The Bible’s book of Esther is listed in the Old Testament
The Bible’s book of Esther is listed in the Old Testament and gives an account of Esther, a Hebrew lady who is married in Persia. The book shows how Esther, a queen in Persia, helps her kin avoid being slaughtered, through her actions, and obedience to King Ahasuerus, her husband. The book introduces the concepts discussed in it within the first two chapters, and from chapter three to chapter nine, the book gives the actual action presented by the author. From chapter nine, verse twenty, the book provides a conclusion of the topic. The book of Esther repeats the word, banquets, implying the commemoration of the Purim as it would later be called. The book revolves around the theme of unexpected destiny change. The three key things and questions to understand while reading this book are; the author, the message of the book, and how the book achieved its message. Mordecai wrote the book of Esther, and the book’s central message is the salvation and protection of Jews against their enemies. In relating this message, Mordecai uses the narration technique by showing the various dialogues in the book and uses a third-person voice to report the happenings.
Religion is depicted book through Mordecai and Esther, even though the book does not mention the name “God.” The book employs suspense to a great deal, with eight distinct feats being mentioned in it. The author of the book uses literacy devices, whereby various occurrences mirror one another inversely throughout the book. The King’s assistant, Haman, is presented as a descendant of Agag, the Amalekites king. Historically, the Jews were enemies with Amalekites, and in this book, Haman wishes to use his role in the kingship to eliminate the Jews from existence. The book primarily shows how the Jews triumphed from a plot of eliminating them.
SECTION 2
The first paragraph opens with an introduction into King Ahasuerus‘ rule, whereby he prepared a feast for all people in his kingdom (1:1-9). In the second, King Ahasuerus’ wife, Queen Vashti, refused to attend the King’s feast after being summoned by the King, an action that made the King sad (1:10-12). The angered King then summoned his princes and requested for advice on the matter whereby Memucan requested the King to issue a decree explaining his intentions to marry another woman, to prevent the women of the land from disobeying their husbands (1:13-20). The King subsequently did as requested by Memucan, and issued a decree banishing Vashti and sending decrees to all provinces for men to take control of their homes, and for women to be subjective (1:21-22).
King Ahasuerus orders for virgin girls to be summoned before him, so that he could choose a queen for himself (2:1-4). A Benjamite man, Mordecai, is introduced and is described as Esther’s cousin, who took care of Esther after her parents died (2:5-7). This paragraph illustrates how Esther had kept herself holy with her cousin, Mordecai (2:8-11). The girls are held in the palace, with the King being presented with a girl every evening, and returning her early the next morning, after she fails to please the King (2:12-14). Esther wins the King’s heart, crowned the queen, and the King hold a feast (2:15-20). The last paragraph in this chapter shows a new development whereby Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill King Ahasuerus and reports to Esther, who subsequently tells the King, and render punishment upon the perpetrators (2:21-23).
Mordecai does not bow to Haman, who is promoted by the King (3:1-6). Haman grows famous among the people (3:7). Haman issues a royal decree against the Jews (3:8-15). Mordecai leads the Jews into weeping, wailing, fasting, and mourning (4:1-3). Esther sends Hatach, her chamberlain, to know what caused the mourning, and Mordecai informs her of the plot to slaughter all the Jews (4:4-9). Mordecai learns that Esther has not been in King’s chambers for thirty days (4:10-13). Mordecai asks Esther to risk being killed to save the Jews (4:14). Esther asks Mordecai to gather all the Jews (4:15-17).
Esther presents herself before the King and wins his admiration (5:1-5). Esther requests that Haman and the King come to the banquet (5:6-8). Haman then goes and brags of his wealth and invitation to a banquet by the queen (5:9-13). Haman’s friends and wife requested him to inform the King that Mordecai should be hanged (5:14). The King lacks sleep, and while reading old books, he realizes that Mordecai was not rewarded for reporting his assassination plot (6:1-3). Mordecai is rewarded by riding in King’s horse, with Haman arraying him through the streets (6:4-11). Haman’s friends and wife warn him that Mordecai would be above him (6:12-13). The chamberlains then take Haman to Esther’s banquet (6:14).
Esther informs the King how the Jews were to be slain (7:1-4). King Ahasuerus is angered and requests to know whoever made the plot, Esther reports Haman (7:5-6). Haman is hanged just like he wanted to hang Mordecai (7:7-10). The King rewards Mordecai with Haman’s ring and house (8:1-2). Esther requests King to spare the Jews, and he spares them (8:3-6). The King grants Jews more freedom (8:7-14). Jews celebrate across the provinces (8:15-17). Jews take revenge, killing 500 people (9:1-10). The Jews hang Haman’s sons and kill 300 more people in Shushan (9:11-15). Jews rest on the fourteenth day (9:16-18). The Jews in the villages similarly make the fourteenth day a feasting day (9:19). Mordecai writes to all Jews, to preserve this day as a feasting day (9:20-25). Purim is established under Esther and Mordecai (9:26-32). The book concludes with the King paying tribute to Mordecai for his actions (10:1-3).
SECTION 3
In the first three chapters, the author introduces the book by showing the various occurrences, which lead to Esther’s installation as the queen (1:1-21). Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, uncovers a plot by gate guards to kill King Ahasuerus and informs the queen of this plot (2:1-23). Esther tells the King, who makes an inquiry and establishes that it is true. In the third and fourth chapters, Haman is introduced as a newly promoted assistant to King Ahasuerus (3:11-15). Haman wants to eliminate all the Jews within the kingdom, causing Mordecai and the Jews to weep much (4:1-17). Chapters five and six give an account of how Esther presented herself before the King and seeks the King’s help to avoid the mass killings of Jews (5:1-14 & 6:1-14). Haman is then punished by the King, whereby he is hanged, and Mordecai exalted by the King (7:1-10). The Jews mark the fourteenth day of that month as a feasting day and name it Purim (Chapters 8, 7, &8).
SECTION 4
The book of Esther gives an account of how the Purim feast came into existence by showing how the Jews overcame hatred from their enemies.