Esther

The Book of Esther encourages the Jewish exiles who returned from Babylon. It reminds them of the faithfulness of the LORD God. He will keep promises to them.

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10

Deuterocanonical chapters: [A], [B], [C], [D], [E]

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Esther’s Call to Fast


 

SUMMARY

 

Title

The Book of Esther is named for its hero: Queen Esther.

At the beginning of the narrative, she is a young Jewish woman. During the exile in Babylon, she was selected to be the wife of king Ahasuerus.

She thwarts a plan to exterminate the Jewish people. She is a great hero of the faith.

 

Author

The book gives no hint as to who wrote it.

But whoever wrote it was familiar with Persian culture and Jewish culture. They write as an eyewitness

The author could have been Ezra or Nehemiah. But no specific evidence supports that view.

 

Date

The events in book take place in the Persian period (539-331 BC).

That was when many Israelites had returned from the Exile to the Holy Land to rebuild the temple and to set up the sacrificial system.

However, the book provides no hint about when the book was written.

 

Purpose

The Book of Esther encourages the Jewish exiles who returned from Babylon. It reminds them of the faithfulness of the LORD God. He will keep promises to them.

The author describes God’s unfailing preservation of his people.

The author also explains how the Feast of Purim began. That feast, each time it was celebrated, would encourage the remnant.

Esther is the only book of the Bible in which the name of God is not mentioned. Nor is the Law mentioned. Prayer is not mentioned, although fasting is.

 


 

OUTLINE

 

Prelude

Esther A:1-11. Mordecai has a dream

Esther A:12-17. Mordecai thwarts an assassination plan

 

Esther is selected as Queen

Esther 1:1-4. King Xerxes throws a half-year feast

Esther 1:5-9. King Xerxes throws a seven-day feast

Esther 1:10-12. Queen Vashti refuses a stupid command

Esther 1:13-22. King Xerxes complains to his advisors

Esther 2:1-14. King Xerxes searches for a new queen

Esther 2:15-20. Esther is chosen as queen

Esther 2:21-23. Mordecai saves the king

 

The Jewish people are targeted for extermination

Esther 3:1-6. Mordecai does not bow down to Haman

Esther 3:7-15. Haman schemes to exterminate the Jewish people

Chapter B:1-7. King Ahasuerus orders the extermination of the Jewish people

 

Esther saves the Jewish people

Esther 4:1-14. The Jewish people grieve over the news

Esther 4:15-17. Esther fasts for three days

Esther C:1-11. The prayer of Mordecai

Esther C:12-30. The prayer of Queen Esther

Esther D:1-15. Esther approaches the king

Esther 5:1-8. Esther approaches the king

Esther 5:9-14. Haman rages against Mordecai

Esther 6:1-14. The king orders Haman to honor Mordecai

Esther 7:1-6. Esther reveals Haman’s evil plot

Esther 7:7-10. The king executes Haman

Esther 8:1-14. Esther saves the entire Jewish people

Esther 8:15-17. Esther and Mordecai evangelize the world

Esther E:1-24. The letter of King Ahasuerus

 

The Jewish people defend themselves with valor

Esther 9:1-19. The Jewish people are victorious

Esther 9:20-32. Mordecai establishes a new feast called Purim

Esther 10:1-3. The greatness of Esther and Mordecai

 


 

MEMORIZE

 

Esther C:30. O God, who has power over all, listen to the voice of the desperate, and deliver us from the hand of those who devise mischief. Deliver me from my fear.

Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible

 


ESTHER

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10

Deuterocanonical chapters: [A], [B], [C], [D], [E]

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Esther’s Call to Fast

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.