Esther enquires into this case, and receives a particular account of it, esther 4. Esther free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. Esther was originally written in hebrew, which is represented by ch. Mordecai learned of a plot to kill the king and made it known to esther who passed the news to the king. The book of esther records the origin of the holiday called purim. A few years back i explained how the famous table talk quote from luther the book of esther i toss into the elbe was actually a miscitation that was actually in regard to esdras. Book of esther definition of book of esther by the free. For there was no other way of corresponding and conversing but by a eunuch.
This book is also the reason why the jewish people created the jewish festivity of purim, which is celebrated annually amongst all jewish people in. Esther is read during the purim feast on 14th and 15th adar februarymarch. Book of esther synonyms, book of esther pronunciation, book of esther translation, english dictionary definition of book of esther. So the king and haman went to dine with queen esther. This plea paralleled gods message through moses to pharaoh, let my people go, almost 1,000 years earlier. The writer of the book ofesther probably wanted his readers to realise that god is always in control. It is a deeply profound and moving narrative of historical events that displayed the providence of god. This unlikely contestant for a beauty pageant was crowned queen of persia and renamed esther, meaning star. She lived in the palace of the king without revealing her. Esther in her joys, smiled upon by the king and honoured with his company at her banquet of wine, esther 5. The book of esther was likely written between 467 and 350 b.
According to the book of esther, the feast of purim was established to celebrate that day, but this explanation is surely legendary. The book of esther does not specifically name its author. A free bible version and commentary on the old testament book of esther in easy english. But, calling on contemporary practice, the form in which the holiday was instituted imitates the legal practice of persia. It also reveals deep and abiding spiritual truths about gods power to deliver us from danger and oppression, even when despotic rulers plan to do evil to gods people. Introduction how should we view the women in esther. The author of the book of esther is unknown, though some attribute the work to mordecai. It relates the story of a hebrew woman in persia, born as hadassah but known as esther, who becomes queen of persia and thwarts a genocide. Ill give this message the title gods providential poetic justice. The purpose of the book of esther is to display the providence of god, especially in regard to his chosen people, israel. Esther is described in the book of esther as a jewish queen of the persian king ahasuerus. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. Megillah with linear translation and rashis commentary. Her story plays between the two waves of return to jerusalem but her bravery is still celebrated every year during the feast of purim esther 9.
Esther was actually her persian name, her hebrew name was hadassah, which means myrtle branch. Af, which most scholars regard as later additions to the book. The last news we had of haman left him in his cups, esther 3. T he story of esther reads like a novel and is full of great spiritual lessons. The book is named for the star of the story, a young jewish girl named hadassah who was taken from her guardian, mordecai, and forced to compete for the. Esther isnt too graphic, but any book that prominently features a massacre in this case, both a failed one and a successful one is obviously going to be something more than pg rated. The book of esther relates an amazing chain of events that first threatened, and then safeguarded and established, the welfare of gods people in the mighty. The genre of the book of esther is narrative history. Esther, the beautiful jewish wife of the persian king. Esther 1 commentary commentary critical and explanatory.
The book of esther begins with the queen of king ahasuerusvashtisnubbing the kings request to meet with her. The massacre had been plotted by the kings chief minister, haman, and the date decided by casting lots purim. What spiritual lessons can we learn from this book. Heres an overview of the book of esther, featuring the main idea and its explanation, the purpose and main themes of the book, and a section on what it means to us, along with some study questions. The book closes with an explanation of the meaning of purim esther 9. Book of esther an old testament book telling of a beautiful jewess who became queen of persia and saved her people from massacre esther old. She says that vashti, ahasuerus xerxes, esther and haman may not be the actual names of the people to whom the events happened 3637 ed comment.
The authoress explanation of verses in esther offer studied help, and. Listen to this description in the five megilloth, a jewish commentary published by the soncino press. The book of esther opens with a description of an enormous 180day party thrown by king achashverosh in his 3rd year as king of the persian empire, ruling over 127 provinces. In mordecais prayer is a pious explanation for his refusal to bow to haman. The original text of the megillah book of esther with a running commentary culled from the talmud and midrash, the great torah commentators and the chassidic masters. Esther dwelt on his contemplated atrocity, in a variety of expressions, which both evinced the depth of her own emotions, and were. He may not always do it in the way we think he should, but the book of esther shows that he is in control even when we dont see him. The story forms the core of the jewish festival of purim, during which it is read aloud twice. Frederic bush ruthesther word biblical commentary, 1996.
The celebration is a reminder of the reversal of hamans evil when he cast pur, lots, to discover when to destroy the jews. The following are five of the most helpful commentaries on. Waldman and appeared in volume one of the graphic canon, edited by russ kick and published by seven stories press. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the kings laws.
The enemies of the jews had hoped to kill all the jews. Lets open our bibles to the 5th chapter in the book of esther for this esther 5 sermon. Its one of the most beautiful books in the bible and so full of great takeaways for the modern christian woman today. Hence it belongs to the bestknown otbooks with the jews and it is also the book, which has the oldest copies. Esther 7 commentary commentary critical and explanatory. The book of esther in the bible is a dramatic account which can give us insight into gods special and purposeful plan for our lives. The book of esther has served the jewish people as support of their national hope and especially so. The working preacher team believes that god uses good biblical preaching to change lives. The explanation of some that the story of esther was engrafted on a jewish feast already existing and probably connected with a persian festival, is only a surmise. Now he needs to pick a new queen and eventually manages to select esthera comely, young secretly jewish woman who is a part of his harem. Esther 4 commentary matthew henrys complete commentary on. The events in the book of esther occurred from 483.
It belongs to the third section of the judaic canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. Mordecai is brought into prominence at the right time 6. Thus, the deeds of queen esther cast a ray of light forward into israels history from a dark time. For those seeking a more extensive commentary on the book of esther, frederic bushs work in the wbc series is a good place to start. This contrasts with traditional jewish commentaries, such as the commentary of the vilna gaon, which states but in every verse it. Esther bible story summary what christians want to know. Ahasuerusit is now generally agreed among learned men that the ahasuerus mentioned in this episode is the xerxes who figures in grecian history 3. Queen esther came to the throne for just such a time 4. Esthers prayer ends with the striking petition, and save me from my fear. The extensive records from the persian empire do not mention mordecai or the b.
The book purports to explain how the feast of purim came to be celebrated by the jews. The story gives us six powerful lessons about courage. The book of esther tells a compelling story, dramatic and exciting, with clearly defined heroes and villains. Esther, for the chance of winning wealth and power, takes her place in the herd of maidens who become concubines of the king. Matters are concerted between mordecai and esther for the preventing of it. Esther commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. The book of esther excels at violence75,000 people get killed in the provinces and a guy gets hanged to death on a really big gallows. The book of esther tells the story of the church of god, christ, god almighty and the millennial reign of the kingdom of.
It is one of the five scrolls megillot in the hebrew bible. God works behind the scenes through queen esther and her cousin mordecai to save the jews, who are on the verge of total extermination. Esther is the last of the historical books of the bible, so its main character is named esther that is, venus, the morning star, which sheds its light after all the other stars have ceased to shine, and while the sun still delays rising. During this holiday, the jews remember how god saved them from their. Poetic justice happens in literature when good wins andor evil is punished. In fact, god is not directly mentioned by name in the book of esther. As we begin this esther 4 sermon, we realize that so far this story is what literary folks would call a tragedy. Esther is, among the generality of jews, the best known of all the books of the bible p. Unlike daniel, there seems to be no concern on the part of esther to keep the dietary laws. Esther objects the danger of addressing the king uncalled, esther 4. Commentary on the book of esther by matthew henry old. Sleep is taken from ahasuerus at precisely the right time 6. The book of esther has served the jewish people as support of their national hope and especially so in the days of persecution.
And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to esther, what is your petition, queen esther. Nor has any one else succeeded better in offering an explanation of the feast than that it had its origin as stated in the book of esther. To go unto him, and what he should say to him from her, which is as follows. These books are all relatively short and are part of ketuvim the writings portion of the torah that. Watch our overview video on the book of esther, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. And came even before the kings gate which should have been always open to poor petitioners as the gate of the roman aedilis was, but was now shut against such mourners as mordecai. It relates the story of a hebrew woman in persia, born as hadassah but known as esther, who becomes queen of persia and thwarts a genocide of her people. We have enlisted hundreds of friends biblical scholars, theologians, homileticians and pastors dedicated to the craft of biblical preaching to provide you timely, compelling and trustworthy content. It is a short story similar to the book of ruth, starting in the palace of shushan susa, one out of the three capitals of the persian empire. Esther is written during the period of the captivity. The book of esther tells of hamans plot against the jews of the ancient persian empire, and how the beautiful queen esther and her uncle mordecai defeated his purpose. Esther 4 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. He was in the gate of the city, a place of prominence. Naturally, being a rather unstable fellow, ahasuerus firesslashdivorces her.
It is the last of the five scrolls ruth, song of songs, ecclesiastes, lamentations, and esther, and is read at the feast of purim. Study the bible online using commentary on esther and more. The book of esther does not mention the name of god. Esther is the persian name of a hebrew girl named hadassah means myrtle, who was able to avert the genocide of the hebrews during the time of the babylonian exile see the book of esther. Our last news of queen esther left her in tears, fasting and praying. The book of esther was likely written between 460 and 350 b. Whats interesting about this luther quote is it was corrected some time ago, at least as far back as the 19th century, yet it still pops up on fresh on the. In the book of esther this information is casually presented as unimportant, but comes up later in the story. The key personalities are esther, mordecai, king ahasuerus or xerxes, and haman. The story of esther reads like a movie plot, with a beautiful queen risking her life to prevent genocide. Esther, the beautiful jewish wife of the persian king ahasuerus, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of jews throughout the empire. Esther 2 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. Public calamities, that oppress the church of god, should affect our hearts more than any private affliction, and it is peculiarly distressing to occasion sufferings to. Cb38 the story of esther and its meaning edition 2.
In the jewish bible, esther follows ecclesiastes and lamentations and is read on the festival of purim, which commemorates the rescue of the jews from hamans plottings. Megillah with indepth commentaryside by side version. The wives of kings being altogether under their watch and care. Working preacher is a ministry brought to you by luther seminary. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third section ketuvim, writings of the jewish tanakh the hebrew bible and in the christian old testament. In the hebrew bible, the book of esther is found in the third section of the canon, the writings. Esther with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. But mordecais law allowed the jews to defend themselves on that day. Then haman was afraid before the king and the queen. But because of his religious convictions he opened himself up to satanic attack. And came even before the kings gate that his cry might come to the ears of esther. Book of esther, book of the hebrew bible and the christian old testament. Read esther commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible complete. This book is also the reason why the jewish people created the jewish festivity of purim, which is celebrated annually amongst all jewish people in the world.
Following tradition, the books explanation of purim as a historical event to be commemorated harks back to the torahs etiologies stories of origin for the wellestablished holidays. Summary of the book of esther genuine leather bible. Mordecai urges her to intercede with the king for a revocation of the edict, esther 4. A summary of the book of esther by menachem posner esther is the heroine of the purim story, in which the jewish people who live in the sprawling persian empire are saved from haman s evil scheme to annihilate them. The name esther is assigned only once in the bible. The book of esther takes place in susa modern day iran in the court of a persian king, xerxes or ahasuerus. In the book of esther this information is casually presented as. Well be studying the 5th, 6th, and 7th chapters today. Esther is encouraged by mordicai to conceal her jewishness. The megillah scroll of esther is one of the five megillahs in the biblical canon. The book of esther is a 20 movie starring jen lilley as queen esther and joel smallbone as king xerxes. The name esther is used 45x in 37v in this book and to posit that this may not be her name seems a bit presumptive. As the days of feasting draw to a close, he summons his wife, vashti, to show off her beauty by appearing wearing only her crown. After these things, when the wrath of king ahasuerus was appeased on recovering from the violent excitement of his revelry and rage, the king was pierced with poignant regret for the unmerited treatment he had given to his beautiful and dignified queen.
The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll, is a book in the third section of the jewish tanakh and in the christian old testament. Thus, the deeds of queen esther cast a ray of light forward into israel. Ive mentioned this a number of times over the years. The book is named for the star of the story, a young jewish girl named hadassah who was taken from her guardian, mordecai, and forced to compete for the affection of the king. The book of esther excels at violence75,000 people get killed in the provinces and. There is nothing close to a consensus, however, as to what historical event provided the basis for the story. When mordecai perceived all that was donerelying on the irrevocable nature of a persian monarchs decree daniel 6. In 2012, a graphic adaptation of the book of esther was illustrated by j. Book of esther overview insight for living ministries. The book of esther records the institution of the feast of purim and the obligation of its perpetual observation. The book of esther provides a reallife prognosis of how we as humans today should approach lifes obstacles and challenge ourselves on a daily basis. Jews have traditionally considered esther a national hero, but already early in the twentieth century some readers began to deplore her as passive and devious.
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