A Study on Esther

 ESTHER

 

The events in Esther occurred during the reign of Ahasuerus, king of Persia. He is also called Xerxes in secular history (NKJV footnote, cf. introductory notes). He ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. Obviously, this was a great empire, the greatest of that day. The events occurred in the capital city of the empire which is called Shushan or Susa. Specifically, they occurred in the citadel, a fortified palace.

 

Esther 1

Queen Vashti Deposed

¹This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush: ²At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, ³and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

The banquets were highly political affairs with much political posturing, deal making and political positioning going on.

• They could last six months or more with people coming and going as their duties allowed.

This particular banquet was held in the very early part of Xerxes reign and was a time when he could make alliances with important men as they could with him.

 

⁴For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. ⁵When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa. ⁶The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. ⁷Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king's liberality. ⁸By the king's command each guest was allowed to drink in his own way, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished. ⁹Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

• This section gives great insight to the purpose and format of the banquet, especially the final days of the banquet.
• The main purpose was to show the king’s power, wealth and control over his empire. The detail given here shows the wealth of the king and is intended to impress the reader as it impressed the banquet attendees.
• Note that Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the wives of the nobles and other important people. This was not unusual and also served to show the wealth and power of the king.

 

¹⁰On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas- ¹¹to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. ¹²But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come.

• On the seventh day of the feast Xerxes was very drunk.
• In his drunken state he ordered Queen Vashti to appear before all of the people at the banquet either without her veils and customary coverings or perhaps totally naked.
• Something Xerxes probably would not have done if he was not drunk.
• This would be a great embarrassment to Vashti and she would know the order came from Xerxes while he was in a drunken state.
• She refused to appear. Perhaps she did not think anything would happen.
• Vashti’s refusal to appear might have had to do with modesty, pride, or perhaps both.
• Women were not to appear without their veils except to their husbands.
• Given that he son was born the year after her banishment Vashti may have been pregnant at the time.
• She would certainly think she would be embarrassed and lose face with the nobles and their families.

 

Then the king became furious and burned with anger. ¹³Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times ¹⁴and were closest to the king—Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.

• Xerxes was extremely angry that the queen refused a direct order.
• At this point he was not only her husband he was the king and no one, especially in Media-Persia, disobeyed a direct order of the king.
• Xerxes was not so drunk that he decided to act on his own, which he could have done. Instead he chose to get council from his advisors.
• Note that he spoke with wise men who understood the time. They understood their culture and ramifications of actions.

 

¹⁵"According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?" he asked. "She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her." ¹⁶Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, "Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. ¹⁷For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, 'King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.' ¹⁸This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen's conduct will respond to all the king's nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.

• Again we cannot look at this from the perspective of our culture.
• That is not to say either culture is better or worse than the other, just different.
• Xerxes speaks in the third person here. This shows he is removing his person from the problem and is stating what happened to the king. Vashti did not just disobey her husband she disobeyed the king.
• Memucan counsels the king from the perspective of the culture which was very male centric.
• Memucan’s words indicate a great (and probably valid) concern that if Vashti was not punished the culture could start to disintegrate.
• This could open them up to disruption in the family units.
• It would certainly lessen the king’s authority and power and possible foreign invasion.

 

Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. ²⁰Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest." ²¹The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memucan proposed. ²²He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, proclaiming in each people's tongue that every man should be ruler over his own household.

• Although this may seem harsh, quite often the punishment for disobeying the king was death.
• The fact Vashti was not killed indicates Xerxes’ love for her.
• This was an earthly king with an unreasonable requirement that caused Vashti to be banished from the king’s presence for life due to her choosing to disobey.
• God’s requirements are reasonable, Holy and for our own good. (Matthew 11:29-30)
• How much more do we deserve to be banished from His presence when we choose to disobey Him. (Mark 8:38; John 3:16-21, 36)

Note: We can see God working from the very beginning. (Psalm 121:4) God, as usual, worked with people, their personalities and actions. As with Potiphar, his wife, Pharaoh and Joseph the people personalities fit themselves to God’s plan. (Genesis 39-45) Here Vashti willing and willfully disobeyed the king. She thought she knew better than did he. This is much the same as happened with Korah rebelling against Moses, God’s anointed. (Genesis 16) Whether or not we feel she was justified is not material. In that time and place in history her chosen action deserved death. God, through Xerxes, was merciful, she was just banished, removed from the subsequent actions and circumstances. This allowed Esther and Mordecai to enter and be used by God.

 

Esther 2

Esther Made Queen

¹Later when the anger of King Xerxes had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. ²Then the king's personal attendants proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. ³Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. ⁴Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This advice appealed to the king and he followed it.

• Now we get to the search for a new queen.
• What we must not miss here is God’s hand working. These things had to happen in order to protect God’s chosen people from death.
• The women were prepared to meet the king.
• The preparation mentioned here has to do with physical beauty.
• As we will see there was another preparation that had to do with inner beauty.
• The woman best prepared would become the queen, the bride of the king.
• There is a lesson here about the bride of Christ, the church of God.
• The bride must be prepared, inside and outside.
• Many religions look very good and claim, want to, be the bride of Christ.

Only the religion/church that accepts Christ as Lord and savior and follows Christ will have the inner beauty that will cause them to be chosen. (Song of Solomon 6:9)

 

⁵Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, ⁶who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. ⁷Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, who was also known as Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

• We are introduced to Esther.
• Her background and relationship to Mordecai are provided.
• We are also told Esther was beautiful outside and inside.

 

⁸When the king's order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king's palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. ⁹The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king's palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem. ¹⁰Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. ¹¹Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

• Esther is now taken to the king’s palace as one of the potential queens.
• Her demeanor immediately wins her favor with the king’s harem officials.
• In this we are reminded of Joseph’s story. (Genesis 39:1-6, 21-23; 41:37-44)
• Submitting to God always sets one apart. (Genesis 39:1-6, 21-23; 41:37-44)
• There is one very noticeable difference between Vashti and Esther:
• Vashti willfully disobeyed the person over her, the king, her husband.
• Esther willfully obeyed the one over her, her cousin Mordecai. (Eph. 5:21)

 

¹²Before a girl's turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. ¹³And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. ¹⁴In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not return to the king unless he was pleased with her and summoned her by name.

• The women were prepared.
• They spent time getting ready to meet the king.
• They looked their best.
• (See Song of Solomon)
• Are we preparing to meet our King, our Lord and Savior?
• These women spent time to look beautiful on the outside.
• Do we spend time to prepare and look beautiful on the inside?
• Do we seek our Lord’s will in our lives?
• Do we study His word?
• Do we communicate with Him?
• Do we love with His love?
• (Song of Solomon; 1 John)

 

¹⁵When the turn came for Esther (the girl Mordecai had adopted, the daughter of his uncle Abihail) to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. ¹⁶She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. ¹⁷Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.

• Once again we see Esther’s willingness to listen to and obey those with greater authority.
• She listened to the counsel of the king’s eunuch and put his advice in practice.
• Again we are told Esther won (earned?) the favor of all those around her.
• This continued when she was taken into the king.
• She won the king’s favor to the point where she was made the queen.
• This was because of God being with her and her personality.
• The king proclaimed a holiday and gave gifts to celebrate his marriage.
• We are told as Christians, born again followers of Christ, we will be part of His wedding feast. (Revelation 19:9; 21; 22)

 

Mordecai Uncovers a Conspiracy

¹⁹When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. ²⁰But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. ²¹During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. ²²But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. ²³And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were hanged on a gallows. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

• Now we start to get to the details of the story.
• We will notice Mordecai is the force behind what is and will be happening.
• Esther is obedient to him and willing to put he life in danger in obedience and to save her people.
• Mordecai learns of a plot to kill Xerxes and has Esther turn in the plotters.
• Esther gives full credit to Mordecai.
• Mordecai (like Joseph) is not recognized for this at the time.
• Mordecai’s work is recorded.
• In these events we can see God working for the future.
• As with many events with hindsight we can see God being involved and leading events.
• When we are in the midst we often miss God’s working on our behalf or the behalf of His people.
• Note: Again we see how God is arranging things well ahead of time. (Proverbs 9:10-11; John 1:1-5) Mordecai saves the king from harm and possibly saves his life. What he did is recorded as was everything done in the kingdom. Although nothing was done to recognize Mordecai’s actions at the time they were now a matter of record. This will become very useful later.

 

Esther 3

Haman's Plot to Destroy the Jews

¹After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. ²All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. ³Then the royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the king's command?" ⁴Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai's behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

• Now enters Haman.
• Haman was an Amalekite or descendent of King Agag (1 Sam. 15:8, 33).The fact that the genealogies of Mordecai and Haman are the only ones recorded in the book of Esther emphasizes the ongoing hostility between the descendants of Saul and Agag (Exo. 17:16).
• Haman was favored by Xerxes.
• Haman was elevated to a very high position in the court. Perhaps second only to Xerxes.
• Haman’s ego and pride now come to the fore.
• Pride is the same thing that caused Satan’s downfall.
• Haman, with Xerxes permission, fed his ego and pride by requiring that everyone in Susa, except Xerxes of course, bow to him.
• Kneeling and paying honor were an act of reverence, indicating worship of a god. Mordecai stood alone (Dan. 3:4-6,11)
• Mordecai, being Jewish, refused to bow and recognize Haman as his lord. For Mordecai only God was his Lord.
• Note the peer pressure on Mordecai to comply. The same happens today.
• Also note those who pressured Mordecai to comply reported his failure to do so to Haman.
• Perhaps Mordecai’s refusal to comply and stand for God caused them to feel guilty.
• Perhaps their egos were bruised by Mordecai’s courage and their lack of courage.

 

⁵When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. ⁶Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. ⁷In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, they cast the pur (that is, the lot) in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

• Now we see the depth of Haman’s ego and pride. Instead of just killing Mordecai he worked to make sure all the Jews in Persia were killed.
• Remember, at this time he had no idea Esther was Jewish.
• Haman and his advisors thought so little of killing an entire huge group of people that they rolled the dice to determine when it would happen.
• We must remember rolling the dice (casting pur) was also a religious practice.
• Here we have a pagan consulting pagan gods to determine when to slaughter God’s chosen people. This could have sit well with God.

 

⁸Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a certain people dispersed and scattered among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom whose customs are different from those of all other people and who do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's best interest to tolerate them. ⁹If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will put ten thousand talents of silver into the royal treasury for the men who carry out this business." ¹⁰So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹"Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the people as you please."

• Haman now goes to Xerxes and talks him into allowing him (Haman) to kill the Jews throughout all the provinces.
• Haman did not seem to be specific on which people he was going after.
• Haman first of demonizes the people by telling the king they are “different” and it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them.
• Best interest implies it is dangerous for the king to tolerate them.
• Haman then tries to bribe the king. What Haman uses to try to bribe the king he has because of the king’s largess.
• Xerxes does not accept the bribe but gives authority to Haman to do as he wishes with the Jews.
• Xerxes puts his self-interest above what was the right thing to do.
• See Pontius Pilate, Herod and the Jewish leadership with Jesus. (Matthew 27:22-24)

 

¹²Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring. ¹³Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and little children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. ¹⁴A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. ¹⁵Spurred on by the king's command, the couriers went out, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.

• Haman now puts his plan into action.
• An edict is written to kill all the Jews in all the provinces.
• As a “reward” for doing so and to spur people on to do the killing all the possessions of the Jews could be taken for plunder.
• Hitler did the same thing in the 1930’s and 40’s.
• To Haman the killing of the Jews was going to happen no matter what since the edicts of the king could not be changed, even by the king.
• Haman did not even consider intervention by God.
• Haman probably did not think the God of the Jews existed.
• Note that the King and Haman went on about their lives as if nothing unusual was happening while the capital city was thrown into confusion. (Proverbs 13:10; James 3:16)
• Why was there an order to kill all of the Jews?
• What would happen next?
• Which was the next group to be killed?

 

Esther 4

Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

¹When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. ²But he went only as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. ³In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

• Mordecai learns of the order to kill all Jews and immediately goes into mourning for the people.
• His mourning is very public.
• He goes to the king’s gate, the entrance to the king’s residence but is not allowed to go in.
• It seems no sadness was allowed in the king’s residence.
• This is a very unrealistic view of the world.
• Mordecai is not the only one mourning. Jews throughout the provinces were mourning their upcoming deaths. (Jer. 6:26)
• Esther would not have heard about the order since women were not brought into the decision making process and, since no mourning was allowed in the residence, she would not have seen Mordecai.

 

⁴When Esther's maids and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. ⁵Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. ⁶So Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate. ⁷Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to urge her to go into the king's presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

• Esther is told about Mordecai’s mourning and being in mourning clothes (sackcloth)
• Not knowing the reason for the sackcloth and his mourning Esther sends Mordecai clothes to wear, which he refuses.
• Esther sends a servant out to ask Mordecai what was going on.
• Mordecai gives the servant details of the plot, including the money Haman offered to pay to the king.
• Mordecai now asks Esther to take an action that could get her executed.
• He wants her to go to the king to plead for the Jews and in reality, herself.

 

⁹Hathach went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, ¹¹"All the king's officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king."

• When the servant returns Esther finally learns about Haman’s plot to kill all the Jews in the kingdom.
• Esther explains the problem inherent with approaching the king without be invited, she could be killed.
• Understandably Esther would rather not take the chance.
• There is one possible way out of the mess for Esther and that is for the king to hold out his scepter to the uninvited person.
• If the king does not do so the uninvited person is executed.
• As we look at this we can see the love and caring of our Lord.
• We have entry to God’s throne of Grace through Christ.
• If we accept Christ as our savior we do not need to fear for our eternal lives, they are already secured through Christ.
• It is not a matter of chance.
• Since the king has not called for Esther for a month she is concerned with his reaction to her appearance.

 

¹²When Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, ¹³he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews will escape. ¹⁴For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" ¹⁵Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ¹⁶"Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." ¹⁷So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions.

• Mordecai, her cousin, is very blunt. He tells her that by trying to save her life in the end she will lose it.
• He also reminds her that God may have put her in her position for just such an occasion.
• This puts us in mind of Joseph and all that happened to him to bring him to the attention of Pharaoh and Joseph’s subsequent position in Egypt.
• Being Jewish Esther would have been with the story of Joseph.
• Mordecai was bringing to her mind how God always helps and delivers His people.
• Esther now shows her true self.
• Her focus is on God working things out.
• She puts action to her faith by prayer and fasting.
• She asks God’s people to do the same. They do. (Psalm 107:13-14)
• (Prov. 1:7; Prov. 3:5-8; Hebrews 11:1; James 4:8-9)
• (Ezra 8:2123; Neh. 1:4—2:8)

Note: “Not only did Esther plan the whole visit to the king very carefully, she also carried through her plans. God only works through people who step out and are willing! He cannot use us if we get stuck in our planning phases. We need to actually move on.”

 

Esther 5

Esther's Request to the King

¹On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. ²When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

• Acting on faith that God would work things out Esther dressed appropriately to see the king. (Luke 12:4-5)
• Esther walked in faith to the royal throne and waited, I am sure anxiously, to see the king’s response.
• Would she live or die?
• It was in God’s hands.
• The king held out his scepter meaning that Esther could come into his presence and would not be killed.
• Esther entered and touched the tip of his scepter showing she acknowledged him as king.
• It would also be a silent acknowledgement that he spared her life.
• There are parallels here to Christ and His salvation. (John 3:16)
• We must approach Christ and His work in faith.
• We must believe that God, through Christ has forgiven us and has spared our eternal live.
• We must be thankful for the free gift of our physical and spiritual lives. (Luke 15:17-19)

 

³Then the king asked, "What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you." ⁴"If it pleases the king," replied Esther, "let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him." ⁵"Bring Haman at once," the king said, "so that we may do what Esther asks." So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. ⁶As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, "Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted." ⁷Esther replied, "My petition and my request is this: ⁸If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king's question."

• Esther asks the king and Haman to come to another banquet the next day.
• For Haman potential concerns and manipulations would be probably be dispelled. He alone was being invited to eat with the king and queen. A great apparent honor.

 

Haman's Rage Against Mordecai

⁹Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king's gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. ¹⁰Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, ¹¹Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated him above the other nobles and officials. ¹²"And that's not all," Haman added. "I'm the only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. ¹³But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate." ¹⁴His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows built, seventy-five feet high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai hanged on it. Then go with the king to the dinner and be happy." This suggestion delighted Haman, and he had the gallows built.

• Haman was extremely happy with Esther’s request.
• As usual he was focused on and thinking only about himself. (Psalm 73:6)
• He went home with no clue about what was about to happen.
• On his way home he saw Mordecai and his joy was immediately turned to great anger.
• Mordecai refused to bow to him or recognize him as the great and powerful person he thought he was.
• After reaching home Haman bragged about how wonderful he was and how Queen Esther must have recognized it since she invited him only to the banquet the next day.
• He also recognized and said that all his power, wealth and even the recognition of Esther meant nothing as long as Mordecai was still around. (Proverbs 16:18)
• His wife and friend suggested that he have a huge gallows built and the hang Mordecai on it.
• Seemed like a great idea to Haman and he had the gallows built immediately
• Haman, unknowingly under the direction of Satan, thinks he will kill God’s chosen people. (Proverbs 29:23)
• Later in history Satan tried the same thing with Christ with the same results, it did not work. (All four Gospels and Revelation. Revelation 20:10-15)

 

Esther 6

Mordecai Honored

¹That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. ²It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. ³"What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" the king asked. "Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered. ⁴The king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he had erected for him. ⁵His attendants answered, "Haman is standing in the court." "Bring him in," the king ordered.

• Now we see God working to save the Jews. (Proverbs 10:6)
• Xerxes cannot sleep so he has the record of his reign read to him.
• The person reading opens to the section about Mordecai saving the king’s life
• The king finds out that no reward had been given to Mordecai for his actions.
• The king calls in whoever is in the court.
• Haman happens to be in the court and the king orders for Haman to be brought in to him.

 

⁶When Haman entered, the king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought to himself, "Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?" ⁷So he answered the king, "For the man the king delights to honor, ⁸have them bring a royal robe the king has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. ⁹Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king's most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, 'This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!' "

• The king asks Haman what should be done for the person the king wants to honor.
• Haman, having a large ego and a lot of pride, could only think thought the king was speaking of honoring him. (Proverbs 16:18)
• Haman advised the king to honor the person in a way that would cause everyone to praise the person.
• In Haman’s mind, him. (Psalm 73:6)

 

¹⁰"Go at once," the king commanded Haman. "Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended." ¹¹So Haman got the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, "This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!" ¹²Afterward Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief, ¹³and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!" ¹⁴While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet Esther had prepared.

• Now we see the fruits of what God caused to happen earlier coming about.
• Haman starts to get his ego/pride deflated. He is ordered by Xerxes to do all the things he said…for Mordecai, Haman’s hated enemy.
• Following orders Haman does exactly what he was told to do.
• After honoring Mordecai throughout the city Haman rushes home in deep embarrassment and grief.
• Haman had planned to have Mordecai hung on the gallows instead, at the time Haman planned to kill Mordecai, God arranged for Haman to honor him.
• What is interesting is the reaction of Haman’s wife and advisors. These were the same people who advised Haman to build a gallows and hang Mordecai. (Same as what happened to Job. His wife and friends were no help.)
• They told Haman since Mordecai was Jewish Haman’s plans would not work. Beyond that Haman would not be able to resist Mordecai.
• This clearly shows a knowledge of God, the God of the Jews and all God had and was doing for His people. (Daniel 4:37).

 

Esther 7

Haman Hanged

¹So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, ²and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked, "Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted." ³Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. ⁴For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king."

• Haman went to the banquet with the king and Esther. He did not have a choice, it was a command performance.
• Esther now tells the king her petition.
• She wants her and her people to live.
• She wants the king to spare their lives.
• She also lets the king know she would not have brought it to his attention if it was not a matter of life or death.
• We must remember Esther is the king’s favorite.
• She was chosen out of many, many, many women to be the queen.
• We can see a parallel here to what God is doing.
• Satan goes about to destroy God’s people.
• Christ came to save God’s people.
• God wins. Gospels and Revelation)

 

⁵King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, "Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?" ⁶Esther said, "The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman." Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. ⁷The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. ⁸Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, "Will he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?" As soon as the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. ⁹Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows seventy-five feet high stands by Haman's house. He had it made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said, "Hang him on it!" ¹⁰So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.

• This is all new information to the king and I would think he was shocked.
• Who was trying to kill his beloved Queen.
• The answer came immediately.
• It was Haman.
• This was a shock to Haman. He had no idea what Esther was talking about. He had no idea she was Jewish.
• Haman knew the king would kill him and stayed to beg Esther to save his life.
• As Haman was falling on Esther’s couch, and perhaps Esther, begging the king returned.
• To the king it looked like Haman was trying to molest the Queen. Not good.
• An interesting thing to note here is one of the king’s eunuch’s immediately tells the king there was a gallows available. The gallows was built to hang Mordecai who saved the king. It seems Haman may not have been well like by others in the royal court.
• Now there seems to be a triple problem that really seals Haman’s fate: He planned to kill all the Jews and that would include Esther it looked like he was molesting Esther, he had planned to kill the man (Mordecai) who saved the king.
• Haman was hung on the gallows he built for Mordecai. (Proverbs 16:18)

 

Esther 8

The King's Edict in Behalf of the Jews

¹That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. ²The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman's estate.

• Now Esther is given Haman’s estate, Mordecai is made a part of the royal court and Esther makes him head of the estate.
• The irony is everything of Haman’s was given to his enemy, Mordecai.
• Haman’s possessions were not really his, they all came from the king.
• Mordecai now effectively took Haman’s place and was given the king’s signet ring, the symbol of the king’s power and authority.
• Mordecai uses the power given to him by the king to save his people.
• Christ is given power and authority by God the Father. (Matthew 28:16)
• Christ uses the power given to Him by the God to save His people

 

³Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews. ⁴Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him. ⁵"If it pleases the king," she said, "and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews in all the king's provinces. ⁶For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?" ⁷King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have hanged him on the gallows. ⁸Now write another decree in the king's name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king's signet ring—for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked."

• Now God deals with Haman’s plans to kill all the Jews.
• Once again Esther puts her life in danger by going to the king without being summoned.
• This time she is weeping before him that her people would be saved.
• It appears that, at this point, she was not concerned for her own life but for the lives of her people and family.
• Now Xerxes gives carte blanc to Mordecai to do what is necessary to save the Jews and he will have the full authority of the king in so doing.

 

⁹At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai's orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. ¹⁰Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king's signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.

¹¹The king's edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies. ¹²The day appointed for the Jews to do this in all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. ¹³A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that the Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. ¹⁴The couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the king's command. And the edict was also issued in the citadel of Susa.

• We are told that Mordecai wrote orders to all the government leaders and to the Jews.
• We are not told what the orders were, just that they were sent to all the provinces as quickly as possible.
• A bit of mystery here.
• Now we are told what the orders are.
• God turned the tables on the enemies of the Jews. They were allowed to defend themselves.
• They were also allowed to plunder their enemies.
• The was written in this way since, by law and tradition, the original order of the king could not be rescinded or nullified.
• This new order did not rescind or nullify the old order but effectively blocked actions against the Jews.
• The day this defense was to happen was the same day Haman had set for the Jews to be killed.

 

¹⁵Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. ¹⁶For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor. ¹⁷In every province and in every city, wherever the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

• Mordecai now has the honors Haman wanted.
• Mordecai did not seek the honors.
• Mordecai’s ego and pride did not need the honors.
• Mordecai earned the honors through being faithful to God.
• Mordecai also earned the honors through being a Godly cousin and counselor to Esther. (Proverbs 29:23)
• It is interesting that the city of Susa, the capital, celebrated.
• There was also celebration among the Jews. Very understandable.
• Finally, due to what had happened many people converted to Judaism.
• Not only did Haman, led by Satan, fail to kill God’s chosen people many, many more became believers.

 

Esther 9

Triumph of the Jews

¹On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper hand over those who hated them. ²The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those seeking their destruction. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. ³And all the nobles of the provinces, the satraps, the governors and the king's administrators helped the Jews, because fear of Mordecai had seized them. ⁴Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful.

• Now we see God’s vengeance on those who deny and/or defy Him.
• The Jew attacked those who planned to attack them.
• The government officials helped the Jews.
• Due to fear of Mordecai who had become very powerful.
• Mordecai followed God and God honored him.
• ü Behind all of this was Esther.
• The story has turned to Mordecai but it was Esther’s obedience to Mordecai and faith in God that started it all.

 

⁵The Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and they did what they pleased to those who hated them. ⁶In the citadel of Susa, the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred men. ⁷They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹ Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai and Vaizatha, ¹⁰the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not lay their hands on the plunder. ¹¹The number of those slain in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king that same day. ¹²The king said to Queen Esther, "The Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman in the citadel of Susa. What have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your request? It will also be granted."

• In the capital city the Jews killed 500 men, including the 10 sons of Haman.
• The Jews did not take plunder.
• Worldly gain was not their motivation or purpose.
• The number of dead was reported to the king.
• He asks Esther what else she wants.

 

¹³"If it pleases the king," Esther answered, "give the Jews in Susa permission to carry out this day's edict tomorrow also, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on gallows." ¹⁴So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman. ¹⁵The Jews in Susa came together on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, and they put to death in Susa three hundred men, but they did not lay their hands on the plunder. ¹⁶Meanwhile, the remainder of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also assembled to protect themselves and get relief from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand of them but did not lay their hands on the plunder. ¹⁷This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy.

• Esther now asks the king to extend the edict by one day in Susa only.
• We can only guess at the reason.
• Perhaps there was more opposition to the Jews in Susa.
• Perhaps, since Susa was the capital, the power base could cause the Jews future trouble.
• Whatever the reason God led Esther to request the extra day.
• Again, she put her life in God’s hands.
• I wonder about the conversations between the king and Esther; and between Ester and Mordecai.
• I also wonder about the conversations between God, Esther and Mordecai.
• Again the Jews did not take plunder.
• Worldly gain was not their motivation or purpose.
• The day after their deliverance, salvation, they rested and celebrated.

 

Purim Celebrated

¹⁸The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. ¹⁹That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.

• The day after their deliverance, salvation, the Jews in Susa also rested and celebrated.

 

²⁰Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far, ²¹to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar ²²as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. ²³So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration they had begun, doing what Mordecai had written to them. ²⁴For Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them and had cast the pur (that is, the lot) for their ruin and destruction. ²⁵But when the plot came to the king's attention, he issued written orders that the evil scheme Haman had devised against the Jews should come back onto his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. ²⁶(Therefore these days were called Purim, from the word pur .) Because of everything written in this letter and because of what they had seen and what had happened to them, ²⁷the Jews took it upon themselves to establish the custom that they and their descendants and all who join them should without fail observe these two days every year, in the way prescribed and at the time appointed. ²⁸These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never cease to be celebrated by the Jews, nor should the memory of them die out among their descendants.

• This is a recap of the reason for the Feast of Purim.
• This was not one of the feast days commanded by God.
• This feast day can be compared to the 4^th of July in the U.S.
• The feast was to be kept by all Jews everywhere in the prescribed manner.

 

²⁹So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. ³⁰And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes—words of goodwill and assurance- ³¹to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation. ³²Esther's decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

• An interesting note here is that Esther made a decree concerning Purim.
• In Persia the queen did not usually have the power to make a decree.
• This shows her standing with the king.
• Another indication of her standing was the decree was written in the records of Persia.
• This meant that Purim must be celebrated by all Jews in all of Persia for as long as the kingdom existed.

 

Esther 10

The Greatness of Mordecai

¹King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the empire, to its distant shores. ²And all his acts of power and might, together with a full account of the greatness of Mordecai to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? ³Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.

• Now we have a recap of Mordecai.
• His power increased.
• He was second only to the king.

 

Summary:

• The story of Esther reminds us of Joseph in Egypt.
• There are a lot of parallels between these events and the events in Joseph’s life.
• A difference is that in the case of Joseph it was one person, a male, who went through the events.
• In the case of Esther, it was two people, a female and male who went through the events.
• In both cases God arranged things well ahead of time to turn out the way He wanted.
• The law of the Medes & Persians once made could not be changed. This is man trying to act like God. Man’s law can and will be changed and/or forgotten. God’s law cannot and will not be changed or forgotten.
• Mordecai and Esther were not married but were cousins. They acted together to carry out God’s Will in this matter.
• Luke 1:52

 

REFERENCES

http://www.fueling-christian-life.com/esther-bible-study.html

http://www.religionofjesuschrist.com/commentary/history/esther.pdf

http://biblicalresources.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Esther-Bible-Study.pdf

NKJV, NIV, NEV