The Book of EstherThe Book of Esther

A Final Look at IdentityA Final Look at Identity Identities are complex Identities are complex

and multiple and grow and multiple and grow out of a history of out of a history of changing responses to changing responses to economic, political, economic, political, and cultural forces, and cultural forces, almost always in almost always in opposition to other opposition to other identities. identities.

Kwame Anthony Kwame Anthony

AppiahAppiah

Esther is a post-exilic Esther is a post-exilic texttext Family and clan identifiers Family and clan identifiers

are not as strong when are not as strong when living in exileliving in exile

No more country to give No more country to give you a sense of place – you a sense of place – “Israelite,” “Judahite”“Israelite,” “Judahite”

The use of the term “Jew” The use of the term “Jew” starts; what does it mean?starts; what does it mean?

What does it mean to live What does it mean to live as a minority?as a minority?

Background InformationBackground Information Set in the Persian Set in the Persian

PeriodPeriod

Read at the festival of Read at the festival of Purim (“Lots”); Purim (“Lots”); celebrates the celebrates the deliverance of the deliverance of the Jews from a pogromJews from a pogrom

No mention of GodNo mention of God

““Tall tale”Tall tale” Characters are Characters are

exaggerated exaggerated archetypes or stock archetypes or stock figuresfigures

Many extreme details (a Many extreme details (a gallows 50 ft high)gallows 50 ft high)

““Good” versus “evil” Good” versus “evil” and the triumph of good and the triumph of good is a key themeis a key theme

Three Interlocking StoriesThree Interlocking StoriesAhaseurus and Vashti

1:1-2:4

Haman3:1-15

Esther and Mordecai2:5-23

The Party The Party King Ahasuerus throws a 7-day long King Ahasuerus throws a 7-day long

party (1:5)party (1:5)

‘‘Drinks were served in golden Drinks were served in golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king’ according to the bounty of the king’ (1:7)(1:7)

Vashti, the queen, was entertaining Vashti, the queen, was entertaining the women (1:9)the women (1:9)

““On the 7On the 7thth day, when the king was day, when the king was merry with wine, he merry with wine, he commanded….the 7 eunuchs who commanded….the 7 eunuchs who attended him to bring Queen Vashti attended him to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing the royal before the king wearing the royal crown, in order to show the peoples crown, in order to show the peoples and the officials her beauty; for she and the officials her beauty; for she was fair to behold.” (1:10-11)was fair to behold.” (1:10-11)

Vashti refuses and angers the Vashti refuses and angers the king (v. 12)king (v. 12)

The men discuss and decide “this The men discuss and decide “this deed of the queen will be made deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing known to all women, causing them to look with contempt upon them to look with contempt upon their husbands” (v.17) and so their husbands” (v.17) and so they issue a decree to put Vashti they issue a decree to put Vashti out as queen and “declaring that out as queen and “declaring that every man should be master in every man should be master in his own house.” (v. 22)his own house.” (v. 22)

To replace her, there is a seeking To replace her, there is a seeking out of young virgins to find the out of young virgins to find the next queen (2:1-4)next queen (2:1-4)

Esther and MordecaiEsther and Mordecai Mordecai identified as a Jew Mordecai identified as a Jew

(2:5) and from a family exiled (2:5) and from a family exiled when Jerusalem fell (2:6)when Jerusalem fell (2:6)

Esther or Hadassah is his Esther or Hadassah is his cousin and is ‘fair and cousin and is ‘fair and beautiful’ (2:7)beautiful’ (2:7)

Esther gets in place (2:8-18)Esther gets in place (2:8-18) Joins the competition of Joins the competition of

virginsvirgins Earns the favor of the eunuchEarns the favor of the eunuch Keeps her Jewish identity Keeps her Jewish identity

secretsecret Wins the favor of the king and Wins the favor of the king and

becomes the new queenbecomes the new queen

Mordecai hears of a plot to kill Mordecai hears of a plot to kill the king (2:21)the king (2:21)

Sends word via Esther (v.22)Sends word via Esther (v.22)

The conspirators are caught, The conspirators are caught, hanged, and Mordecai’s hanged, and Mordecai’s actions recorded (v.23)actions recorded (v.23)

HamanHaman The top of all of the The top of all of the

king’s officials (3:1)king’s officials (3:1)

Mordecai alone will not Mordecai alone will not bow down to him (3:2)bow down to him (3:2)

Haman discovers Haman discovers Mordecai was a Jew Mordecai was a Jew and plots to destroy and plots to destroy the whole people to the whole people to get Mordecai (3:5-6)get Mordecai (3:5-6)

Casting lots sets the Casting lots sets the date of the Jew’s date of the Jew’s destructiondestruction

Esther Must ActEsther Must Act Mordecai knows of the plotMordecai knows of the plot

Esther says she cannot do Esther says she cannot do muchmuch

““Do not think in the king’s Do not think in the king’s palace you will escape any palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silence at such For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s but you and your father’s family will perish. Who family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for such come to royal dignity for such a time as this.” (4:13-14)a time as this.” (4:13-14)

Esther Before AhasuerusEsther Before AhasuerusClaude VignonClaude Vignon

16241624

Esther Before AhasuerusEsther Before AhasuerusArtemisia GentileschiArtemisia Gentileschi

1628-351628-35

Esther’s PlansEsther’s Plans Invites the king Invites the king

and Haman to a and Haman to a banquet (5:3)banquet (5:3)

Gets them drinking Gets them drinking and invites them to and invites them to a second banquet a second banquet (5:5, 8)(5:5, 8)

The Banquet of Esther and Ahasuerus Jan Victors 1640s

Haman and MordecaiHaman and Mordecai Haman is still bugged by Haman is still bugged by

Mordecai and his wife and Mordecai and his wife and friends suggest hanging him friends suggest hanging him from a gallows 50 ft highfrom a gallows 50 ft high

The king cannot sleep and in The king cannot sleep and in reading the royal annals reading the royal annals comes upon Mordecai’s comes upon Mordecai’s saving himsaving him

No reward was given and so No reward was given and so he makes Haman reward himhe makes Haman reward him

““For the man whom the king For the man whom the king wishes to honor, let royal wishes to honor, let royal robes be brought, which the robes be brought, which the king has worn, and a horse king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden, with that the king has ridden, with a royal crown on its head. Let a royal crown on its head. Let the robes and the horse be the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials; let king’s most noble officials; let him robe the man whom the him robe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let king wishes to honor, and let him conduct the man on him conduct the man on horseback through the open horseback through the open square of the city, proclaiming square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘This shall it be before him: ‘This shall it be done for the man whom the done for the man whom the king wishes to honor.’” (6:7b-king wishes to honor.’” (6:7b-9)9)

The Triumph of MordecaiThe Triumph of MordecaiPieter Pietersz LastmanPieter Pietersz Lastman

16241624

Esther and Haman Before AhasuerusEsther and Haman Before Ahasuerus Jan Victors Jan Victors1638-16401638-1640

Esther Pleads the CauseEsther Pleads the Cause Reveals herself as one Reveals herself as one

of the Jews (7:3-4)of the Jews (7:3-4)

Haman gets the blame Haman gets the blame (7:6)(7:6)

Haman’s seeking Haman’s seeking mercy from Esther is mercy from Esther is confused with assault confused with assault (7:7-8)(7:7-8)

Haman Begging Esther for Mercy Rembrandt 1655

Haman Hung on His GallowsHaman Hung on His Gallows

Esther Saves the JewsEsther Saves the Jews Mordecai takes Mordecai takes

Haman’s place (8:2)Haman’s place (8:2)

Esther allowed to write Esther allowed to write a new edict (8:8)a new edict (8:8)

Jews allowed to Jews allowed to defend themselves defend themselves (8:11-12)(8:11-12)

The Jews defeat their The Jews defeat their enemies (9:5); Haman’s enemies (9:5); Haman’s 10 sons put to death 10 sons put to death (9:14); 75,000 enemies (9:14); 75,000 enemies outside of the city killed outside of the city killed (9:18)(9:18)

Jews have a celebratory Jews have a celebratory feast (9:18-19) and then feast (9:18-19) and then Purim is setPurim is set

The End of the TaleThe End of the Tale 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next

in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was powerful among the Jews and was powerful among the Jews and popular with his many kindred, for he popular with his many kindred, for he sought the good of his people and sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of all his interceded for the welfare of all his descendants.descendants.