That way, those who dont know Jesus can be affected by the Christians. ." Queen Esther Was a Jewish 'Cinderella' He was born in 518BC. Esther's Hebrew name was Hadassah, Mordecai told Esther not to reveal that she was a Jew, which she did not do. Esther instinctively understood she needed to rely on God for her strength. Rabbah 6:5; BT . Esthers reign came to an abrupt end when she was overthrown in a coup by her former friend and confidante, Queen Vashti. Esther. - Esther 1:4. During her reign the British monarchy took . In Jewish tradition Purim plays flourished from the early Middle Ages onwards setting the narrative into dramatic and musical forms, some of which have survived in Hebrew and Yiddish. JEZEBEL (Heb. Share But as we said earlier, believers are called to live in the world with all the other people. *Silman's Megillat Esther by the *Ohel theater, the music was written by Y. At first she was reluctant, since anyone who went into the kings presence without being summoned faced the death penalty unless he extended his gold scepter to them. Fun Facts About Esther From The Bible That You Should Know (February 22, 2023). 2004. When her opportunity finally came to appear before the king, Ahasuerus was immediately taken with Esther's attractiveness, and he made her his new queen. Encyclopaedia Judaica. (Mark 6:20). All the nobles and officials, military leaders, princes. ELIZABETH KNOWLES "Esther It was now the tenth month. And finally, Esther (and the festival of Purim) was a great favorite of the Marranos in Spain and in their far-flung dispersion; they saw in her disguised condition the factual and psychological prototype of their own disguised condition. Renaissance artists such as Botticelli, Filippino Lippi, Mantegna, Tintoretto, and Paolo Veronese painted subjects from the Book of Esther. The king held a party in his honor one day. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. He deposed Queen Vashti in 483/482BC when he was 36 ( Esther 1:3 ). As we saw with the Israelites in the Promised Land, many had probably married the foreigners around them. ." According to the Book of Esther, Esther was a Hebrew woman in Persia whose birth name was Hadassah. At this time, the Israelites were also known as Jews. Married to King Ahasuerus after he divorced the former queen for disobedience, Esther would intercede on behalf of the Jewish people of the kingdom and prevent their annihilation. In the Middle Ages, the role of Esther took on powerful symbolic dimensions among Jews for at least three reasons. Esther and Mordecai in the Book of Esther. How old were they? - Tripod Mordecai now enlists the help of Esther on behalf of her people (Est. As a woman, she was not in a position of power, just as Diaspora Jews were not members of the power elite. Some Jews chose not to return to Jerusalem as God had commanded. Anchor Bible, vol. God wanted the Jews to leave Persia and return to Jerusalem in the Promised Land. Who Was Esther and Why Was She So Important? - Crosswalk.com The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. Queen Vashtis removal created a vacancy for a new queen. Rembrandt painted Mordecai pleading with Esther (1655), Ahasuerus and Haman at Esther's Feast (1660), and Haman in Disgrace (1660). Although the date of her death is not known, Jewish tradition indicates that Queen Esther's tomb is in Hamadan, also known as Ecbatana, located in what is now western Iran. But God will NOT forget His promise to make Israel a Great nation. Esther is an account of what happens when we dont stay under the protection of Gods commands and promises. The party lasted for six months! Instead, God provided her cousin, Mordecai, to care for her. In the palace, Esther lived with girls from all of the provinces from India to Ethiopia. (February 22, 2023). Report. Encyclopedia of Religion. The Persian King, Xerxes (a.k.a. The circumstances under which Esther became queen were that she was chosen from a group of eligible women to be the new queen after Queen Vashti was removed from her position. It landed on the 13 th of Adar ( Esther 3:7 ). 22 Feb. 2023 . And so, Queen Vashti never saw the King again. Early Life Doubly orphaned as a young girl, Esther was raised by her cousin Mordechai, a wise and saintly Torah scholar and the leader of the Jewish people. As believers, God calls us to be different. When her parents died, Mordecai adopted her and raised her in his home. ESTHER in the BIBLE. Heroine who saved the Jewish people Rather than growing rebellious and bitter as a result of her difficult upbringing, Esther was obedient to Mordecai and a strong believer of God, according to the Bible. This time, she disclosed that she was a Jew and that Haman was plotting to kill all the Jews including her (7:16). Vashti - Wikipedia She stayed with Ahasuerus and sacrificed her personal happiness in order to achieve her ultimate objective of allowing the Second Temple to be built and the return to Zion. A good answer provides new insight and perspective. The enemy had been defeated thanks to her patience and intelligence. The Bible depicts Esther as an orphan who was raised in the house of her uncle Mordecai ().The A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). ), daughter of Abihail, an exile at *Susa, and heroine of the Book of Esther. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! children. Shortly after Esther became the queen, Haman the Agagite, the prime minister of Persia and a favorite of the king, obtained a royal decree that authorized the slaughter of all of the Jewish people living within the borders of the Persian Empire. At the time, she was only 25 years old a 25-year-old woman . https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/esther-36883.php. In art the Book of Esther is represented in the cycle of paintings from the third-century synagogue at *Dura-Europos and also in the ninth-century mural in the basilica of San Clemente in Rome. Monarch Ahasuerus fell in love with Esther right away, and she was well-liked by everyone, including king Xerxes. The King gave them all a six month vacation with the best places to sleep, the best food to eat, and the most fun they had ever had. She was imprisoned several times for revolutionary activities and went to Switzerland, where she became a member of the foreign committee of the Bund. The story of Esther begins with a king's banquet. Rau, Louis. The story of Esther is full of drama, irony, violence, and strong characters. . in the arts: R. Schwartz, Esther im deutschen und neulateinischen Drama des Reformations-Zeitalters (1894); E. Wind, in: Journal of the Warburg Institute, 4 (1940), 1147; M. Roston, Biblical Drama in England From the Middle Ages to the Present Day (1968), 7274; L. Rau, Iconographie de l'art chrtien, 2, pt. Even if "the setting of the Persian court is authentic the events are fictional" as no corroborating sources of the events has ever surfaced (Berlin and Brettler 2004, pp. According to one translation of events, she refused to appear at the banquet "wearing her royal crown." More importantly, in her royal position, she is able to save her people from a genocide designed by a scheming court figure. There is no color in them, because their sins have been washed away. However, one day the king became angry with Queen Vashti and ordered her to be removed from her position as queen. The Persian Empire stretched the world from India to Egypt during this point in history. 6). We must ask ourselves why these Israelites were still living in a foreign land where they did not belong. ." The Septuagint version is a much longer version of the narrative and contains six large additions as well as a number of details not found in the Masoretic text. In the amazing story of Esther, we will see that God is FAITHFUL to keep His promises, no matter what people choose to do. To prove the superiority of their guardianship over that of the Jew, they decided to kill the king. The king could not sleep that night and recollected Mordecais efforts in foiling an assassination plot against him. When Mordecai refused to do so (3:25), an infuriated Haman decided to kill Mordecai as well as all the Jewish exiles across the Persian Empire (3:6). Esther Began as Hadassah Esther's birth name was Hadassah. From 1896 Esther was active in Social Democrat circles in Minsk influenced by A. Answer Esther is the Jewish maiden who became queen of Persia and rescued her people from a murderous plot to annihilate them. Say: The kings advisers suggested a kingdom-wide search for a new queen. At one time, God wanted His people to be separated from those around them to keep them pure (Deuteronomy 7:16, Judges 2:2-3). The most noticeable change was in the way that the king and his courtiers interacted with her. Spiritual & Religious Leaders. Esther then revealed all to the king: her petition for the Jewish people, her own Jewish heritage, and Haman's deceit in obtaining the decree. Vashti had always been jealous of Esthers position as queen, and she finally had her chance to take what she felt was rightfully hers. She was an orphan. "Esther She was a Persian queen who was deposed by her husband, King Ahasuerus. . To her adopted father, Mordecai, she was a dutiful daughter who was obedient to his wishes and heedful to his counsels. She was the last of the house of Hanover and gave her name to an era, the Victorian Age. ." She only served one purpose in her position: to preserve her people and vanquish the enemy. Main Point: God is Sovereign. It is rich in wisdom (Colossians 3:16). Assume Esther is born that same year, 537 BCE. In addition, everyone took her to be one of his own people (Meg. Report ESTHER (Heb. The Talmud said she was 75, based on gematria, although it was totally implausible. Esther was not in her homeland. King Ahasuerus has been described as a sensualist who enjoyed drinking and other forms of debauchery. The non-Christians can see the pure lives of the believers, and learn about Jesus. He appointed Esther as the new Persian queen. Her beauty, courage, and self-sacrifice are celebrated in numerous paintings, beginning with those in the third-century Dura-Europos synagogue and culminating with representations by famous Renaissance painters, such as Sandro Botticelli (c. 14451510), Filipino Lippi (c.14581504), Jacopo Tintoretto (c. 15181594), and Paolo Veronese (ca.15281588), who all tended to associate her with the cult of the Virgin Mary. Previously, she was a member of the harem of the Persian king Ahasuerus, who was also known as King Xerxes. Esther demonstrated considerable wisdom in her behavior and the method she devised to expose Haman's true intents and evil heart. Moore, Carey A. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/esther. ), daughter of Abihail, an exile at *Susa, and heroine of the Book of Esther. He was immediately condemned to be hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. The music of the Jewish Purim plays has not survived in notation, except for a few songs collected by 20th-century folklorists from surviving practitioners. In 478 B.C., Esther became the queen of Persia. In January 1938 she was arrested and imprisoned but refused to admit to the false charges proffered against her. They will give you advice from Gods word. She took an active part in founding a network of Yiddish schools, courses for teachers, and other educational institutions. 1575), the text of which is the dialogue between Esther and Ahasuerus in the apocryphal additions to Esther (15:914). 2007BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. Midrash adds that Esther's father died during her mother's pregnancy, and the latter died during childbirth (Esth. After hearing this, the king walked out, outraged. When Haman, the royal vizier of the king, planned and convinced the king to issue an edict of extermination to kill all the Jews in the kingdom, Esther and Mordecai foiled the plan. Esther, as depicted in the Bible, was a pious woman who demonstrated great faith, resolve, mercy, and courage combined with reasonable caution. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/esther, MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE "Esther So the king became very angry. Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/esther. While Esther keeps her secret at the court, Mordecai uncovers a plot to kill the king. We do not choose to sin. Esther then planned to appeal to the king on behalf of the Jews, but this would require that she reveal to her husband the king that she, too, was Jewish. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. She also edited the Moscow Yiddish daily, Emes. Throughout the sacred record, however, she is referred to by her Persian name, Esther, which means "star.". They didnt have a land, they could not worship God in His temple, and they didnt have their freedom. Various additions to Esther have been incorporated into the Apocrypha and Septuagint, and there are numerous expansions in the Aramaic Targum sheni. hadassah) she was of ideal height, neither too short nor too tall (ibid. Choose another color and add it to the water. For performances of Racine's play at the Comdie Franaise during this period the choruses were composed by several undistinguished musicians; later contributions include those by Reynaldo *Hahn (1905) and Marcel Samuel-Rousseau (1912). He had raised her as his own daughter, after her father and mother died. She possessed the trait of patience. When the book of Esther opens, the great-grandson of King Cyrus, a man named Xerxes, was king over the massive territory of Persia and Media. An initial soiree between the king and queen passes successfully. We do things Gods way. Mishkinsky, Moshe; Spector, Shmuel "Esther He is in control of all things. Legends of the Jews. See the index, s.v. The Bible says everyone in the world has sinned. Encyclopedia.com. Esther became the queen of Persia. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/esther, JOHN BOWKER "Esther The fighting lasted two days and took place in Susa, where the Jews exacted a bloody revenge on their enemies. Darkness does not dispel light. Esther was reported to be 14 years old at the time. She published two books on the subject in Yiddish: "On the Question of the Jewish National School" (1910) and "What Kind of National School Do We Need" (1917). For the production of K.J. "Esther Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. R. 8:6). Now, hold up your bottle of salad oil. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/esther. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. The message was written down. 7 vols. They had formed a bond based on love and trust, which when combined produces faith. The book tells how Mordecai, a Jew who had been carried off into captivity from Jerusalem with Jeconiah (Coniah), king of Judah (Esther 2:56), refused to bow down to Haman, the kings chief minister. From the late 17th century onward the Esther story attracted the attention of many serious composers. Who was Esther in the Bible? How did Jesus sit on the donkey and her offspring on one time in Matthew 21:5-8? . Her intercession with Ahasuerus on behalf of the Jews was interpreted as a prefiguration of the Virgin's mediation on behalf of mankind. This decree was obtained through a cunning deception that, at its core, was essentially an act of revenge on the part of Haman against Mordecai. An imperial decree was issued across the kingdom to kill all Jews on the 13th of the month of Adar (3:1315). Because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of every believer (Romans 5:5), we are able to live pure lives, no matter where we are (1 Corinthians 10:13, Titus 2:11-12). Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. R. 6:13; Meg. Adopted and raised by her cousin Mordecai, Esther, whose name is derived from the Persian stara, "star," plays a crucial role in the event of persecution and deliverance of the Jews in the ancient Persian empire that the late biblical Book (or Scroll) of Esther purports to record. At a young age, she was taken to become a part of a harem in the citadel of Susa under the authority of the eunuch Hegai. people from KingHerod evil wrath to hurt them. Their legal marriage age suggests that they prefer young people below 18 (prime of the youth). The event was attended by people from one hundred twenty-seven provinces of Persia, a kingdom that stretched from India to Ethiopia. Queen Esther was one of the most influential women of her time. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and nobles. On the 13th of the month of Adar, the day when Hamans plot was scheduled to be executed, the Jews killed the 10 sons of Haman and 500 other men in Shushan (9:112). Thus in Shhn's account, Esther's role as savior is much broader and fully justifies her marriage to a gentile monarch. In Queen Esther's Garden: An Anthology of Judeo-Persian Literature. He asked for his wife, Queen Vashti, to be brought to his party. "Esther," Christian Resource Center,http://www.nisbett.com/people/bp-esther.htm (January 6, 2005). 2 Then the king's personal attendants proposed, "Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. They choose to hurt other people. This counteredict was addressed to all of the governors in the Persian kingdom, and it informed them that the Jews had been authorized to defend themselves against their persecutors and to kill all those who would attack them. 4a), they were obliged to hear. After an investigation, the eunuchs were executed, and Mordecai's loyalty and aid to the king was recorded in the chronicles of the kingdom. When Haman was named prime minister, the king had issued a general order that all were to bow to him. Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Culture Society History, The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, ESTHER Just like the color did not get into our oil, our lives must remain pure. We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. Mordecais family had been from the land of Judah to Babylon years before by military force (Esther 2:6). The Girl Who Became Queen. Here are guidelines to help facilitate a meaningful learning experience for everyone. She was an orphan who grew up to become a brave queen who saved Israel from extinction. How can this scenario be backed up in scripture? Each woman required 12 months of preparation to appear before the king, and then it was only for one night. He then started searching for a new queen from a selection of beautiful virgins from across the empire (2:14). ." None of the women would return to the king unless he summoned her by name (verse 14). Her story is recorded in the Old Testament book bearing her name. She was liked by Hegial ( who was in charge of the harem in . In a matter of days, Esther went from being the most powerful woman in the kingdom to being a prisoner in her own palace. The kings court was decorated beautifully. ." Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. We would never have known her story and she would have faded into history. Had she been older, Mordechai would have either married her himself or arranged a suitable marriage partner. Finally, the king amended the law and saved the Jews thanks to Esther's courage and power. Esther teaches us life lessons by demonstrating the qualities that will carry us through our fights and lead us to victory over the enemy. When we live Gods way, our lives will be full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so its important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. It has been suggested that "Esther" and "Mordechai" are Hebrew forms of the names "Ishtar" and "Marduk." "Esther," Daily Bible Study,http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/estherb.htm (January 5, 2005). She then invited the king and Haman to a feast (5:35). What does it mean when it says "many became Jews" in Esther 8? Queen Esther, also called Hadassah, the heroine of the biblical Book of Esther, is considered one of the pivotal females in scripture because, according to Jewish tradition, she was divinely ordained to save her people from genocide. Subscribe for virtual tools, STEM-inspired play, creative tips and more. She is credited with sparing her people, the Jews, from annihilation. King Xerxes took away the queens crown. That's exactly what happened to Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 when her father, King George VI, died and she was appointed to the throne. Before Esther was made queen, Ahasuerus would compare women who entered with a statue of Vashti that stood near his bed. One of the few works on the subject in the second half of the 18th century was K. Ditters von Dittersdorf's oratorio La liberatrice del popolo giudaico nella Persia o sia l'Esther (1773). The military leaders of Persia and Media were there. So he put a royal crown on her head. Mordecai suggested that maidens be again assembled as if the king wished to remarry and that Esther, aroused by jealousy, would comply with his wishes. We will see that the banishment of Queen Vashti opened the door of opportunity for God to protect His people. Susa is now known as Shush and is located in modern-day Iran. A somewhat nebulous figure, the Queen of Sheba (fl. King Xerxes held a big dinner in Esthers honor. . Many of the Israelites obeyed Gods call. It is believed that her life extended into the reign of her stepson, Artaxerxes. Lawrence Siamuyoba. King Xerxes plan of controlling Greece had failed.