Esther Lesson

This past Saturday Denise took the time to give us all a "lesson" on Esther and what the world was like while she was alive. Since not all of us were able to attend that meeting, we thought it'd be good to include the basic information on the website. This may also come in handy as we work through the Esther program and questions come up, so please feel free to reference this at any point over the next 10 weeks!

Vocabulary:

Xerxes - the Greek name for the King of Persia
Ahashwerosh - the King's name in Hebrew
Ahasuerus - the King's name in English
Mordecai - Esther's cousin
Hadassah - the name for myrtle, the Jewish name for Esther
Hegai - the king's eunuch
eunuch - a castrated man employed to take charge of the women of a harem and act as chamberlain
concubine - a wife of secodnary rank, a woman residing in a harem and kept for sexual purposes
Megillah - the scrool containing the biblical narrative of the book of Esther; a lengthy, detailed explanation or account
diaspora - the scattering of the Jews to countries outside of Palestine after the Babylonian captivity
Purim - a Jewish festival celebrated on the 14th day of Adar in commemoration of the deliverance of the Jews in Persia from destruction by Haman

Characters

Xerxes - Persian's 5th king, ruled from 486-465 B.C.
Vashti - the Queen and wife of Xerxes
Haman - second in rank to King Xerxes, hated the Jews
Mordecai - a Jewish official who became second in command to Xerxes, adopted Esther
Esther - a Jewish orphan who won the favor of all and became the Queen

Summary of Events

It all began with a 180 day banquest ... there was feasting and drinking, and an exorbitant showing of wealth. It is recorded that Xerxes had a very bad temper, so when Xerxes was "in high spirits from wine" and summoned Vashti and she refused, the king banished Vashti!

After a time, a search for a new queen began, and Esther became the new queen! Meanwhile, Mordecai, her adopted father, saves the King's life, and it is recorded in the annals of history.

Haman, the King's second in command, hates all Jews. One day while out on a tour of the city, Mordecai refuses to bow in front of Haman. This enrages Haman and he casts the pur and the edict is issued that all Jews are to die. Mordecai conveys this information to Esther and asks her, "Who knows but that you have come to a royal position for such a time as this?"

Esther decides to go uninvited before the King, which could result in her death. In preparation she fasts for three days. On the third day, she goes before Xerxes and he extends his scepter to her, sparing her life. He asks what her request is, and she invites him to a banquet, but at the banquet does not ask Xerxes to spare the Jews but instead invites him to a banquet scheduled for the next night.

After the banquet, Xerxes cannot sleep, and an aide comes to his bedside to read the annals of history to lull him to sleep. They read the story of Mordecai and the King decides Mordecai needs to be thanked for his life-saving efforts. The next morning the King asks Haman what should be done for the man the King delights to honor? Haman, thinking that the King would like to honor him, has many suggestions. Haman is very insulted when instead he has to give all of the honors to Mordecai, a Jew.

That night Esther's second banquet is held. Esther finally asks the King to spare the lives of the Jews. There is no erasing the previous edict that was issued, but the King issues an edict that the Jews are allowed to fight to defend themselves. Much blood is shed, but the Jewish population is not annihilated! Haman's fate is to be hung on the same gallows he was building to kill the Jews.