included Jerusalem and the surrounding area, with its mainly Jewish population (see 1:1; Neh. 1:1–3).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:7 Nisan. The first month of the Jewish religious calendar, which began in spring with the Passover (Ex. 12:1–2). the twelfth year. See Est. 2:16; Haman has been waiting for five years to carry out his plot. Pur (plural “purim”; see 9:26). The Persian word for “lot.” cast lots. A traditional way of seeking divine guidance (Josh. 18:6; Prov. 16:33).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:8 they do not keep the king’s laws. A reference to Mordecai’s refusal to bow (v. 2), implying that all Jews behave similarly. not to the king’s profit. A clever tactic by Haman. The remission of taxes (2:18) and Ahasuerus’s unsuccessful war with Greece in 480 B.C. may have left the royal treasury low on funds.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:9 10,000 talents of silver. About 12 million ounces (750,000 pounds).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:10–11 signet ring. A ring used to seal official documents (Jer. 22:24). Haman is empowered to act with royal authority. The money is given to you. Ahasuerus authorizes Haman to use as much of the 10,000 talents of silver as he needs to carry out his plot against the Jews.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:12–13 the first month. Presumably of the following (13th) year of Ahasuerus’s reign (see v. 7). the twelfth month. Because the empire was so large, it took almost 12 months to notify those responsible for carrying out the edict against the Jews.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 3:15 sat down to drink. Haman and the king callously celebrate the forthcoming massacre. but . . . Susa was thrown into confusion. This shows that many of Susa’s citizens did not share Haman’s intense hatred of the Jews.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 4:1–4 sackcloth and ashes . . . fasting and weeping. Traditional ways of expressing grief in the ancient Near East, including Israel. Such behavior was banned in the king’s gate (see note on 2:19–21). garments to clothe Mordecai. Because of the ban of 4:2, Esther probably feared for Mordecai’s safety.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 4:11 one law. The law in this matter was absolute, without any qualifications or exceptions. not been called . . . these thirty days. The king’s love for Esther may have begun to wane, making her task even more difficult (see 2:14, 17).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 4:14 deliverance will rise . . . from another place. Mordecai is confident that God will somehow rescue his people. your father’s house. The family of Esther’s father. Since Mordecai is sure the Jews will be delivered, his statement that Esther and her family will perish presumably means God will punish them for Esther’s refusal to act. for such a time as this. Another hint of Mordecai’s belief in God’s providence.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 4:16 hold a fast. Not an outpouring of grief as in v. 3, but an effort to increase Esther’s chances of success, through earnest prayer. This is the strongest indication yet of Esther’s and Mordecai’s faith in God (see Ezra 9:5; Neh. 1:4). if I perish, I perish. Esther realizes that God cannot be manipulated, even by fasting (see Dan. 3:17–18).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 5:1–2 At the end of the third day of fasting (4:16), Esther stands in the inner court, where Ahasuerus can see her, and risks her life by waiting for him to either reject or receive her. the golden scepter. A staff or rod; see 4:11.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 5:3 even . . . half of my kingdom. Esther rightly understands this as a traditional, grand gesture rather than one to be taken seriously (see Mark 6:23).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 5:4–8 the feast that I will prepare. Another feast, on the following day. Esther puts Haman further off guard, and makes sure the king is in the best possible mood, before making her request.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 5:9–13 joyful . . . filled with wrath. Haman is elated at how he has been treated by the king and queen, but he is again angry that Mordecai refuses to bow to him.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 5:14 There was a gallows in 2:23 but this is different one, built especially for hanging Mordecai. Its enormous height (75 feet/23 m) is probably intended to make a public spectacle of Mordecai. tell the king. Zeresh assumes that Haman’s influence is now so great that he can virtually order the king to hang Mordecai.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 6:1 that night the king could not sleep. The perfect timing of the king’s insomnia strongly suggests that God in his providence is guiding the circumstances and events, rather than their being mere coincidence or chance (compare Dan. 6:18). the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles. A record of significant events in the king’s reign (see Est. 2:23; compare 1 Kings 14:29).
The invisible God. The book of Esther does not directly mention God, but his providential hand was clearly at work, as remains the case today all around the world.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 6:5 Haman is there. Haman now waits as Esther had done in 5:1. Again, the timing is perfect. Even though the text does not say so, God is invisibly at work.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 6:6–11 What should be done to the man . . . the king delights to honor? Neither Ahasuerus nor Haman is aware of the irony in the question. Haman’s response shows both the extent of his vanity and his total unawareness of the trap he is walking into: do so to Mordecai the Jew.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 6:13 If Mordecai . . . is of the Jewish people, you . . . will surely fall before him. Even Haman’s wife and advisers sense that an irresistible power or person protects the Jewish people.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 7:2 Even . . . half of my kingdom. See note on 5:3.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 7:4 I and my people. Esther reveals that she is a Jew and that Ahasuerus has been tricked into ordering the death of the queen he loves. we have been sold. Haman had “bought” the king’s agreement to his plan (3:9). our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king. With this exaggerated comparison, Esther, like Haman, appeals to the king’s self-interest: If he were to make the Jews his slaves, he would at least have their free labor. By killing them, he will lose a valuable asset.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 7:7 the palace garden. See 1:5. Ahasuerus withdraws briefly to compose himself.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 7:8 falling on the couch. Haman was probably kneeling, perhaps with his hands or arms on the couch, probably seeking mercy from Esther. But the king takes Haman’s move as an assault on Esther. they covered Haman’s face. Covering the head of a condemned prisoner is a well-known custom.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 8:1–2 Ahasuerus gave . . . Esther the house of Haman. The property of condemned criminals was forfeited to the crown. his signet ring. See note on 3:10–11.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 8:3–8 Haman was dead, but the decree he had issued with the king’s authority was still in force, for an edict . . . cannot be revoked (v. 8; compare Dan. 6:8). The way to counter the edict was to issue another one that made it difficult or impossible to carry out the first one.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 8:9 Sivan. The third month of the Jewish religious calendar, in late spring.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 8:11 any armed force. The Jews are permitted to defend themselves only by destroying armed enemies who attack them, including any children and women who participate in the attack.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 8:12 the thirteenth day of . . . Adar. See 3:13.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 8:15–16 Susa . . . rejoiced (see 3:15). Further evidence that many of the Persian people did not share Haman’s hatred toward the Jews. The Jews had . . . honor. Probably because people saw that the king himself now favored them.
Delivering the mail in Persia. The Persian Empire may have had the world’s first postal service. Carriers rode on horseback to various stations throughout the empire, where they would deliver messages to other waiting carriers (8:14).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 8:17 many . . . declared themselves Jews. That is, they tried to pass themselves off as Jews. fear of the Jews. Because of the power now exercised by Mordecai (v. 15; 9:3–4).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 9:1–10 The Jews . . . did as they pleased (v. 5). They took full advantage of the opportunity to defeat their attackers, as they were allowed to do (see notes on 8:11; 9:11–15). laid no hand on the plunder (also in vv. 15–16). They had been given permission to take the property of those whom they conquered (8:11), but they did only what was necessary to defend themselves.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 9:11–15 tomorrow also. Probably because there were still armed men in Susa committed to carrying out the first edict. the ten sons of Haman were hanged. In keeping with Persian royal practice, the king wipes out the conspirator’s family publicly, to prevent further trouble.
Mordecai was a Jew living in exile in Persia. When Mordecai’s cousin Esther became an orphan he took her as his own child. Eventually Esther became queen, and Mordecai became a royal official. One day, while serving King Ahasuerus, Mordecai discovered and reported a plot to kill the king, thus saving the king’s life. Later, when Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, who was second in command to the king, Haman persuaded the king to call for the death of all Jews. With the help of Queen Esther, Mordecai saved the Jews of Persia from this death sentence. Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai, and Mordecai replaced Haman as second in command to the king. (Esther 9:4)
ESTHER—NOTE ON 9:16–19 Two different dates arose for celebrating the deliverance of the Jews. In rural areas the fighting was completed on the thirteenth day of Adar, so they celebrated on the fourteenth. But in Susa it did not finish until the fourteenth, so they celebrated on the fifteenth. The celebration was still occurring on this date when Esther was written (v. 19).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 9:20–10:3 Conclusion. At the high point of the story, the tables are completely turned and the enemies of the Jews get what they deserve.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 9:20–21 fourteenth . . . also the fifteenth. (see note on vv. 16–19).
ESTHER—NOTE ON 9:23–32 Purim. The Hebrew plural of Pur (see note on 3:7). Jews still keep the Feast of Purim today. This second letter suggests that the differences between rural and urban Jews (9:9–16) had persisted to some extent in spite of the first letter (vv. 20–22). Both letters were distributed in the form of many letters, carried by many messengers but with the same basic content.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 10:1 imposed tax. Reversing the (temporary) remission of 2:18. If the coastlands of the sea are remote parts of Ahasuerus’s empire (bordering the eastern Mediterranean), taxing them shows the impressive extent of his power (1:1; 10:2).
How is the festival of Purim related to Esther? Today, the Jewish festival of Purim celebrates the Jews’ deliverance from Haman’s plot to kill them. His plot involved casting lots (“purim”) to gain the guidance of idols.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 10:2 the Chronicles. See note on 6:1. Media and Persia. See note on 1:2–3.
ESTHER—NOTE ON 10:3 second in rank to King Ahasuerus. Similar to Joseph (see Gen. 41:40). brothers. Fellow Jews.