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The Book of Esther

The Book of Esther. Identities are complex and multiple and grow out of a history of changing responses to economic, political, and cultural forces, almost always in opposition to other identities. Kwame Anthony Appiah. Esther is a post-exilic text

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The Book of Esther

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  1. The Book of Esther

  2. Identities are complex and multiple and grow out of a history of changing responses to economic, political, and cultural forces, almost always in opposition to other identities. Kwame Anthony Appiah Esther is a post-exilic text Family and clan identifiers are not as strong when living in exile No more country to give you a sense of place – “Israelite,” “Judahite” The use of the term “Jew” starts; what does it mean? What does it mean to live as a minority? A Final Look at Identity

  3. Set in the Persian Period Read at the festival of Purim (“Lots”); celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from a pogrom No mention of God “Tall tale” Characters are exaggerated archetypes or stock figures Many extreme details (a gallows 50 ft high) “Good” versus “evil” and the triumph of good is a key theme Background Information

  4. Three Interlocking Stories

  5. King Ahasuerus throws a 7-day long party (1:5) ‘Drinks were served in golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king’ (1:7) Vashti, the queen, was entertaining the women (1:9) “On the 7th day, when the king was merry with wine, he commanded….the 7 eunuchs who attended him to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing the royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the officials her beauty; for she was fair to behold.” (1:10-11) Vashti refuses and angers the king (v. 12) The men discuss and decide “this deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing them to look with contempt upon their husbands” (v.17) and so they issue a decree to put Vashti out as queen and “declaring that every man should be master in his own house.” (v. 22) To replace her, there is a seeking out of young virgins to find the next queen (2:1-4) The Party

  6. Mordecai identified as a Jew (2:5) and from a family exiled when Jerusalem fell (2:6) Esther or Hadassah is his cousin and is ‘fair and beautiful’ (2:7) Esther gets in place (2:8-18) Joins the competition of virgins Earns the favor of the eunuch Keeps her Jewish identity secret Wins the favor of the king and becomes the new queen Mordecai hears of a plot to kill the king (2:21) Sends word via Esther (v.22) The conspirators are caught, hanged, and Mordecai’s actions recorded (v.23) Esther and Mordecai

  7. The top of all of the king’s officials (3:1) Mordecai alone will not bow down to him (3:2) Haman discovers Mordecai was a Jew and plots to destroy the whole people to get Mordecai (3:5-6) Casting lots sets the date of the Jew’s destruction Haman

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

  9. Esther Before AhasuerusClaude Vignon1624

  10. Esther Before AhasuerusArtemisia Gentileschi1628-35

  11. Invites the king and Haman to a banquet (5:3) Gets them drinking and invites them to a second banquet (5:5, 8) Esther’s Plans The Banquet of Esther and Ahasuerus Jan Victors 1640s

  12. Haman is still bugged by Mordecai and his wife and friends suggest hanging him from a gallows 50 ft high The king cannot sleep and in reading the royal annals comes upon Mordecai’s saving him No reward was given and so he makes Haman reward him “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden, with a royal crown on its head. Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials; let him robe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him conduct the man on horseback through the open square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘This shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor.’” (6:7b-9) Haman and Mordecai

  13. The Triumph of MordecaiPieter Pietersz Lastman1624

  14. Esther and Haman Before Ahasuerus Jan Victors1638-1640

  15. Reveals herself as one of the Jews (7:3-4) Haman gets the blame (7:6) Haman’s seeking mercy from Esther is confused with assault (7:7-8) Esther Pleads the Cause Haman Begging Esther for Mercy Rembrandt 1655

  16. Haman Hung on His Gallows

  17. Mordecai takes Haman’s place (8:2) Esther allowed to write a new edict (8:8) Jews allowed to defend themselves (8:11-12) The Jews defeat their enemies (9:5); Haman’s 10 sons put to death (9:14); 75,000 enemies outside of the city killed (9:18) Jews have a celebratory feast (9:18-19) and then Purim is set Esther Saves the Jews

  18. The End of the Tale 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was powerful among the Jews and popular with his many kindred, for he sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of all his descendants.

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