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112-643: Esther , originally Hadassah , is the eponymous heroine of the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible . According to the biblical narrative, which is set in the Achaemenid Empire , the Persian king Ahasuerus falls in love with Esther and marries her. His grand vizier Haman is offended by Esther's cousin and guardian Mordecai because of his refusal to bow before him ; bowing in front of another person

224-403: A Babylonian ephah : 36.29 kg by his reckoning (the metretes and the ephah were units of volume). Percy Gardner estimated a weight of 37.32 kg, based on extant weights and coins. An Aeginetan talent was worth 60 Aeginetan minae, or 6,000 Aeginetan drachmae. The talent ( Hebrew : ככר , kikkar ; Aramaic : קינטרא ‎, qintara ) in late Hebrew antiquity (c. 500 CE)

336-604: A Greek name derived from the Persian Artaxšaθra . Josephus too relates that this was the name by which he was known to the Greeks, and the Midrashic text Esther Rabba also makes the identification. Bar Hebraeus identified Ahasuerus explicitly as Artaxerxes II; however, the names are not necessarily equivalent: Hebrew has a form of the name Artaxerxes distinct from Ahasuerus , and a direct Greek rendering of Ahasuerus

448-652: A book considered canonical in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church . Book of Esther The Book of Esther ( Hebrew : מְגִלַּת אֶסְתֵּר , romanized :  Megillat Ester ; Greek : Ἐσθήρ ; Latin : Liber Esther ), also known in Hebrew as "the Scroll" ("the Megillah "), is a book in the third section ( Ketuvim , כְּתוּבִים "Writings") of the Hebrew Bible . It

560-408: A fictionalized Xerxes I , who ruled the Achaemenid Empire between 486 and 465 BCE. The book of Esther has more Akkadian and Aramaic loanwords than any other biblical work and the names of the key protagonists, Mordechai and Esther, for example, have been read as allusions to the gods Marduk and Ishtar , who, symbolizing respectively Babylonia and Assyria, were twin powers that brought about

672-654: A formal royal decree, the King instead adds to it, permitting the Jews to join and destroy any and all of those seeking to kill them (8:1–14). On 13 Adar, Haman's ten sons and 500 other men are killed in Shushan (9:1–12). Upon hearing of this Esther requests it be repeated the next day, whereupon 300 more men are killed (9:13–15). In the other Persian provinces, 75,000 people are killed by the Jews, who are careful to take no plunder (9:16–17). Mordecai and Esther send letters throughout

784-530: A kind of pagan festival akin to rites associated with Ishtar of Nineveh , which shares these same features, lay behind the development of this story. Biblical scholar Michael Coogan further argues that the book contains specific details regarding certain subject matter (for example, Persian rule) which are historically inaccurate. For example, Coogan discusses an inaccuracy regarding the age of Esther's cousin (or, according to others, uncle) Mordecai . In Esther 2:5–6, either Mordecai or his great-grandfather Kish

896-464: A later Greek source that "the talent of Homer was equal in amount to the later daric [... i.e.] two Attic drachmas " and analysis of finds from a Mycenaean grave-shaft, a weight of about 8.5 grams (0.30 oz) can be established for this original talent. The later Attic talent was of a different weight than the Homeric, but represented the same value in copper as the Homeric did in gold, with

1008-618: A longer Koine Greek –sourced version found in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. When she is introduced, in Esther 2:7, she is first referred to by the Hebrew name Hadassah , which means "myrtle tree." This name is absent from the early Greek manuscripts, although present in the targumic texts, and was probably added to the Hebrew text in the 2nd century CE at the earliest to stress the heroine's Jewishness. The name "Esther" probably derives from

1120-461: A more accurate understanding of the history of the Israelite people. Berlin quotes a series of scholars who suggest that the author of Esther did not mean for the book to be considered as a historical writing, but intentionally wrote it to be a historical novella. The genre of novellas under which Esther falls was common during both the Persian and Hellenistic periods to which scholars have dated

1232-503: A new queen from a selection of beautiful young women from throughout the empire (2:1–4). Among these women is a Jewish orphan named Esther , who was raised by her cousin or uncle, Mordecai (2:5–7). She finds favour in the King's eyes, and is crowned his new queen, but does not reveal her Jewish heritage (2:8–20). Shortly afterwards, Mordecai discovers a plot by two courtiers, Bigthan and Teresh , to assassinate Ahasuerus. The conspirators are apprehended and hanged, and Mordecai's service to

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1344-506: A relatively passive figure. Throughout the story, she evolves into a character who takes a decisive role in her own future and that of her people. According to Sidnie White Crawford , "Esther's position in a male court mirrors that of the Jews in a Gentile world, with the threat of danger ever present below the seemingly calm surface." Esther is compared to Daniel in that both represent a "type" for Jews living in Diaspora, and hoping to live

1456-482: A reversal is termed " peripety ", and while on one level its use in Esther is simply a literary or aesthetic device, on another it is structural to the author's theme, suggesting that the power of God is at work behind human events. King Ahasuerus, ruler of the Persian Empire , holds a lavish 180-day banquet for his court and dignitaries from across the 127 provinces of his empire (Esther 1:1–4), and afterwards

1568-596: A servant who is forgiven a debt of ten thousand talents refuses to forgive another servant who owes him only one hundred silver denarii . The talent is also used elsewhere in the Bible , as when describing the material invested in the Ark of the Covenant . Solomon received 666 gold talents a year. In Revelation 16:21, the talent is used as a weight for hail being poured forth from heaven and dropping on mankind as punishment in

1680-567: A seven-day banquet for all inhabitants of the capital city, Shushan (1:5–9). On the seventh day of the latter banquet, Ahasuerus orders the queen, Vashti , to display her beauty before the guests by coming before them wearing her crown (1:10–11). She refuses, infuriating Ahasuerus, who on the advice of his counselors removes her from her position as an example to other women who might be emboldened to disobey their husbands (1:12–19). A decree follows that "every man should bear rule in his own house" (1:20–22). Ahasuerus then makes arrangements to choose

1792-418: A similar father-in-law/general figure named Onaphas.) Amestris has often been identified with Vashti , but this identification is problematic, as Amestris remained a powerful figure well into the reign of her son, Artaxerxes I , whereas Vashti is portrayed as dismissed in the early part of Xerxes's reign. Alternative attempts have been made to identify her with Esther, although Esther is an orphan whose father

1904-485: A successful life in an alien environment. According to Susan Zaeske , by virtue of the fact that Esther used only rhetoric to convince the king to save her people, the story of Esther is a "rhetoric of exile and empowerment that, for millennia, has notably shaped the discourse of marginalized peoples such as Jews, women, and African Americans", persuading those who have power over them. Modern day Persian Jews are called "Esther's Children". A building venerated as being

2016-591: A weight of 11.6638038 grammes (1 tola ), of which weight only 91.7% was of fine silver), one talent (Heb. kikkar ) would have amounted to 2,343 of these silver coins in specie (27.328 kilograms (60.25 lb)), in addition to the minuscule weight of 12 ma’in (10.08 grammes). The talent as a unit of value is mentioned in the New Testament in Jesus ' Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). The use of

2128-499: A weight of 150 dirham for every 25 sela s. The anatomic weight of each dirham at that time was put at 3.20 grammes, with every sela or 'shekel of the sanctuary' weighing-in at 20.16 grammes. The sum aggregate of the 60 maneh talent (or 1,500 sela s) came to c. 28.800 kilograms (63.49 lb). According to Adani, in the silver coinage known as the Mughal India rupaiya , minted during British colonial rule (each with

2240-481: A word that occurs twenty times in Esther and only 24 times in the rest of the Hebrew bible. This is appropriate given that Esther describes the origin of a Jewish feast, the feast of Purim , but Purim itself is not the subject and no individual feast in the book is commemorated by Purim. The book's theme, rather, is the reversal of destiny through a sudden and unexpected turn of events: the Jews seem destined to be destroyed, but instead are saved. In literary criticism such

2352-408: A work of fiction, its vivid characters (except for Xerxes) being the product of the author's creative imagination. There is no reference to known historical events in the story; a general consensus, though this consensus has been challenged, has maintained that the narrative of Esther was invented in order to provide an etiology for Purim , and the name Ahasuerus is usually understood to refer to

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2464-459: Is Jewish and that Haman is planning to exterminate her people, including herself (7:1–6). Overcome by rage, Ahasuerus leaves the room; meanwhile Haman stays behind and begs Esther for his life, falling upon her in desperation (7:7). The King returns in at this very moment and thinks Haman is sexually assaulting the queen; this makes him angrier and he orders Haman hanged on the very gallows that Haman had prepared for Mordecai (7:8–10). Unable to annul

2576-485: Is already waiting. Ahasuerus repeats his offer to Esther of anything "up to half of the kingdom". Esther tells Ahasuerus that while she appreciates the offer, she must put before him a more basic issue: she explains that there is a person plotting to kill her and her entire people, and that this person's intentions are to harm the king and the kingdom. When Ahasuerus asks who this person is, Esther points to Haman and names him. Upon hearing this, an enraged Ahasuerus goes out to

2688-525: Is an ethnic category rather than a religious one . This contrasts with traditional Jewish commentaries, such as the commentary of the Vilna Gaon , which states "But in every verse it discusses the great miracle. However, this miracle was in a hidden form, occurring through apparently natural processes, not like the Exodus from Egypt, which openly revealed the might of God." This follows the approach of

2800-568: Is banished from the court for disobeying the king's orders. To find a new queen, a beauty pageant is held and Esther, a young Jewish woman living in Persia, is chosen as the new queen. Esther's cousin Mordechai , who is a Jewish leader, discovers a plot to kill all of the Jews in the empire by Haman , one of the king's advisors. Mordechai urges Esther to use her position as queen to intervene and save their people. Esther reveals her Jewish identity to

2912-810: Is commemorated as a matriarch in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod on May 24. Esther is recognized as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, commemorated on the Sunday before Christmas . "The Septuagint edition of Esther contains six parts (totaling 107 verses) not found in the Hebrew Bible. Although these interpretations originally may have been composed in Hebrew, they survive only in Greek texts. Because

3024-723: Is dated around the late 2nd to early 1st century BCE. The Coptic and Ethiopic versions of Esther are translations of the Greek rather than the Hebrew Esther. A Latin version of Esther was produced by Jerome for the Vulgate . It translates the Hebrew Esther but interpolates translations of the Greek Esther where the latter provides additional material. Predating the Vulgate, however, the Vetus Latina ("Old Latin")

3136-416: Is identified as having been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar II in 597 BCE: "Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah". If this refers to Mordecai, he would have had to live over a century to have witnessed the events described in

3248-417: Is making on the following day as well. Seeing that he is in favor with the king and queen, Haman takes counsel from his wife and friends to build a gallows upon which to hang Mordecai; as he is in their good favors, he believes he will be granted his wish to hang Mordecai the very next day. After building the gallows, Haman goes to the palace in the middle of the night to wait for the earliest moment he can see

3360-555: Is most likely derived from Persian Xšayārša , the origin of the Greek Xerxes . The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that Xerxes sought his harem after being defeated in the Greco-Persian Wars . He makes no reference to individual members of the harem except for a domineering Queen consort named Amestris , whose father, Otanes , was one of Xerxes's generals. (In contrast, the Greek historian Ctesias refers to

3472-539: Is not regarded as a sinner, because she remained passive, and risked her life to save that of the entire Jewish people. Azīz Pajand, a Persian Jew, published "Purim" in 1966, which offered an Iranophilic interpretation of the Book of Esther. Here, Haman was the Amalekite enemy of 'pure-blooded Iranians' and Jews. Thus, Purim became a holiday that celebrates salvation for all Iranians from the 'Hamanites'. He also emphasizes

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3584-683: Is one of the Five Scrolls ( Megillot ) in the Hebrew Bible and later became part of the Christian Old Testament . The book relates the story of a Jewish woman in Persia , born as Hadassah but known as Esther , who becomes queen of Persia and thwarts a genocide of her people. The story takes place during the reign of King Ahasuerus in the First Persian Empire . Queen Vashti , the wife of King Ahasuerus,

3696-520: Is set in the Persian capital of Susa ( Shushan ) in the third year of the reign of the Persian king Ahasuerus . The name Ahasuerus is equivalent to Xerxes (both deriving from the Persian Khshayārsha ), and Ahasuerus is usually identified in modern sources as Xerxes I , who ruled between 486 and 465 BCE, as it is to this monarch that the events described in Esther are thought to fit

3808-820: Is the period between 1240 and 2240 CE. As for the tav, shin and zayin, their numerical values add up to 707. Put together, these letters refer to the Jewish year 5707, which corresponds to the secular 1946–1947. In his research, Neugroschel noticed that ten Nazi defendants in the Nuremberg Trials were executed by hanging on 16 October 1946, which was the date of the final judgement day of Judaism, Hoshana Rabbah . Additionally, Hermann Göring , an eleventh Nazi official sentenced to death, committed suicide, parallel to Haman's daughter in Tractate Megillah. An additional six chapters appear interspersed in Esther in

3920-429: Is thought to be derived from Persian Huwaxšaθra . Depending on the interpretation of Esther 2:5–6, Mordecai or his great-grandfather Kish was carried away from Jerusalem with Jeconiah by Nebuchadnezzar , in 597 BCE. The view that it was Mordecai would be consistent with the identification of Ahasuerus with Cyaxares. Identifications with other Persian monarchs have also been suggested. Jacob Hoschander has argued that

4032-607: Is used by both Josephus and the Septuagint for occurrences of the name outside the Book of Esther. Instead, the Hebrew name Ahasuerus accords with an inscription of the time that notes that Artaxerxes II was named also Aršu , understood as a shortening of Aḫšiyaršu the Babylonian rendering of the Persian Xšayārša (Xerxes), through which the Hebrew ʔaḥašwērōš (Ahasuerus) is derived. Ctesias related that Artaxerxes II

4144-400: Is welcomed by the king, who stretches out his scepter for her to touch, and offers her anything she wants "up to half of the kingdom". Esther invites the king and Haman to a banquet she has prepared for the next day. She tells the king she will reveal her request at the banquet. During the banquet, the king repeats his offer again, whereupon Esther invites both the king and Haman to a banquet she

4256-661: The Amarna Tablets . The name comes from the Semitic root KKR meaning 'to be circular', referring to round masses of gold or silver. The kakkaru or talent weight was introduced in Mesopotamia at the end of the 4th millennium BC, and was normalized at the end of the 3rd millennium during the Akkadian-Sumer phase. The talent was divided into 60 minas , each of which was subdivided into 60 shekels (following

4368-403: The Book of Daniel in particular: both Esther and Daniel depict an existential threat to the Jewish people, but while Daniel commands the Jews to wait faithfully for God to resolve the crisis, in Esther the crisis is resolved entirely through human action and national solidarity. God, in fact, is not mentioned, Esther is portrayed as assimilated to Persian culture, and Jewish identity in the book

4480-706: The Septuagint , an early Greek translation of the Bible. This was noted by Jerome in compiling the Latin Vulgate . Additionally, the Greek text contains many small changes in the meaning of the main text. Jerome recognized the former as additions not present in the Hebrew Text and placed them at the end of his Latin translation. This placement is used in Catholic Bible translations based primarily on

4592-548: The Septuagint . – Martin Luther , being perhaps the most vocal Reformation -era critic of the work, considered even the original Hebrew version to be of very doubtful value. The Council of Basel–Ferrara–Florence confirmed its status as canonical between 1431 and 1445. Talent (measurement) In later times in Greece, it represented a much larger weight, approximately 3,000 times as much: an Attic talent

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4704-550: The Talmud , which states that "(The Book of) Esther is referenced in the Torah in the verse 'And I shall surely hide (in Hebrew, 'haster astir,' related to 'Esther') My Face from them on that day. André Lacocque also sees the Book of Esther as being fundamentally theological and that its main message was to correct the mistakes of ancestors. These mistakes included being lenient against Amalekites and plundering goods, which King Saul

4816-595: The Talmud , it was a redaction by the Great Assembly of an original text by Mordecai. It is usually dated to the 4th century BCE. The Greek book of Esther, included in the Septuagint , is a retelling of the events of the Hebrew Book of Esther rather than a translation and records additional traditions which do not appear in the traditional Hebrew version, in particular the identification of Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes II and details of various letters. It

4928-621: The Tomb of Esther and Mordechai is located in Hamadan , Iran, although the village of Kafr Bir'im in northern Israel also claims to be the burial place of Queen Esther. Throughout history, many artists have created paintings depicting Esther . Notable early portrayals include the Heilspiegel Altarpiece by Konrad Witz and Esther Before Ahasuerus by Tintoretto (1546–47, Royal Collection ) which show Esther appearing before

5040-466: The candelabrum necessitating a talent of pure gold. William Ridgeway speculates that the kakkaru / kikkar was originally the weight of a load which could be carried by a man. Thus in the Book of Kings we read that Naaman “bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him”. He notes that in Assyrian cuneiform,

5152-520: The ratio of 60 minas to one talent. A Greek mina in Euboea around 800 BC weighed 504 g; other minas in the Mediterranean basin, and even other Greek minas, varied in some small measure from the Babylonian values, and from one to another. The Bible mentions the unit in various contexts, like Hiram king of Tyre sending 120 talents of gold to King Solomon as part of an alliance, or the building of

5264-518: The 1890s, most scholars have “agreed in seeing [The Book of] Esther as a historicized myth or ritual” and generally concluded that Purim is rooted in a Babylonian or Persian myth or festival—though which one is a subject of discussion. There is general agreement among scholars that the Book of Esther is a work of fiction. Two related forms of the Book of Esther exist: a shorter Biblical Hebrew –sourced version found in Jewish and Protestant Bibles, and

5376-490: The Babylonian gods Marduk and Ishtar , while others trace the ritual to the Persian New Year, and scholars have surveyed other theories in their works. Some scholars have defended the story as real history, but the attempt to find a historical kernel to the narrative is considered "likely to be futile" in a study by Sara Raup Johnson. The Book of Esther begins by portraying Esther as beautiful and obedient, though

5488-434: The Book of Esther ( Esther 9:27 ). According to Rabbi Mordechai Neugroschel, there is a code in the Book of Esther which lies in the names of Haman's 10 sons. Three of the Hebrew letters—a tav, a shin and a zayin—are written smaller than the rest, while a vav is written larger. The outsized vav—which represents the number six—corresponds to the sixth millennium of the world since creation, which, according to Jewish tradition,

5600-523: The Book of Esther, the Tetragrammaton does not appear, but some argue it is present, in hidden form, in four complex acrostics in Hebrew: the initial or last letters of four consecutive words, either forwards or backwards comprise YHWH. These letters were distinguished in at least three ancient Hebrew manuscripts in red. Christine Hayes contrasts the Book of Esther with apocalyptic writings ,

5712-466: The Book of Esther. However, the verse may be read as referring not to Mordecai's exile to Babylon, but to his great-grandfather Kish's exile. In her article "The Book of Esther and Ancient Storytelling", biblical scholar Adele Berlin discusses the reasoning behind scholarly concern about the historicity of Esther. Much of this debate relates to the importance of distinguishing history and fiction within biblical texts, as Berlin argues, in order to gain

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5824-482: The Hebrew Bible's version of Esther's story contains neither prayers nor even a single reference to God, Greek redactors apparently felt compelled to give the tale a more explicit religious orientation, alluding to "God" or the "Lord" fifty times." These additions to Esther in the Apocrypha were added approximately in the second or first century BCE. The story of Esther is also referenced in chapter 28 of 1 Meqabyan ,

5936-448: The Jews to take up arms against their enemies; Esther is hailed for her courage and for working to save the Jewish nation from eradication. The Book of Esther's story provides the traditional explanation for Purim , a celebratory Jewish holiday that is observed on the Hebrew date on which Haman's order was to go into effect, which is the day that the Jews killed their enemies after Esther exposed Haman's intentions to her husband. Since

6048-421: The Jews" were never arbitrarily branded as Amalekites before being killed, in comparison to Haman and his sons, which discredits any motive of Jewish ultranationalism. Albert Barnes similarly argues that the philosemitic Persian establishment was perplexed at Haman's decree ( Esther 3:15 ), and that they were supportive of Esther's efforts against the "enemies of the Jews". The latter were mostly found "among

6160-514: The King is officially recorded (2:21–23). Ahasuerus appoints Haman as his viceroy (3:1). Mordecai, who sits at the palace gates, falls into Haman's disfavour, as he refuses to bow down to him (3:2–5). Haman discovers that Mordecai refuses to bow on account of his being a Jew, and in revenge plots to kill not just Mordecai, but all the Jews in the empire (3:6). He obtains Ahasuerus' permission to execute this plan, against payment of ten thousand talents of silver, and casts lots ("purim") to choose

6272-475: The King is referring to Haman himself, Haman suggests that the man be dressed in the King's royal robes and crown and led around on the King's royal horse, while a herald calls: "See how the King honours a man he wishes to reward!" (6:7–9). To his surprise and horror, the King instructs Haman to do so to Mordecai (6:10–11). Immediately afterwards, Ahasuerus and Haman attend Esther's second banquet. The King promises to grant her any request, and she reveals that she

6384-408: The Persian empire about 150 years after the time of the story of Esther; the Septuagint version noticeably calls Haman a "Bougaion" ( Ancient Greek : βουγαῖον ), possibly in the Homeric sense of "bully" or "braggart", whereas the Hebrew text describes him as an Agagite . The canonicity of these Greek additions has been a subject of scholarly disagreement practically since their first appearance in

6496-452: The Vulgate becomes Esther A:1–17). The RSVCE and the NRSVCE place the additional material into the narrative, but retain the chapter and verse numbering of the old Vulgate. These additions are: In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said that he was a priest and a Levite, and his son Ptolemy brought to Egypt the preceding Letter about Purim, which they said

6608-620: The Vulgate, such as the Douay–Rheims Bible and the Knox Bible , with chapters numbered up to 16. In contrast, the Nova Vulgata incorporates the additions to Esther directly into the narrative itself, as do most modern Catholic English translations based on the original Hebrew and Greek (e.g., Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition , New American Bible , New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition ). The numbering system for

6720-399: The absence of God's overt intervention in the story as an example of how God can work through seemingly coincidental events and the actions of individuals. The book is at the center of the Jewish festival of Purim and is read aloud twice from a handwritten scroll , usually in a synagogue , during the holiday: once in the evening and again the following morning. The distribution of charity to

6832-580: The additions therefore differs with each translation. The Nova Vulgata accounts for the additional verses by numbering them as extensions of the verses immediately following or preceding them (e.g., Esther 11:2–12 in the old Vulgate becomes Esther 1:1a–1k in the Nova Vulgata), while the NAB and its successor, the NABRE, assign letters of the alphabet as chapter headings for the additions (e.g., Esther 11:2–12:6 in

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6944-522: The book of Esther (see for example the deuterocanonical Book of Judith ). However, there are certain elements of the book of Esther that are historically accurate. The story told in the book of Esther takes place during the rule of Ahasuerus, who amongst others has been identified as the 5th-century Persian king Xerxes I (reigned 486–465 BCE). The author also displays an accurate knowledge of Persian customs and palaces. However, according to Coogan, considerable historical inaccuracies remain throughout

7056-494: The citadel of Susa under the authority of the eunuch Hegai . Esther, a cousin of Mordecai , was a member of the Jewish community in the Exilic Period who claimed as an ancestor Kish , a Benjamite who had been taken from Jerusalem into captivity. She was the orphaned daughter of Mordecai's uncle, another Benjamite named Abihail. Upon the king's orders, Esther is taken to the palace where Hegai prepares her to meet

7168-598: The common Mesopotamian sexagesimal number system). These weights were used subsequently by the Babylonians , Sumerians and Phoenicians , and later by the Hebrews . The Babylonian weights are approximately: shekel (8.4 g, 0.30 oz), mina (504 g, 1 lb 1.8 oz) and talent (30.2 kg, 66 lb 9 oz). The Greeks adopted these weights through their trade with the Phoenicians along with

7280-527: The court is contrasted to Vashti's refusal to expose herself to the public assembly. Esther was regarded in Catholic theology as a typological forerunner of the Virgin Mary in her role as intercessor Her regal election parallels Mary's Assumption and as she becomes queen of Persia, Mary becomes queen of heaven; Mary's epithet as 'stella maris' parallels Esther as a 'star' and both figure as sponsors of

7392-406: The court records be read to him (6:1). He is reminded that Mordecai interceded in the previous plot against his life, and discovers that Mordecai never received any recognition (6:2–3). Just then, Haman appears to request the King's permission to hang Mordecai, but before he can make this request, Ahasuerus asks Haman what should be done for the man that the King wishes to honour (6:4–6). Assuming that

7504-437: The date of the thirteenth of Adar to commence his campaign against the Jews, this determined the date of the festival of Purim. Although the details of the setting are entirely plausible and the story may even have some basis in actual events, there is general agreement among scholars that the book of Esther is a work of fiction. Persian kings did not marry outside of seven Persian noble families, making it unlikely that there

7616-517: The date on which to do this – the thirteenth of the month of Adar (3:7–12). A royal decree is issued throughout the kingdom to slay all Jews on that date (3:13–15). When Mordecai discovers the plan, he goes into mourning and implores Esther to intercede with the King (4:1–5). But she is afraid to present herself to the King unsummoned, an offense punishable by death (4:6–12). Instead, she directs Mordecai to have all Jews fast for three days for her, and vows to fast as well (4:15–16.). On

7728-651: The fall of Susa , where the narrative of Esther is set and where the Elamite god Humban /Humman (compare Haman) exercised divine sovereignty. Purim practices like eating “ Haman's ears ”, ear-shaped loaves of bread or pieces of pastry are similar to those in Near Eastern ritual celebrations of Ishtar's cosmic victory. Likewise other elements in Purim customs such as making a racket with a ratchet , masquerading and drunkenness have all been adduced to propose that such

7840-453: The fourteenth day of Adar. The fourteenth day of Adar is celebrated with the giving of charity, exchanging foodstuffs, and feasting. In Susa , the Jews of the capital were given another day to kill their oppressors; they rested and celebrated on the fifteenth day of Adar, again giving charity, exchanging foodstuffs, and feasting as well. The Jews established an annual feast, the feast of Purim , in memory of their deliverance. Haman having set

7952-418: The garden to calm down and consider the situation. While Ahasuerus is in the garden, Haman throws himself at Esther's feet asking for mercy. Upon returning from the garden, the king is further enraged. As it was the custom to eat on reclining couches, it appears to the king as if Haman is attacking Esther. He orders Haman to be removed from his sight. While Haman is being led out, Harvona, a civil servant, tells

8064-623: The humble before the powerful. Contemporary viewers would likely have recognized a similarity between the faint and the common motif of the Swoon of the Virgin , seen in many depictions of the Crucifixion of Jesus . Esther's fainting became a popular subject in the Baroque painting of the following century. A notable Baroque example is Esther Before Ahasuerus by Artemisia Gentileschi . Esther

8176-549: The idolatrous people of the subject nations", whom the Persians did not care for. The ones in Susa, however, consisted of Haman's faction, led by his ten sons, and fugitives who believed they were free to kill the Jews once the latter's "privileges have expired", thus why they were killed the next day. Matthew Poole sees the subsequent hanging of Haman's sons as a cruel Jewish and Persian custom that punishes offenders for 'abusing'

8288-512: The king and begs for mercy for her people. She exposes Haman's plot and convinces the king to spare the Jews. The Jewish festival of Purim is established to celebrate the victory of the Jews of the First Persian Empire over their enemies, and Esther becomes a heroine of the Jewish people. The books of Esther and Song of Songs are the only books in the Hebrew Bible that do not mention God explicitly. Traditional Judaism views

8400-410: The king cannot be repealed. Ahasuerus allows Esther and Mordecai to write another order, with the seal of the king and in the name of the king, to allow the Jewish people to defend themselves and fight with their oppressors on the thirteenth day of Adar. On the thirteenth day of Adar, the same day that Haman had set for them to be killed, the Jews defend themselves in all parts of the kingdom and rest on

8512-584: The king in the name of Mordecai, and he is saved. This act of great service to the king is recorded in the Annals of the Kingdom. After Mordecai saves the king's life, Haman the Agagite is made Ahasuerus' highest adviser, and orders that everyone bow down to him. When Mordecai (who had stationed himself in the street to advise Esther) refuses to bow to him, Haman pays King Ahasuerus 10,000 silver talents for

8624-443: The king that Haman had built a gallows for Mordecai, "who had saved the king's life". In response, the king says "Hang him (Haman) on it". After Haman is put to death, Ahasuerus gives Haman's estate to Esther. Esther tells the king about Mordecai being her relative, and the king makes Mordecai his adviser. When Esther asks the king to revoke the order exterminating the Jews, the king is initially hesitant, saying that an order issued by

8736-420: The king that she is Jewish and ask that he repeal the order. Esther hesitates, saying that she could be put to death if she goes to the king without being summoned; nevertheless, Mordecai urges her to try. Esther asks that the entire Jewish community fast and pray for three days before she goes to see the king; Mordecai agrees. On the third day, Esther goes to the courtyard in front of the king's palace, and she

8848-559: The king to beg mercy for the Jews, despite the punishment for appearing without being summoned being death. This scene became one of the most commonly depicted parts of the story. Esther's faint had not often been depicted in art before Tintoretto. It is shown in the series of cassone scenes of the Life of Esther attributed variously to Sandro Botticelli and Filippino Lippi from the 1470s. In other cassone depictions, for example by Filippino Lippi, Esther's readiness to show herself before

8960-429: The king. John Gill sees the conversion of Persian allies ( Esther 8:17 ) as an example of ' conversion under duress ' but does not discount alternative explanations. They include being impressed by the 'Divine Providence' working in the Jews' favor and seeking the favor of Esther and Mordecai, who gained immense power. But ultimately, the Persian allies and Jews celebrated Purim together and taught their children to read

9072-406: The king. That evening, the king, unable to sleep, asks that the Annals of the Kingdom be read to him so that he will become drowsy. The book miraculously opens to the page telling of Mordecai's great service, and the king asks if he had already received a reward. When his attendants answer in the negative, Ahasuerus is suddenly distracted and demands to know who is standing in the palace courtyard in

9184-459: The king. Even as she advances to the highest position of the harem, perfumed with gold and myrrh and allocated certain foods and servants, she is under strict instructions from Mordecai, who meets with her each day, to conceal her Jewish origins. The king falls in love with her and makes her his Queen. Following Esther's coronation, Mordecai learns of an assassination plot by Bigthan and Teresh to kill King Ahasuerus. Mordecai tells Esther, who tells

9296-537: The middle of the night. The attendants answer that it is Haman. Ahasuerus invites Haman into his room. Haman, instead of requesting that Mordecai be hanged, is ordered to take Mordecai through the streets of the capital on the Royal Horse wearing the royal robes. Haman is also instructed to yell, "This is what shall be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!" After spending the entire day honoring Mordecai, Haman rushes to Esther's second banquet, where Ahasuerus

9408-741: The most closely. Assuming that Ahasuerus is indeed Xerxes I, the events described in Esther began around the years 483–482 BCE, and concluded in March 473 BCE. Classical sources such as Josephus , the Jewish commentary Esther Rabbah and the Christian theologian Bar Hebraeus , as well as the Greek Septuagint translation of Esther, instead identify Ahasuerus as either Artaxerxes I (reigned 465 to 424 BCE) or Artaxerxes II (reigned 404 to 358 BCE). On his accession, however, Artaxerxes II lost Egypt to pharaoh Amyrtaeus , after which it

9520-677: The name of Haman and that of his father Hamedatha are mentioned by Strabo as Omanus and Anadatus, worshipped with Anahita in the city of Zela . Hoschander suggests that Haman may, if the connection is correct, be a priestly title and not a proper name. Strabo's names are unattested in Persian texts as gods; however the Talmud and Josephus interpret the description of courtiers bowing to Haman in Esther 3:2 as worship. (Other scholars assume "Omanus" refers to Vohu Mana .) In his Historia Scholastica Petrus Comestor identified Ahasuerus (Esther 1:1) as Artaxerxes III who reconquered Egypt. In

9632-464: The name of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar or from the Persian word cognate with the English word "star" (implying an association with Ishtar) though some scholars contend it is related to the Persian words for "woman" or "myrtle". In the third year of the reign of King Ahasuerus of Persia the king banishes his queen, Vashti , and seeks a new queen. Beautiful maidens gather together at the harem in

9744-406: The needy and the exchange of gifts of foods are also practices observed on the holiday that are mandated in the book. Since the 1890s, several academics have “agreed in seeing [The Book of] Esther as a historicized myth or ritual ” and generally concluded that Purim has its origin in a Babylonian or Persian festival (though which one is a subject of discussion). The biblical Book of Esther

9856-451: The order of the prizes in Il. 23.262 sq. and other passages its weight was probably not great". According to Seltman, the original Homeric talent was probably the gold equivalent of the value of an ox or a cow. Homer describes how Achilles set an ox as 2nd prize in a foot race, and a half-talent of gold as the third prize, suggesting that the ox was worth a talent. Based on a statement from

9968-538: The price ratio of gold to copper in Bronze Age Greece being 1:3000. An Attic talent was the equivalent of 60 minae or 6,000 drachmae . An Attic weight talent was about 25.8 kilograms (57 lb). Friedrich Hultsch estimated a weight of 26.2 kg, and Dewald (1998) offers an estimate of 26.0 kg. An Attic talent of silver was the value of nine man-years of skilled work, according to known wage rates from 377 BC. In 415 BC, an Attic talent

10080-531: The provinces instituting an annual commemoration of the Jewish people's redemption, in a holiday called Purim (lots) (9:20–28). Ahasuerus remains very powerful and continues his reign, with Mordecai assuming a prominent position in his court (10:1–3). The Megillat Esther (Book of Esther) became the last of the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible to be canonized by the Sages of the Great Assembly . According to

10192-549: The right to exterminate all of the Jews in Ahasuerus' kingdom. Haman casts lots, Purim , using supernatural means, and sees that the thirteenth day of the Month of Adar is a fortunate day for the genocide. Using the seal of the king, in the name of the king, Haman sends an order to the provinces of the kingdom to allow the extermination of the Jews on the thirteenth of Adar. When Mordecai learns of this, he tells Esther to reveal to

10304-468: The role of Jewish-Persian cooperation in realizing the Book of Esther's denouement. Pajand justified his interpretation to dispel accusations that the Book of Esther was anti-Iranian and because he believed that Iranians were "travellers in the way of truth". In contrast, Haman violated the Zoroastrian ideal of “Good thoughts; Good words; and Good deeds”. Lacocque likewise observes that the "enemies of

10416-415: The same ideogram or sign was used for both "tribute" and "talent", which might be explained if a load of corn was the regular unit of tribute. In Homer, the word τάλαντα in the plural is sometimes used of a pair of scales or a balance; it is used especially of the scales in which Zeus weighed the fortunes of men ( Iliad 8.69, 19.223, 22.209). The word is also used as a measurement, always of gold. "From

10528-451: The text, supporting the view that the book of Esther is to be read as a historical novella which tells a story describing historical events but is not necessarily historical fact. Those arguing in favour of a historical reading of Esther most commonly identify Ahasuerus with Xerxes I (ruled 486–465 BCE), although in the past it was often assumed that he was Artaxerxes II (ruled 405–359 BCE). The Hebrew Ahasuerus ( ʔaḥašwērōš )

10640-440: The third day she goes to Ahasuerus, who stretches out his sceptre to her to indicate that she is not to be punished (5:1–2). She invites him to a feast in the company of Haman (5:3–5). During the feast, she asks them to attend a further feast the next evening (5:6–8). Meanwhile, Haman is again offended by Mordecai and, at his wife's suggestion, has a gallows built to hang him (5:9–14). That night, Ahasuerus cannot sleep, and orders

10752-612: The weight of 25 sela s ( sela being a term used for the biblical Shekel of Tyrian coinage, or 'shekel of the Sanctuary', and where there were 4 provincial denarii or zuz to each sela ; 25 sela s being equivalent to 100 denaria ). The standard talent during the late Second Temple period was the talent consisting of 60 maneh . According to Talmudic scholars, the talent ( kikkar ) of 60 maneh (and which sum total of 60 maneh equals 1,500 sela s, or 6,000 denarii (the denarius also being known in Hebrew as zuz ), had

10864-474: The word "talent" to mean "gift or skill" in English and other languages originated from an interpretation of this parable sometime late in the 13th century. Luke includes a different parable involving the mina . According to Epiphanius , the talent is called mina ( maneh ) among the Hebrews, and was the equivalent in weight to one-hundred denarii . The talent is found in another parable of Jesus where

10976-538: Was 1 + 1 ⁄ 3 Attic talents, approximately 32.3 kg (71 lb 3 oz). An Egyptian talent was 80 librae, approximately 27 kg (60 lb). The Akkadian talent was called kakkaru in the Akkadian language, corresponding to Biblical Hebrew kikkar כִּכָּר (translated as Greek τάλαντον 'talanton' in the Septuagint , English 'talent'), Ugaritic kkr (𐎋𐎋𐎗), Phoenician kkr (𐤒𐤒𐤓), Syriac kakra (ܟܲܟܪܵܐ), and apparently to gaggaru in

11088-452: Was Amestris , further highlighting the fictitious nature of the story. Some scholars speculate that the story was created to justify the Jewish appropriation of an originally non-Jewish feast. The festival which the book explains is Purim , which is explained as meaning "lot", from the Babylonian word puru . One popular theory says the festival has its origins in a historicized Babylonian myth or ritual in which Mordecai and Esther represent

11200-432: Was a Jew named Abihail. As for the identity of Mordecai, the similar names Marduka and Marduku have been found as the name of officials in the Persian court in over thirty texts from the period of Xerxes I and his father Darius I , and may refer to up to four individuals, one of whom might be the model for the biblical Mordecai. The "Old Greek" Septuagint version of Esther translates the name Ahasuerus as Artaxerxes ,

11312-404: Was a Jewish queen Esther. Further, the name Ahasuerus can be translated to Xerxes , as both derive from the Persian Khshayārsha. Ahasuerus as described in the Book of Esther is usually identified in modern sources to refer to Xerxes I , who ruled between 486 and 465 BCE, as it is to this monarch that the events described in Esther are thought to fit the most closely. However, Xerxes I's queen

11424-475: Was a month's pay for a trireme crew. Hellenistic mercenaries were commonly paid one drachma per day of military service. The Aeginetan talent weighed about 37 kg. The German historian Friedrich Hultsch calculated a range of 36.15 to 37.2 kg based on such estimates as the weight of one full Aeginetan metretes of coins, and concluded that the Aeginetan talent represented the water weight of

11536-422: Was a prominent gesture of respect in Persian society, but deemed unacceptable by Mordecai, who believes that a Jew should only express submissiveness to God . Consequently, Haman plots to have all of Persia's Jews killed, and eventually convinces Ahasuerus to permit him to do so. However, Esther foils the plan by revealing and decrying Haman's plans to Ahasuerus, who then has Haman executed and grants permission to

11648-478: Was also called Arsicas which is understood as a similar shortening with the Persian suffix -ke that is applied to shortened names. Deinon related that Artaxerxes II was also called Oarses which is also understood to be derived from Xšayārša . Another view attempts to identify him instead with Artaxerxes I (ruled 465–424 BCE), whose Babylonian concubine, Kosmartydene, was the mother of his son Darius II (ruled 424–405 BCE). Jewish tradition relates that Esther

11760-670: Was apparently translated from a different Greek version not included in the Septuagint. Several Aramaic targumim of Esther were produced in the Middle Ages , of which three survive – the Targum Rishon ("First Targum" or 1TgEsth) and Targum Sheni ("Second Targum" or 2TgEsth) dated c.  500 –1000 CE, which include additional legends relating to Purim, and the Targum Shelishi ("Third Targum" or 3TgEsth), which Berliner and Goshen-Gottstein argued

11872-506: Was approximately 26.0 kilograms (57 lb 5 oz). The word also came to be used as the equivalent of the middle eastern kakkaru or kikkar . A Babylonian talent was 30.2 kg (66 lb 9 oz). Ancient Israel adopted the Babylonian weight talent, but later revised it. The heavy common talent , used in New Testament times, was 58.9 kg (129 lb 14 oz). A Roman talent (divided into 100 librae or pounds)

11984-471: Was authentic and had been translated by Lysimachus son of Ptolemy, one of the residents of Jerusalem. It is unclear to which version of Greek Esther this colophon refers, and who exactly are the figures mentioned in it. By the time the Greek version of Esther was written, the foreign power visible on the horizon as a future threat to Judah was the kingdom of Macedonia under Alexander the Great , who defeated

12096-579: Was guilty of. Another message was that diasporic Jews were responsible for the welfare of their host community, who held unpredictable views about Jews. These views ranged from violent antisemitism to passionate philosemitism , where Jews are arbitrarily promoted to higher positions due to being 'sexy'. Lacocque compares this to Joseph 's governance of Egypt in the Book of Genesis , which benefitted native Egyptians and Hebrew immigrants. Although marriages between Jews and Gentiles are not permitted in orthodox Judaism , even in case of Pikuach nefesh , Esther

12208-534: Was no longer part of the Persian empire. In his Historia Scholastica Petrus Comestor identified Ahasuerus (Esther 1:1) as Artaxerxes III (358–338 BCE) who reconquered Egypt. The Book of Esther consists of an introduction (or exposition ) in chapters 1 and 2; the main action (complication and resolution) in chapters 3 to 9:19; and a conclusion in 9:20–10:3. The plot is structured around banquets ( Hebrew : מִשְׁתֶּה , romanized :  mišˈte , plural מִשְׁתָּאוֹת mištāˈhoṯ or מִשְׁתִּים mišˈtim ),

12320-558: Was the greatest unit of weight in use at the time, and which weight varied depending on the era. According to the Jerusalem Talmud ( Sanhedrin 9a, Pnei Moshe Commentary , s.v. דכתיב בקע לגלגלת ‎), the weight of the talent at the time of Moses was double that of the Roman era talent, which latter had the weight of either 100 maneh ( Roman librae ), or 60 maneh (Roman librae ), each maneh ( libra ) having

12432-483: Was the mother of a King Darius and so some try to identify Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes I and Esther with Kosmartydene. Based on the view that the Ahasuerus of the Book of Tobit is identical with that of the Book of Esther, some have also identified him as Nebuchadnezzar's ally Cyaxares (ruled 625–585 BCE). In certain manuscripts of Tobit, the former is called Achiachar , which, like the Greek Cyaxares ,

12544-466: Was the ur-Targum from which the others had been expanded, but which others consider only a late recension of the same. 3TgEsth is the most manuscript-stable of the three, and by far the most literal. The apparent historical difficulties, the internal inconsistencies, the pronounced symmetry of themes and events, the plenitude of quoted dialogue, and the gross exaggeration in the reporting of numbers (involving time, money, and people) all point to Esther as

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