Nehemiah 12

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Priests and Levites	An Appendix	List of Priests and Levites	Priests and Levites Who Returned Under Zerubbabel and Joshua
12:1-7	12:1-7	12:1	12:1
		12:2-7	12:2-7
12:8-9	12:8-11	12:8	12:8-9
		12:9
		Descendants of the High Priest Joshua	Genealogical List of High Priests
12:10-11		12:10-11	12:10-11
		Heads of the Priestly Clans	Priests and Levites In the Time of the High Priest Joiakim
12:12-21	12:12-21	12:21-21	12:12-21
		Record of the Priestly and Levite Families
12:22-26	12:22-26	12:22	12:22
		12:23	12:23
		Assignment of Duties in the Temple
		12:24	12:24-25
		12:25
		12:26	12:26
Nehemiah Dedicates the Wall	The Dedication of the Walls	Nehemiah Dedicates the City Wall	The Dedication of the Walls of Jerusalem
12:27-30	12:27-30	12:27-30	12:27-30
12:31-37	12:31-37	12:31a	12:31-37
		12:31b-37
12:38-43	12:38-43	12:38-40a	12:38-39
			12:40-43
		12:40b-42
		12:43
Temple Responsibilities	Arrangements for Temple Revenues	Providing for Worship in the Temple	A Golden Age
12:44-47	12:44-47	12:44-47	12:44-13:3

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired but it is the key to following the original author's intent which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. The purpose of the lists in this chapter (and for that matter the whole book) is difficult to grasp.

1. Verses 1-11 refer to those who initially returned with Zerubbabel and Joshua.

2. Verses 12-26 refer to a later group:

a. priests in Joiakim's (cf. v. 10) day

b. Levites in Eleashib's (cf. v. 10) day

3. Verse 26 implies that the list in vv. 22-26 were contemporaries with Ezra and Nehemiah.

4. Nehemiah 10:2-8 refers to Nehemiah's day (cf. Derek Kidner, Tyndale Commentary Series, p. 122).

B. In comparing all of these other lists in Ezra, Nehemiah, Chronicles, it seems that often priests identify themselves by a prominent ancestor instead of their personal name. The twenty-four divisions of King David (cf. I Chr. 23-24) become a guiding paradigm.

An additional problem is that the priestly families used the same names over and over again.

C. The problem of trying to put a date or historical setting to these names is clearly seen in that Mattaniah and Bakbakiah were Levitical leaders of antiphonal choirs in Zerubbabel's day (cf. 12:8-9) and Nehemiah's day (cf. 11:17).

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:1-7
¹Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
²Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,
³Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,
⁴Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,
⁵Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,
⁶Shemaiah and Joiarib, Jedaiah,
⁷Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah and Jedaiah. These were the heads of the priests and their kinsmen in the days of Jeshua.

12:1 "Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel" The main return of exiled Israelites under Cyrus' decree occurred in 538 b.c. Documenting one's ancestry was very important for the returning exiles to verify their tribal lineage. This list is similar to, but has some differences in comparison with Ezra 2:36-39 and Neh. 7:39-47. The exact reasons for the differences are uncertain.

▣ "Ezra" This is not Ezra, the priest/scribe (cf. Ezra 7; 10; Neh. 8; 12:13,26,33,26).

12:4 "Ginnethoi" The priest's name appears as Ginnethon in 10:6; 12:16 (and the Vulgate).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:8-11
⁸The Levites were Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving, he and his brothers. ⁹Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brothers, stood opposite them in their service divisions. ¹⁰Jeshua became the father of Joiakim, and Joiakim became the father of Eliashib, and Eliashib became the father of Joiada, ¹¹and Joiada became the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan became the father of Jaddua.

12:8-9 This list expands the list in Ezra 2:40-42 of Levites who returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua.

12:8 "Mattaniah who was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving" This was a common name among Levitical musicians. It is also mentioned in I Chr. 9:15; II Chr. 20:14; Neh. 11:17,22; 12:8,25,35.

12:9 "Unni" The MT has (Kethiu-written) Unno, but has a note that it should be read (Qere - read) as Unni.

▣ "stood opposite them in their service divisions" This may refer to liturgical or antiphonal singing aspects of worship (cf. II Chr. 7:6).

Because of v. 24 and the term "opposite" (BDB 617), which means "in front of," it may simply refer to the Levites being divided into twenty-four groupings to share the load of ministry (cf. I Chr. 23:6).

12:10-11 This is a 1ist of the High Priest's family, which may run into the Greek Period. Josephus (Antiq. 11.7.8) says Judda was high priest in 322 b.c.

12:10 "Jeshua. . .Joiakim. . .Eliashib" Jeshua was the descendant of the last high priest when Jerusalem fell in 586 b.c. (cf. Ezra 3:2). Eliashib was the chief priest when Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem in 445 b.c. (cf. Neh. 3:1).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:12-21
¹²Now in the days of Joiakim, the priests, the heads of fathers' households were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;
¹³of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;
¹⁴of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;
¹⁵of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;
¹⁶of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;
¹⁷of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;
¹⁸of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;
¹⁹of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;
²⁰of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
²¹of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

12:14 "Malluchi" In 12:2 the name is spelled Malluch.

▣ "Shebaniah" Many assume he is the same as Shecaniah of 12:3.

12:15 "Meraioth" Many assume he is the same as Meremoth of 12:3.

▣ "Helkai" Many assume he is the Hilkiah of 12:6.

12:16 "Zechariah" This is the post-exilic prophet (519 b.c., cf. Zech. 1:1) linked with Haggai, Zerubbabel, and Joshua.

12:20 "Sallai" Many assume he is the same as Sallu of 12:7.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:22-26
²²As for the Levites, the heads of fathers' households were registered in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan and Jaddua; so were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian. ²³The sons of Levi, the heads of fathers' households, were registered in the Book of the Chronicles up to the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib. ²⁴The heads of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers opposite them, to praise and give thanks, as prescribed by David the man of God, division corresponding to division. ²⁵Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon and Akkub were gatekeepers keeping watch at the storehouses of the gates. ²⁶These served in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra the priest and scribe.

12:22 "Darius" This either refers to the reign of Darius II (423-404 b.c., i.e., Josephus is inaccurate so Derek Kidner, Tyndale Commentary, pp. 143-146) or to the reign of Darius III (336-331 b.c., if Josephus' identifications are correct). Apparently, Jewish scribes had added to the genealogies unto their day

12:23 "the book of the Chronicles" This does not refer to the biblical book of I & II Chronicles, but to the temple records which Ezra and Nehemiah draw from freely.

12:24 "the son of Kadmiel" This is preferable to KJV "Binnui."

▣ "as prescribed by David" See I Chr. 23:6.

▣ "the man of God" This is a title used of Moses (cf. Deut. 33:1; Josh. 14:6). It was used of the prophets. In Hebrew theology one must be a prophet to write Scripture. Moses is called a prophet in Deut. 18. David was considered to be the author of numerous Psalms; therefore, he too must be a prophet, a man of God (ish Elohim).

12:25 "the storehouses of the gates" There were storehouses in the temple in several locations.

1. small rooms off of the central building

2. small rooms at the gates

12:26 "in the days of Nehemiah. . .Ezra" Those who assume that Ezra 7:7 is inaccurate and place Ezra after Nehemiah usually change or delete this verse and vv. 36 and 38. This debate grows out of three theories concerning Ezra 7:7, "seventh year of King Artaxerxes." The traditional view has been to date this in 457 b.c. in the reign of Artaxerxes I. A second theory has been to suppose a scribal error, which should have been "twenty-seventh year of King Artaxerxes." The third theory supposes it to refer to Artaxerxes II which would be 398 b.c. I like the first!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:27-30
²⁷Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres. ²⁸So the sons of the singers were assembled from the district around Jerusalem, and from the villages of the Netophathites, ²⁹from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem. ³⁰The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.

12:27-43 This section deals with the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem, which relates back to chapter 7. The FIRST PERSON SINGULAR PRONOUN "I" appears again (cf. v. 31), as it last did in 7:5.

12:27 "cymbals, harps and lyres" These were also used in Solomon's dedication of the temple (cf. II Chr. 5:13). These returnees tried to mimic Solomon's rituals, procedures, and actions.

12:28 "Netophathites" This was a city near Bethlehem (cf. Ezra 2:22; Neh. 2:26).

12:29 "Beth-gilgal" Beth means "house" or "place." Gilgal means "wheel" or "circle." There are two possibilities:

1. the first camp site of Joshua in the Promised Land (cf. Josh. 4,5,10), near Jericho

2. a place twelve miles north of Shechem (cf. II Kgs. 2:1; 4:38) associated with Elijah and Elisha.

▣ "Geba" This means "height" or "hill." It was a Levitical city of Benjamin (cf. Joshua 21:17; I Sam. 13:3; II Sam. 5:25; I Chr. 6:60; 8:6; II Chr. 16:6; Neh. 11:31; 12:29; Isa. 10:29; Zech. 14:10).

12:30 "purified" This VERB (BDB 372, KB 369, used twice, the first Hithpael IMPERFECT and the second Peel IMPERFECT) means "cleanse" or "purify." The Peel form denotes cleansing:

1. the altar of incense, Lev. 16:19

2. the temple, II Chr. 29:15,16,18; Neh. 13:6

3. Judah and Jerusalem, II Chr. 34:3,5,8

4. of Jerusalem, Neh. 12:30

5. the priesthood, Neh. 13:30

6. the altar Ezek. 43:26

Often the cleansing was by blood or water.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:31-37
³¹Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I appointed two great choirs, the first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward the Refuse Gate. ³²Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah followed them, ³³with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, Jeremiah, ³⁵ some of the sons of the priests with trumpets; and Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph, ³⁶and his kinsmen, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them. ³⁷At the Fountain Gate they went directly up the steps of the city of David by the stairway of the wall above the house of David to the Water Gate on the east.

12:31-43 This is the official dedication of the walls. How soon it followed their construction is uncertain. It was a religious occasion much like Joshua's covenant renewal at Shechem. It is unusual to dedicate a wall in the OT, but in reality it offered protection for the holy city and its holy temple.

12:31 "two great choirs" These two processionals started on the top of the western wall about in the middle (south of the temple). This was exactly where Nehemiah had started his nighttime reconnoitering (cf. 2:13-16). Ezra led one group (v. 36) south, counter clockwise, while Nehemiah followed with the other one north, clockwise (cf. v. 38). They met on the eastern wall level with the temple (the Gate of the Guard, v. 39).

For specific locations see notes at Neh. 3.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:38-43
³⁸The second choir proceeded to the left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of Furnaces, to the Broad Wall, ³⁹and above the Gate of Ephraim, by the Old Gate, by the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate; and they stopped at the Gate of the Guard. ⁴⁰Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me; ⁴¹and the priests, Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah, with the trumpets; ⁴²and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader, ⁴³and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 12:44-47
⁴⁴On that day men were also appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions required by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who served. ⁴⁵For they performed the worship of their God and the service of purification, together with the singers and the gatekeepers in accordance with the command of David and of his son Solomon. ⁴⁶For in the days of David and Asaph, in ancient times, there were leaders of the singers, songs of praise and hymns of thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷So all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah gave the portions due the singers and the gatekeepers as each day required, and set apart the consecrated portion for the Levites, and the Levites set apart the consecrated portion for the sons of Aaron.

12:44-47 This seems to be a parenthesis giving further information and not part of Nehemiah's first person account.

12:45 "in accordance with the command of David and Solomon" See I Chr. 23-26 and II Chr. 8:14.

12:47 The order of tithes is seen in Num. 18:21-32 (cf. Neh.10:38).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How are the lists here and I Chronicles 9 related?

2. Why are the lists of the cities in 11:25-36 and 3:lff different?

3. How are the lists of chapters 12 and 7 related?

4. Were Ezra and Nehemiah contemporaries?

5. How were the priests supported?

Nehemiah 13

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Principles of Separation	Nehemiah's Second Administration	Separation from Foreigners	A Golden Age (12:44-13:3)
13:1-3	13:1-3	13:1-3
The Reforms of Nehemiah		Nehemiah's Reforms	The Second Mission of Nehemiah
13:4-9	13:4-9	13:4-9	13:4-9
13:10-13	13:10-14	13:10-13	13:10-13
13:14		13:14	13:14
13:15-18	13:15-18	13:15-18	13:15-22a
13:19-27	13:19-22	13:19-22a
		13:22b	13:22b
	13:23-27	13:23-27	13:23-27
13:28	13:28-29	13:28	13:28
13:29		13:29	13:29
13:30-31	13:30-31	13:30-31a	13:30-31a
		13:31b	13:31b

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. This chapter illustrates how quickly things can deteriorate. Apparently Nehemiah had returned to the Persian court for a period of time.

B. Note the problems:

1. violations of the holiness of the temple, vv. 4-9

2. lack of support promised to the Levites, vv. 10-14

3. violation of Sabbath requirements, vv. 15-22

4. return to mixed marriages, vv. 1-3,23-29

C. Note Nehemiah's Actions:

1. threw Tobiah out, v. 8 and cleansed the temple storerooms, v. 9

2. restored the Levites to their posts, v. 11 by charging the population to tithe again, v. 12

3. brought in honest stewards from different areas of social life to administer the tithes, v. 13

4. stopped Sabbath trading:

a. confronted the nobles, v. 17

b. closed the gates at dusk, v. 19

c. warned the traders themselves, v. 21

d. appointed Levitical city gate keepers, v. 22

5. stopped the inter-religious marriages by force, v. 25

6. excommunicated part of the family of the high priest, v. 28

D. This chapter seems to end the book on a negative note, but in reality it is a note of restoration and purification.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 13:1-3
¹On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, ²because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel.

13:1 "they read aloud from the book of Moses" The VERB (BDB 894, KB 1128) is a Niphal PERFECT. Whether this is an informal reading like Ezra 8:1-8 or a specifically called for reading like Deut. 31:11 the Feast of Tabernacles, is uncertain (cf. 8:4; 9:3).

These two post-exilic books are characterized by a reverence and desire for the word of God. They hear it and they respond in repentance and faith. The trend is set! They are becoming people of the book! At this point the book was about a thousand years old (i.e., depending on the date of the Exodus), but it was still relevant and crucial for their relationship with YHWH. Cultures change but revelation does not!

▣ "there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God" This is a direct reference to Deut. 23:3-6, which shows that the Mosaic law was available and well known.

This sounds so racist to us, but two things must be noted.

1. These people had to restore a pure people unaffected by Canaanite or pagan culture and myths.

2. Ruth, David's ancestor, was from Moab and she is in the line of the Messiah, as is Rachel the Canaanite prostitute!

See SPECIAL TOPIC: RACISM at Ezra 10:3. See Special Topic: 'Olam (forever) at Ezra 3:11.

▣ "the assembly of God" This is the only place in the OT where the word for assembly, Qahal (BDB 874), and the word Elohim (BDB 43) are placed together. This term Qahal is what the translators of the Septuagint replace with ecclesia, which is the early church's self-chosen title. This shows they were identifying themselves with the Old Testament people of God.

13:2 "Balaam" The account of Moab and Ammon's (who were relatives of the Jews, cf. Gen. 19:30-38) treachery is found in Num. 22:3-11.

Balaam seems to be a spokesperson for God (cf. Num. 22:8-13,18,20; 23:4-5,12,16; 24:1-2). He honored God, but sought his own personal interest. This whole account is a strange and bizarre event!

1. God's prophet hurts Israel

2. God says "go," but is angry when he does

3. a talking donkey

4. Israel's sudden turn to fertility worship

▣ "However, our God turned the curse into a blessing" This is a major theological affirmation and world-view. This has been the history of mankind from Gen. 3. This role reversal concept is so clearly seen in

1. Abraham, Gen. 15:12-21

2. Joseph, Gen. 45:1-15

3. Moses, Exod. 2

One of the best popular books I have ever read that was such a blessing to my life is Hannah Whithall Smith's The Christian's Secret of a Happy Life.

13:3

NASB, TEV
NJB"foreigners"
NKJV"the mixed multitude"
NRSV"those of foreign descent"

The term (BDB 786 I) as used in this text, seems to imply a racism on God's part, but this very same term is used in Exod. 12:38 to describe the believing Egyptians who accompanied the Israelites out of Egypt. The term, although literally referring to descent, is used in a religious sense. In Exodus 12 it is used in a positive sense and here in a negative sense.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 13:4-9
⁴Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, ⁵had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. ⁶But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, ⁷and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. ⁸It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah's household goods out of the room. ⁹Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.

13:4 "Eliashib the priest" He will become the High Priest (cf. 3:1). The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are not in chronological order. Themes and patterns from the past, that moderns do not understand, mold the outline of these books. Events seem out of place to us who are accustomed to sequential, cause and effect, history. Their way of doing history was not bad, but different (selective and theological), as are the Gospels.

▣ "over the chambers of the house of our God" There were many storage rooms in the temple, some along the sides of the main shrine and others in the gates (cf. 12:44). These rooms were to store the tithes of the Levites (cf. v. 5) and the necessities of the cultus rituals. They also housed the money sent from Persia. In this case they converted one of the large rooms into a personal residence for Tobiah (cf. v. 5).

NASB"being related"
NKJV"being allied"
TEV"who was related"
TEV"had for a long time been on good terms"
NJB"who was close to"

The ADJECTIVE (BDB 898) means "near." It can mean (1) close neighbors (cf. I Chr. 12:40) or (2) relatives (cf. Lev. 21:2-3; 25:25; Num. 27:11; Ruth 2:20.

▣ "Tobiah" Tobiah (BDB 375, "YHWH is my good") was an Ammonite who opposed Nehemiah (cf. 2:10,19; 4:3,17; 6:1,12,14,19; 13:4,7,8). As Ezra and Nehemiah resisted the inroads of foreigners in Israel's life, it was inevitable that foreigners of influence and ambition would have places of leadership in Nehemiah's absence and would be hostile to the return to a Mosaic law which excluded them (cf. v. 3), but not all, as vv. 4-9 make plain.

13:5 "grain offering" This was a special flour used to make the cakes for the daily offering.

▣ "frankincense" This (BDB 526 I) was a white tree resin from southern Arabia used in the incense which was placed daily in the Holy Place (cf. Exod. 30:34).

▣ "the contribution for the priest" The Jews tithed to the Levites (cf. 10:38); the Levites tithed to the priests (cf. 10:38).

13:6 Nehemiah served as governor from 445 to 433 b.c. At that time he returned to the court of Artaxerxes I where he stayed for an indefinite period of time. It was long enough for the Jews to relapse from his reform efforts.

Artaxerxes is called king of Babylon. This seems unusual to us because he was king of Persia and yet, Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius I are also referred to as the king of Babylon.

13:7 "in the courts of the house of God" Exactly what court this refers to is uncertain, but it was unlawful for anyone but Levites to be in this temple area.

13:8 Nehemiah was not a gentle man as was Ezra. His anger was both personal and religious. To him God's house was being violated by an evil man.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 13:10-14
¹⁰I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field. ¹¹So I reprimanded the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts. ¹²All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses. ¹³In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered reliable, and it was their task to distribute to their kinsmen. ¹⁴Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.

13:10 Not only was Tobiah allowed to reside in the temple precincts, but the Levites had not been distributed their allotted portions (cf. Num. 18:21-32; Neh. 10:37).

▣ "each to his own field" The Levites were allowed a small portion of land next to the Levitical cities (cf. Numbers 35 and Joshua 21) to supplement what they received from the people (cf. Num. 35:4; Josh. 21:3).

13:11

NASB"reprimanded"
NKJV"contended"
NRSV"remonstrated"
TEV, NJB"reprimanded"

This Hebrew VERB (BDB 936, KB 1224, Qal IMPERFECT) means "a dispute," "a controversy," or "a legal court case." It is used in 5:7; 13:11, 17, 25. It shows the seriousness of these violations.

▣ "then I gathered them and restored them to their posts" "Them" must refer to the Levites who had left the temple service to farm their own small plots of land (cf. v. 10).

13:13 "in charge of the storehouse I appointed" This verse has been used by some to say that Ezra came after Nehemiah because in Ezra 8:33 there were already four treasurers appointed. We know so little about this period that this cannot be used as evidence for a theory of the historical relationship between Nehemiah and Ezra. Ezra and Nehemiah are mentioned together in 12:26,36,38.

The VERB and NOUN are from the same root (BDB 69), which means "treasure," "treasury," or "store," "storehouse." Edwin Yamauchi, Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 362, tries to catch the word play by "I made treasurers over the treasuries."

NASB, NJB"they were considered reliable"
NKJV, NRSV"they were considered faithful"
TEV"I could trust these men in being honest"

The key term (BDB 52) is "faithful," which becomes the term "amen." See SPECIAL TOPIC: AMEN at Neh. 5:13.

13:14 "Remember me for this, O my God" The VERB (BDB 269, KB 269, Qal IMPERATIVE) is used in the sense of supplication, not command. Nehemiah's devotion to YHWH can be clearly seen in his numerous prayers throughout the book (e.g., 5:19; 13:22,31). His leadership skills were derived from his intimate faith in YHWH.

▣ "loyal deeds" Here Nehemiah uses the term hesed to describe his own acts (cf. II Chr. 32:32, where it applies to Hezekiah's acts). However, in v. 22 he uses the term hesed to describe God's loyal covenant acts.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Lovingkindness (Hesed)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 13:15-18
¹⁵In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. ¹⁶Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. ¹⁷Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? ¹⁸Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath."

13:15 "on the sabbath" From Exod. 31:14 and Jer. 17:19-27, we see the seriousness of the Sabbath-breaking practices which originally were part of the apathy and idolatry that caused the exile!

In this short space of Nehemiah's return to the Persian court, the offensives against God's law had reappeared. In the past it was non-Jews who sold produce on the Sabbath (cf. 10:31; 11:16), but now it was the Jews themselves! They flaunted it, even in Jerusalem (cf. v. 16).

13:16 "the men of Tyre" See Ezek. 27:12-36 and 28:16. These merchants coming on the Sabbath was first mentioned in 10:31.

13:17 "profaning the sabbath day" This VERB (BDB 320 III, KB 319, Peel PERFECT) means "to pollute," "to defile." It is used often in connection with the Sabbath (cf. Exod. 31:14; Isa. 56:2,6; Ezek. 20:13,16,21,24; 22:8; 23:38).

The Mosaic covenant promised blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience (cf. Deut. 27-29). The first covenant depended on human performance, but the reality of Genesis 3 doomed it from the start. It thereby forms the need for a new covenant based on YHWH's character and the Messiah's performance. These Jews should have known and done better:

1. the recent experience of the exile

2. the regular reading of the word of God

3. the godly leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah

13:18 YHWH's covenant with all of its blessings was also a great responsibility. Not only for the Israelites, but for the eternal redemptive purposes of God. The Israelites had reaped the consequences of disobedience time and time again (cf. Neh. 9), but still each generation rebelled. Herein is the problem of the Mosaic covenant. It depended on human performance which was affected by the fall of Gen. 3.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 13:19-22
¹⁹It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. ²⁰Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. ²¹Then I warned them and said to them, "Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you." From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. ²²And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

13:19 Nehemiah uses his official governmental authority to close the city on the Sabbath. Godly leadership can affect society.

13:20 "the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem" The reason that Nehemiah would not allow this was because of the temptation for the citizens to walk outside and purchase goods on the Sabbath. Also, the visible reminder of their presence caused problems.

13:22 "the Levites. . .as gatekeepers" The city as a whole was considered holy to Nehemiah, and he appointed Levites to guard the city gates (cf. 7:1).

▣ "For this also remember me, O my God" This is another of Nehemiah's prayers for God to remember his covenant deeds and leadership (e.g., vv. 14,22,31; 5:19). This is in contrast to Nehemiah's prayers for God to remember those who violated His covenant (cf. 6:14; 13:29).

The paradox of biblical faith is clearly seen in this verse. Nehemiah asked God to remember (BDB 209, Qal IMPERATIVE) his deeds, but he based the request on the covenant faithfulness (hesed, BDB 338) of God! God's relationship with fallen humanity is both relational and obedient (cf. Luke 4:46).

▣ "Your lovingkindness" See Special Topic: Hesed at 13:14.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 13:23-29
²³In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.
²⁴As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people. ²⁵So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. ²⁶Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. ²⁷Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?" ²⁸Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. ²⁹Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

13:23 "in those days I saw that the Jews had married women" There is some problem as to the relationship between Ezra 9 and 10 and Nehemiah 10. We cannot answer all of the questions about this, but it is obvious that it was a recurring problem which was not solved by either leader.

▣ "Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab" Not only were these pagan people, but they were enemies of the returning Jews. Their inclusion in the people of God was mandated by Moses (cf. v. 1).

13:24 "As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod" The Hebrew idiom is difficult to translate. It is not certain if they spoke a mixture of one language and the other or simply spoke the other, but it does show the major problem of these mixed marriages was that the education of the children was being done by their pagan mothers. This corrupted the purity of the monotheism of YHWH. These children could not read nor understand God's word.

▣ "the language of Judah" This must refer to Hebrew (cf. II Chr. 32:18). The other people groups in the Persian Province Beyond the River probably spoke a dialect of Aramaic (although it is possible they retained a working knowledge of the ancient tribal language) as did most Jews. The need for a knowledge of Hebrew (learned in synagogue school) was to be able to read and understand God's word.

13:25 This shows the emotional intensity and the seriousness of their sin ("cursed" [BDB 886, KB 1103, Peel IMPERFECT]; "struck" [BDB 645, KB 697, Hiphil IMPERFECT]; "pulled out their hair" [BDB 595, KB 634, Qal IMPERFECT]; "made them swear" [BDB 989, KB 1396, Hiphil IMPERFECT]; also in v. 28, "drove them away" [BDB 137, Hiphil IMPERFECT]).

▣ "I contended with them" The VERB (BDB 936, KB 1224, Qal IMPERFECT) is used several times in this context (cf. vv. 11,17,25; and 5:7).

13:26 See the tragic account in I Kings 11.

13:27 "by acting unfaithfully against our God" This term "unfaithfully" (BDB 591, KB 612, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) is also used in Ezra 10:2,10 to describe Jews marrying pagan women. In Arabic this same root is used for treason, treachery, and betrayal. God is the victim! This term speaks of intimate, personal relationships (cf. Num. 5:11-31, esp. vv. 12,27). This is the very VERB used to describe Moses' act of rebellion in striking the rock (cf. Num. 20:10-12; 27:12-14).

13:28 "even one of the sons of Joiada" This shows that the family of the high priest was involved in these inter-racial marriages even to the point of marrying the daughter of Sanballat, the enemy of the people of God. Verse 29 records Nehemiah's prayer/curse!

13:29 "Remember them" Another prayer of Nehemiah, but this one is a curse!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 13:30-31
³⁰Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, ³¹and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

13:30-31 Nehemiah restored the order established before he left (cf. v. 11).

Jack Finegan, Light From the Ancient Past, vol. 11, thinks that when Nehemiah sent away Manasseh, the son of Joiada, grandson of Eliashub, the high priest, that he started the Samaritan schism and built the rival temple on Mt. Gerizim (p. 310).

13:31 "Remember me, O my God" This book is characterized by Nehemiah's prayers for God to remember

1. His word - 1:8

2. His servant, Nehemiah - 5:19; 13:14,22,31

3. His enemies - 6:14; 13:29

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did the leaders of Jerusalem make alliances with Tobiah and Sanballat?

2. How long was Nehemiah gone from Jerusalem?

3. List the problems which had occurred in his absence. Why was he so upset about these abuses?

4. What is the relationship between Ezra's dealing with mixed marriages and that of Nehemiah's?

Introduction to Esther

I. NAME OF THE BOOK

A. It is named after the Persian Queen of the day.

B. Her name in Hebrew is Hadassah (BDB 213), which means "myrtle" (2:7; Neh. 8:15; Zech. 1:8,10,11). This term is symbolic among the Jews for peace and joy (Zech. 1:8). Myrtle branches are carried in procession during the Feast of Booths.

C. Esther's Hebrew name may have had a similar sound to the following Persian words:

1. star (Persian root, possibly because of the shape of the myrtle blossoms)

2. Ishtar (Queen of Heaven, cf. Jer. 7:18, from Babylonian root)

3. best

4. desired one

(the last two possibilities are from Joyce Baldwin, "Esther," Tyndale OT Commentaries, p. 60)

II. CANONIZATION

A. This book had difficulty being included in the Hebrew canon:

1. probably because it does not mention

a. any name of God

b. the temple

c. the Law of Moses

d. sacrifice (the cultus of Israel)

e. Jerusalem

f. prayer (although it is implied)

2. the Dead Sea Scrolls have copies (in whole or part) of every book of the Hebrew Bible except Esther

3. the book of Esther, like Ruth, is not quoted in the NT

4. it has gotten mixed reviews from commentators:

a. The Jerusalem Talmud (Megilla 7a) says that the "Prophets" section of the Hebrew canon and the "Writings" section may come to an end, but not the Torah and Esther. They would never perish (taken from E. J. Young, Introduction to the Old Testament).

b. Maimonides, a Jewish commentator of the Middle Ages (a.d.1204), said that it was next to the Law of Moses in importance.

c. Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer, said it should be excluded from the canon because it was too Judaistic (he also rejected James and Revelation).

5. it was one of the disputed books discussed at Jamnia (a.d. 90) by the Pharisees after the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70

6. the author of "Ecclesiasticus," also called "the Wisdom of Ben Sirah," who wrote about 180 b.c., never mentions Esther at all (but he does not mention several others also)

7. it seems to have been included in the Jewish canon to explain the origin of the non-Mosaic feast of Purim (9:28-31). In II Maccabees 15:36 Purim is called "the Day of Mordecai."

B. The book of Esther is part of a special list of five rolls/scrolls called the Megilloth. These five small books—Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Lamentations and Esther—are part of the "Writings" section of the Hebrew canon. They are each read at different annual feast days. Esther is read at Purim.

C. The text of Esther varies greatly between the Masoretic Text (Hebrew) and the Septuagint (Greek) translations. The Septuagint is much longer and includes the prayers of Mordecai and Esther. These may have been added to help the book be accepted into the Jewish canon.

D. The church councils of Hippo (a.d. 393) and Carthage (a.d. 397) affirmed Esther's place in the Christian Bible (basically the church accepted the Hebrew canon).

III. GENRE

A. It is historical narrative (cf. 10:2, E. J. Young).

B. It has a historical core which was embellished ®. K. Harrison).

C. Some scholars would identify its genre as historical fiction (novel) to reveal spiritual truth through

1. use of irony

2. careful plot

3. main characters not being known from history

4. exaggerated items (cf. VIII. D.)

IV. AUTHORSHIP

A. There have been many theories about the authorship of this anonymous book.

1. Rabbi Azarias says that Joiakim the High Priest wrote it during the reign of Darius I, in the late sixth century b.c.

2. The Talmud, Baba Bathra 15a, says the men of the Great Synagogue wrote the scroll of Esther. The Great Synagogue was apparently a group of leaders in Jerusalem, which traditionally was said to have been started by Ezra. It later became the Sanhedrin. Although the term "wrote" is used in Baba Bathra it seems to mean "edited," "compiled," or "collected."

3. Iben Ezra, Clement of Alexandria, and Josephus (Antiq. 11.6.1) say Mordecai wrote it, but Esth. 10:3 seems to contradict this (unless it was added by a later editor).

4. Isidore and Augustine both affirm that Ezra wrote it.

B. It is obvious that no one knows. It seems certain that it was a Jew in exile in Persia who was familiar with the Persian court.

C. This unknown author used sources:

1. the memoirs of Mordecai, 9:20

2. Persian historical documents, 2:23; 3:14; 4:8; 6:1; 8:13; 10:2

3. possibly oral traditions, especially of what happened in the provinces

4. what "the book" of 9:32 refers to is uncertain

V. DATE

A. This book mentions a Persian king named Ahasuerus (BDB 31, KB 37), which in Persian means "mighty man" or "mighty eye." Most scholars agree that this is the king known in history by the Greek title Xerxes I (486-465 b.c.).

B. The Septuagint and Josephus, however, call him "Artaxerxes," which is the title of Xerxes' successor, Artaxerxes I (465-424 b.c.)

C. Esther, chapter 1, may reflect a Persian planning session to invade Greece. There is a considerable gap between 1:3 and 2:16 (i.e., 483-480 b.c.). We know from the historian, Herodotus (2.8), that Persia invaded Greece and was repulsed in 480 b.c. He says that the Persian king returned home and spent much more time with his harem (9.108). Xerxes I was defeated by the Greek army at

1. Thermopylae in 480 b.c.

2. Salamis in 480 b.c.

3. Plataea and Mykale in 479 b.c. (cf. Herodotus, History of the Persian Wars VII-IX).

D. As for a Biblical chronology this would put the book between Ezra chapters 6 and 7. There is a 57 year gap in Ezra's account at this point. The man Ezra is not introduced until chapter 7.

E. Esther 10:1-3 implies a time after Xerxes I's death. He was assassinated in 465 b.c.

F. A date in the late fifth century b.c. seems convincing because

1. the form of the Hebrew in Esther is like that of Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah

2. of the presence of Persian loan words

3. of the author's knowledge of Persian customs and court life. An example would be 1:6-8, 10.

VI. SOURCES CORROBORATING THE HISTORICAL SETTING

A. The cuneiform tablets from Nippur, written during the reign of Artaxerxes I (465-424 b.c.), confirm the presence of a large Jewish population in Mesopotamia after the return allowed by the decree of Cyrus II in 538 b.c.

B. Herodotus

1. Herodotus' history about Xerxes I seems to fit the story line of Esther:

a. called an assembly to plan the invasion of Greece (Herodotus 7.8)

b. after his defeat he spent much more time with his harem (Herodotus 7.7)

c. describes Xerxes as capricious, despotic, and passionate

2. This, however, cuts both ways. Herodotus also names and describes Xerxes I's wife. Her name was Amestris, and she had to be from the "family of the seven" (inner circle of counselors, cf. 1:14). The Persian King had seven close counselors (1:14; Ezra 7:14). Herodotus mentions that Amestris accompanied Xerxes I on his Greek campaign (9.108-113).

C. The Elamite tablets of Persepolis (during the reigns of Darius I and Xerxes I) list the name Mordecai as an official of the gate.

VII. LITERARY UNITS (context)

The NIV Study Bible outline is very helpful (cf. p. 719). It uses the three feasts in Esther as the structure to follow the story line:

A. Feast of the King, 1:1-2:18

B. Feast of Esther, 2:19-7:10

C. Feast of Purim, 8-10

VIII. MAIN TRUTHS

A. Obviously the book explains the origin of the annual non-Mosaic feast of Purim (9:28-32). The only other annual non-Mosaic Jewish feast is Hanukkah. There is a good chart on p. 176 of the NIV Study Bible.

B. It was an encouragement to faithfulness to God during times of persecution (especially for those who remained in exile).

C. It clearly demonstrates God's guiding hand in history, not only of Israel but also Persia. The absence of any name of God and any reference to the normal Jewish spiritual practices (except an allusion to fasting and prayer) was a literary foil to emphasize God's mysterious influence and guidance of all human history (cf. 4:14, i.e., the unseen hand).

D. It is interesting that The Jewish Study Bible asserts that the book is "best read as a comedy" (p. 1623). This is based on

1. preposterous rabbinical embellishments

2. the book itself has embellishments

a. the size and length of the first banquet (1:4)

b. the time to prepare the virgins (2:12)

c. the large amount of money (3:9)

d. the size of the gallows or impaling stake (5:14)

e. the large number of people killed in one day (9:16)

Adele Berlin's final analysis is that the book is purely literary and not historical (p. 1624), mentioning Esther's similarity with Joseph and Daniel.

It must be admitted that genre and authorial intent are the key in biblical interpretation. This book does have some surprising aspects, but I am reluctant to jettison the historical in this book (as I am with Joseph and Daniel).

E. Some see this book as another attempt by Satan to destroy the covenant community (cf. 3:6,13) and, thereby, the promised Messiah!

1. Adam's fall (Gen. 3)

2. Angels mixing with men (Gen. 6)

3. Abraham and Isaac giving away their wives

4. destruction of the Jewish people in Esther

Esther 1

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS*

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The King Dethrones Queen Vashti	Ahasuerus' Feast	Introduction	Ahasuerus' Banquet
1:1-9	1:1-9	1:1-2	1:1-4
		1:3-4
		1:5-8	1:5-8
			Disgrace of Queen Vasti
	Vasti's Fall (1:10-2:4)	1:9	1:9-20
1:10-12	1:10-12	1:10-12
1:13-22	1:13-20	1:13-15
		1:16-20
	1:21-2:4	1:21-22	1:21-22

* Although they are not inspired, paragraph divisions are the key to understanding and following the original author's intent. Each modern translation has divided and summarized the paragraphs. Every paragraph has one central topic, truth, or thought. Each version encapsulates that topic in its own distinct way. As you read the text, ask yourself which translation fits your understanding of the subject and verse divisions.
In every chapter we must read the Bible first and try to identify its subjects (paragraphs), then compare our understanding with the modern versions. Only when we understand the original author's intent by following his logic and presentation can we truly understand the Bible. Only the original author is inspired—readers have no right to change or modify the message. Bible readers do have the responsibility of applying the inspired truth to their day and their lives.
Note that all technical terms and abbreviations are explained fully in the following documents: Brief Definitions of Greek Grammatical Structure, Textual Criticism, and Glossary.

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:1-4
¹Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, ²in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa, ³in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. ⁴And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days.

1:1 "Now it took place in the days of" The Handbook on the Book of Esther mentions that this was a common opening term (BDB 224, KB 243 Qal IMPERFECT), used to link the current events (or story) with previous events (p. 13). The same term introduces the biblical books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & II Samuel, Nehemiah, Ezekiel, and Jonah. Esther also concludes with a standardized ending used in I Kings (cf. 14:19,29; 15:23). The author obviously expects it to be understood as history.

▣ "Ahasuerus" This is the Hebrew spelling of the name (cf. Ezra 4:6, BDB 31, KB 37). He is known in history by his Greek name, Xerxes I (486-465 b.c.). The Persian name is Khshayarsha. He is the son of Darius I Hystapes (522-486 b.c.) and grandson of Cyrus (550-530 b.c.). Both the Septuagint and Josephus identify him as Xerxes' successor, Artaxerxes I. Most historians and Bible commentators agree that Esther relates to the reign of Xerxes I.

▣ "India" This would refer to the land of the Indus River, which for us would be in the area of modern Pakistan. It was conquered by Darius I (Herodotus 3.94-106).

▣ "Ethiopia" This would refer to the large territory south of the First Cataract of the Nile, including southern Egypt, Sudan, and parts of Ethiopia (BDB 468 I), which was conquered by Cambyses (530-522 b.c.).

▣ "over 127 provinces" The Persian Empire covered most of the ancient Near East. It included many ethnic groups and nationalities (cf. 9:30). The Persians allowed these groups much local autonomy. Over several provinces there was a regional administrator called a satrap and many lesser officials. Xerxes I's father, Darius, had 20 satraps (cf. Herodotus 3.89).

1:2 "Susa" Susa (called Sushan in Hebrew) was originally the capital of Elam, located on the Kerkha River. It is an ancient city, even mentioned in early Sumerian documents (3000 b.c.). It became the eastern regional capital of the Persian Empire. The city was expanded and beautified under Darius I. Its climate was so hot that the Persian kings used it primarily in winter.

NASB"the capital"
NKJV, NRSV,
NJB"the citadel"
TEV"capital city"

This Hebrew term (BDB 108, KB 123, from an Assyrian loan word) could refer to a city fortress (cf. Ezra 6:2; Neh. 2:8; Dan. 8:2), a palace, or even a fortified temple (cf. Neh. 7:2; I Chr. 29:1,19). Here it refers to the inner fortress in a large, walled city. This city is also the location of chapter 1 of Nehemiah.

1:3 "in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all" We know from history that Xerxes I gave a great feast to plan his military campaign against Greece (cf. Herodotus 7.19). This occurred after his conquest of Egypt. The third year of Xerxes I would be 483 b.c.

▣ "Persia and Media" Cyrus is the first king of the combined Media-Persian Empire. The term Media comes first in Daniel because Cyrus was king of Media before he became king of Babylon and Persia. Persia was the more powerful of the two nations and by Esther's time the order of the names had switched (cf. 1:3,14,18,19), however, in 10:2 they are reversed.

1:4 "180 days" Some see here two different feasts, one lasting 180 days (v. 4) and one lasting 7 days (v. 5). A better understanding of the Hebrew text is that these Persian leaders were given 180 days to assemble on a certain day for a seven day feast in Susa, the capital.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:5-9
⁵When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace. ⁶There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. ⁷Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's bounty. ⁸The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. ⁹Queen Vasti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

1:5 "seven days" Apparently seven was a special number for Persians as it was for Jews (e.g., 1:5,10,14; 2:9).

NASB"the greatest to the least"
NKJV"from great to small"
NRSV"both great and small"
TEV"rich and poor"
NJB"to high and low"

Literally it is "great and small." The same two terms (BDB 152 & 881 I) are used in 1:20 and I Sam. 30:19; II Chr. 15:13 (BDB 152 & 882). In this context it means that all of the people who worked and served in the fortified, upper city (acropolis) were invited to the palace for a seven day feast.

1:6

NASB"There were hangings"
NKJV"There were . . . curtains"
NRSV"There were . . . curtains"
TEV-------
NJB"There were . . . hangings"

The italics (NASB, NKJV) show how this verse intrudes into the context in a grammatically unrelated way. When moderns read this verse we think of wall hangings, but in this hot and windy climate they may have served as shade canopies or walls (cf. James M. Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, pp. 201-202). Persia's colors were white and purple/blue.

▣ "a mosaic pavement" The list of the stones used in the pavement are

1. NASB, NRSV, NJB, "porphyry"

NKJV, "alabaster"

TEV, "red feldspar"

BDB has porphyry, which denotes a reddish to purple color mixed in with other darker rock.

2. NASB, NRSV, NJB, "marble"

NKJV, TEV, "white marble" (?) another hapax legommenon (BDB 1010 II )

3. NASB, NRSV, NJB, "mother of pearl"

NKJV, "black marble" (?)

TEV, "shining mother of pearl," another hapax legommenon (BDB 204)

4. NASB, NJB, "precious stones"

NKJV, NEB, "turquoise" (?)

NRSV, "colored stones"

TEV, "blue turquoise," another hapax legommenon (BDB 695)

▣ Archaeology has confirmed the wealth of the Persian court (cf. also Herodotus 7.27; 9.82). The Persian kings wanted to impress their people and foreign visitors with their wealth, culture, and power!

There are several words in this verse found only here in the OT. Often the only way to translate these hapax legommenon are (1) cognate languages and (2) ancient translations.

1:7 "in golden vessels of various kinds" This also shows an eyewitness detail. Many of these golden vessels were found when the Greeks overran the Persian military camps (cf. Herodotus 3:96).

1:8 "and the drinking was done according to the law" This ambiguous phrase has caused much confusion. The meaning could be:

1. no one could drink the King's wine, but an exception was made for this event

2. all guests could drink as much as they wanted with no restrictions (TEV)

3. usually all guests drank when the king drank (Herodotus 1.13 and Xenophon Cyropaedia 8.8), but on this occasion this rule was not in effect.

NASB, NJB"official of his household"
NKJV"the officers of his household"
NRSV"the officials of the palace"
TEV"police servants"

This title (BDB 913 II) can refer to several types of leaders (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 1029).

1. royal officials or administrators (cf. Dan. 1:3; 2:48; 5:1)

2. palace stewards (cf. Esther 1:8)

3. military commanders (e.g., Jer. 39:3,13; Dan. 2:14)

4. professionals (cf. Dan. 4:6; 5:11)

5. ship captain (cf. Jonah 1:6)

1:9 "Vasti" The precise etymology of this word is uncertain (BDB 255, KB 260), but it may come from:

1. a corruption of Avestan term for "best" (BDB 255)

2. FEMININE PASSIVE PARTICIPLE of Avestan term "the beloved" or "the desired one" (H. S. Gehman, taken from Carey A. Moore, Anchor Bible, "Esther," vol. 13, p. 8).

3. some scholars think that both Amestris and Vasti are attempts to translate one Persian name.

▣ "gave a banquet for the women in the palace" This either refers to the harem (seven eunuchs mentioned in v. 10) or, more probably, to the wives of the guests of the king.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:10-12
¹⁰On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, ¹¹to bring Queen Vasti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. ¹²But Queen Vasti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him.

1:10 "and on the seventh day" The use of the number 7 in chapter 1 is recurrent. See note at 1:5.

▣ "the heart of the king was merry with wine" This context shows the problem of alcohol abuse. See Special Topic at Ezra 7:17.

The phrase itself was an idiom describing the satisfaction of wine and a full dinner (cf. Jdgs. 16:25; I Sam. 25:36; II Sam. 13:28; Prov. 15:15, or satisfaction in general, I Kgs. 8:66).

▣ "eunuchs" This Akkadian term can refer to castrated males (later usage, but possible here because of their dealings with the harem). It was quite common for administrators in the ancient world to have eunuchs and it was a title (e.g., II Chr. 18:8; Jer. 39:3,13). It was used of a married man in Gen. 39, which shows it was not always taken literally.

Some of these personal names have been found in Persian documents and monuments. They do not have any connection with Greek names (refuting a supposed second century Greek authoriship) and are probably Persian in origin. This helps substantiate the historical setting as fifth century b.c. from Persia.

1:11 "to bring Queen Vasti before the king with her royal crown" Older Jewish commentators suggest that she was commanded to appear in "only" her crown! Josephus says that in Persia strangers were not allowed to look at a man's wife. Whatever the reason (cultural or personal), Vasti would not come before this large number of drunken men.

Placing the royal crown on someone's head was a sign of affirmation (cf. 6:8) and status (cf. 1:11; 2:17). It was a symbol of Persian royal authority and power.

Herodotus (9.108-113) says the king was married to a strong willed woman named Amestris. Her father was one of the seven special families and an army general. He had helped Darius I (Xerxes I's father) during a time of rebellion (cf. Herodotus 3.61-84). She was the mother of Artaxerxes I, who was born the very year of Vasti's demotion, 483 b.c. She had great influence with her son, even when he became king. The name Vasti does not appear anywhere outside of Esther.

1:12 Kings were not accustomed to being rebuffed (cf. v. 15). The two VERBS (BDB 893, KB 1124, Qal IMPERFECT and BDB 128, KB 145, Qal PERFECT) describe the king's rage growing within him and becoming a settled wrath!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:13-20
¹³Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times—for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice ¹⁴and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom—¹⁵"According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vasti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?" ¹⁶In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, "Queen Vasti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vasti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.' ¹⁸This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. ¹⁹If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vasti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. ²⁰When the king's edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small."

1:13 "the wise men who understood the times" This same idiom is used in I Chr. 12:32. Maybe the best way to make it contemporary would be "they understood the cultural impact" (cf. vv. 15-18).

Some scholars assert that this refers to the seven special family counselors of the Persian kings (cf. Ezra 7:14,15,28; 8:25).

▣ "before all who knew law and justice" This phrase either characterizes the wise men mentioned above or is a second group of wise men who were specialists in the law (cf. v. 15). Herodotus says there was a group of judges who were appointed for life who advised the Persian kings on matters of law.

1:14 "the seven princes of Persia" We learn from Herodotus 3.84 that there were seven special families who made up Persian nobility (cf. Ezra 7:14; Herodutus 3.84; Xenophon, Anabasis 1.4.6). Members of these families were the close counselors of the Persian kings.

1:15-16 Ahasuerus's advisors made this event a national threat (not only of the king, but potentially of the other husbands) because of Vasti's precedent of disobedience in the presence of the other assembled wives.

1:18 "there will be plenty of contempt and anger" The TEV catches the implication of this phrase by attributing the contempt to the wives of the nobility, and the anger to their husbands.

1:19 "the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed" This historical addition is only known from the Bible (cf. 8:8; Dan. 6:8,12,15). This may have been a literary device used by the writer to ridicule the Persian government. Their unchanging laws were "changed" by YHWH's powerful presence with His covenant people!

In this context it is stated so that Xerxes will not change his mind about the beautiful Vasti when he sobers up (cf. 2:1).

▣ "that Vasti should come no more into the presence fo the King" Vasti remained in the harem, but could not physically be with the king anymore. This was like an official separation.

NASB"who is more worthy"
NKJV, NRSV"who is better"
TEV"to some better woman"
NJB"worthier"

The Hebrew term (BDB 373 II) has a wide semantic field, but in this context it means more obedient or to show proper respect to the king.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:21-22
²¹This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. ²²So he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.

1:22 This verse seems unusual, out of place, but possibly it fits exactly into the ancient, multi-racial Persian context where the native language of the father (whatever the language of the wife) was spoken in the home and taught to the children. Therefore, this decree being written in the many languages of the empire was, in a sense, a way to reinforce the authority of the husband (which was the purpose of Vasti's removal from office).

This thought may connect to Neh. 13:24 and shows the dominance of the Canaanite women.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did the book of Esther have such problems being accepted as Scripture?

2. Are we certain of the exact identity of Ahasuerus, and if so, who is he?

3. How does the image of the king change from the beginning of chapter 1 to the end?

4. What extravagant items are found in this chapter that make some scholars think this is a novel or comedy?

Esther 2

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Esther Becomes Queen	Vasti's Fall (1:10-2:4)	Esther Becomes Queen	Esther Becomes Queen
2:1-7		2:1-4a	2:1-4
	Mordecai and Esther	2:4b
	2:5-11	2:5-7	2:5-7
2:8-11		2:8-9	2:8-11
		2:10-11
2:12-14	2:12-14	2:12-14	2:12-14
2:15-20	2:15-18	2:15-18	2:15-17
			2:18
		Mordecai Saves the King's Life	Mordecai and Haman
	2:19-23	2:19-20	2:19-3:6
2:21-23		2:21-23

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:1-4
¹After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vasti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. ²Then the king's attendants, who served him, said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. ³Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them. ⁴Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vasti." And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

2:1 "when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vasti" Older Jewish commentators (Targums #1 and #2) and Josephus (Antiq. 11.195) say that he remembered her with pleasure and regretted what he had done to her. This seems to fit because the attendants acted quickly to get the king's mind off of the deposed queen (cf. 2:2), who would surely still be mad at them. One of the attendants, Memucan, mentions that the laws of Persia and Media cannot be changed (cf. 1:19).

2:2 "let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king" This VERB (BDB 134, KB 152) is a Peel IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense. It is known from history (Herodotus) that, after Xerxes' defeat by the Greeks in his seventh year, he spent much more time with his harem. This seems to fit precisely the dating of the book of Esther.

Xerxes had a reputation of having many affairs outside of his large harem.

2:3

NASB, NKJV,
TEV, NJB"harem"
NKJV"into the women's quarters"

This is literally "the house of the women" (BDB 61 and 108, cf. 2:9,11,13,14).

▣ "Hegai" Herodotus (9.33) mentions the name of one of Xerxes I's eunuchs, 'egias, which is similar.

▣ "the king's eunuch" See note at 1:10.

▣ "let their cosmetics be given them" From verse 12 we know that there was a year of training involved in the preparation of these women. This included instructions in both court etiquette (especially in light of Vasti's behavior) and the use of beauty aids (cf. v. 9) available in this day.

This term translated "cosmetics" (BDB 600) means to scour (BDB 599, KB 634, cf. Prov. 20:30). In this context it may refer to (1) skin treatments or (2) rubbings (BDB 599). The Anchor Bible, vol. 7b has "massage," p. 18, with oil of myrrh and other cosmetics, p. 23 (cf. KB 634). Notice also the TEV translation of vv. 3,9,12.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:5-7
⁵Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite, ⁶who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled. ⁷He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

2:5 "a Jew" This term (BDB 397, KB 394) has several meanings.:

1. from the tribe of Judah, son of Jacob

2. from the land of Judah

a. tribal allotment in Joshua

b. southern tribes after 922 b.c. split

c. small area around Jerusalem in post-exilic period

3. "someone who is Jewish, not necessarily of the tribe of Judah" (e.g., 2:5; 3:4; 5:13; 6:10; 8:7; 9:29,31; 10:3). This is the historical period when the term "Jew" takes on its modern usage.

▣ "Mordecai, the son of Jair" The exact etymology of the word "Mordecai" is uncertain (BDB 598, KB 632, possibly it related to the Babylonian god, Marduk, cf. Ezra 2:2; Neh. 7:7). He was a Benjaminite. He was in some capacity connected with the gate of the palace (cf. 10:6).

2:6 "who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem" Many have assumed that if this refers to Mordecai he would have been over 100 years old since the exiles under Nebuchadnezzar occurred in either 605, 597, 586, or 582 b.c. However, "who" seems to relate to one of his ancestors and not to Mordecai himself (cf. NRSV, specifies the "who" as Kish).

The mentioning of "Kish" and "Shimei" means

1. he was of the royal line of Benjamin, a relative of King Saul

2. his immediate ancestor taken into captivity carried the famous family names

3. both Kish (cf. I Sam. 9:1-2; genealogy in I Chr. 8:33-40) and Shimei (cf. II Sam. 16:5) are ancient Benjamite family names (Josephus, the Targums).

As we have seen so often in comparing the lists of peoples in Ezra and Nehemiah, specific family names appear again and again and often "son" refers to distant relatives or famous descendants.

▣ "Jeconiah King of Judah" See the account in II Kgs. 24; II Chr. 36. He also is known by Coniah (cf. Jer. 22:24,28) and Jehoiachin (cf. II Kgs. 24:6,8,12).

2:7 "Hadassah. . .Esther" This is a Hebrew name from the term "myrtle" (BDB 213, from the Targums, cf. Isa. 41:19; 55:13; Zech. 1:8,10,11).

▣ "that is Esther" This lady apparently had two names, one Hebrew and one Persian, which must have been common for Jews taken into exile. It is possible that Esther was Hadassah's throne name, but this is unsubstantiated.

NASB, NKJV,
NJB"his uncle's daughter"
NRSV, TEV"his cousin"

The Hebrew term (BDB 187, KB 215) can have several familial references. Josephus and Jewish tradition assert that Mordecai was her uncle; the Old Latin and Vulgate texts have "niece" (cf. F. B. Huey, "Esther," Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 806,807; NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 779, says it is "cousin" not "niece," but p. 923 says it is a possibility). The word has a wide semantic range.

▣ "the young lady was beautiful of form and face" The NKJV is more literal, "lovely and beautiful." The author of Esther often combines words, phrases, and sentences that have similar meanings.

The first term (BDB 1061) means "form" and was used in the sense of "gazed at" (cf. Gen. 29:17; Deut. 21:11; I Sam. 25:3).

The second phrase (BDB 909 and 373 II) means "good appearance." This was used to describe Vasti in 1:11. We would say Esther was stunning and stood out in a crowd, a real show-stopper, eye-catcher (aren't metaphors wonderful!).

▣ "took her as his own daughter" The NET Bible (p. 745) has "he was acting as the guardian." To support this change they use the Koehler-Baumgartner Lexicon, p. 64, and compare the usage "guardian" with II Kgs. 10:1-5.

There is little direct evidence of adoption in the OT, probably because there were so many ways culturally available to have children. See Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, pp. 14-15 or deVaux, Ancient Israel, vol. 1, pp. 51-52.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:8-11
⁸So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king's palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. ⁹Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king's palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. ¹⁰Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known. ¹¹Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

2:8 "many young ladies" Josephus (Antiq. 6.2) tells us that there were 400 young ladies. This does not seem impossible since Plutarch (Artaxerxes, 27.5) mentions that Artaxerxes had 360 concubines.

▣ "Esther was taken to the king's palace" This VERB (BDB 542, KB 534, Niphal IMPERFECT) may imply that she was taken by force (Qal form, cf. v. 15; Gen. 42:36; 44:29; I Kgs. 11:34). The Niphal is used of the Ark being taken away by force (cf. I Sam. 4:11,17,19,21,22). Esther had no cultural choice!

2:9 This verse shows the personal appeal of Esther. Her personality matched her physical beauty. She found favor (see Special Topic: Hesed at Neh. 13:14) with the head eunuch amidst so many other beautiful women.

▣ "He quickly provided" This VERB (BDB 96, KB 111, Peel IMPERFECT) is used several times in Esther (cf. 6:14; 8:14), where it always denotes haste, possibly urgency.

▣ "food" Apparently Esther ate the king's food (unlike Daniel). She either was not familiar with the Levitical food laws (cf. Lev. 11) or perhaps she was concealing her Jewish identity as Mordecai had instructed her (cf. v. 10).

NASB"seven choice maids"
NKJV"seven choice maid-servants"
NRSV"seven chosen maids"
TEV"seven young women especially chosen"
NJB"seven special maids"

Verse 9 shows how Hegai treated Esther with special favors. The number seven was special to both Hebrews and Persians (see note at 1:5). Esther had seven specially chosen (BDB 906, KB 1154, Qal, PASSIVE PARTICIPLE) servants. Apparently the other young virgins did not have this extra care.

Why did Hegai do this?

1. He and Esther had become friends.

2. He saw in Esther the probability of the new queen and wanted to gain her favor.

3. This was the unseen hand of God.

2:10 On Mordecai's request Esther did not let anyone know that she was of a royal line of Benjamin, a Jew.

Mordecai's daily visits were a sign of

1. his love for his adopted daughter

2. his fear of anti-Semitism in Persia

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:12-14
¹²Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women—¹³the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. ¹⁴In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

2:12 "after the end of twelve months under the regulations for the women" This shows that there was a year of training in court etiquette and beauty treatments (which was meant to remove skin blemishes and lighten skin color). The lengthy period may also have been a way of detecting any kind of disease.

2:13 "anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace" Letting the women choose their own dress and adornments was one way of letting the king know something about the girl's personality.

2:14 "the second harem. . .the concubines" It is uncertain exactly what this phrase specifically relates to, but it is known from history that there were three segments of the royal harem. There were the king's wives, concubines, and virgins. The women who went into the king's presence one time and were never called again still became permanently part of the harem (i.e., concubines) because of their one intimate contact with the king. They became, in some sense, royalty themselves (cf. II Sam. 16:20ff dealing with Absalom and I Kings 1 and 2 dealing with Adonijah).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:15-16
¹⁵Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abigail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king's eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her. ¹⁶So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

2:15 Esther had grown to trust Hegai. His recommendations would be honored and implemented. Esther's natural beauty may have been accentuated by the plainness of her attire. Apparently Hegai knew the king's preferences.

Esther had a certain presence which attracted people (cf. 2:17; 5:2). This was the unseen hand of God, which is active throughout the account.

2:16 "in the tenth month. . .in the seventh year of his reign" It had been almost four years since Vasti was removed from her place as queen. She was not removed from the harem, but from her position as the king's number one wife. Historically, this seems to be a long period of time, but if a two year Greek campaign is interposed it fits precisely in the known history of the Persian period. See Special Topic: Ancient Near Eastern Calendars at Ezra 3:1.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:17-18
¹⁷The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vasti. ¹⁸Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king's bounty.

2:17 Again the author's literary style of using parallel words, phrases, or sentences is seen.

A. The overall pattern of the verse

1. The VERB "loved" (BDB 12, KB 17) is Qal IMPERFECT, which matches the VERB (BDB 669, KB 724) before "favor" and "kindness" (see Special Topic: Hesed at Neh. 13:14). This VERB (Qal IMPERFECT) describes a deep longing for one's sexual partner.

a. Isaac - Rebekah, Gen. 24:67

b. Jacob - Rachel, Gen. 29:18,20,30

c. Samson - different women, e.g., Jdgs. 16:4

d. Elkanah - Hannah, I Sam. 1:5 (Qal PERFECT)

e. Rehoboam - Ma'acah, II Chr. 11:21

f. Xerxes - Esther, Esther 2:17

(List from NIDOTTE, vol. 1, p. 291, but with changes)

2. The descriptive phrase, "more than all the women," is an inclusive, emphatic assertion. It parallels the descriptive phrase, "more than all the virgins."

B. The descriptive terms

1. favor (BDB 336, cf. 5:2; VERB form used in 5:8; 7:3; 8:5)

2. kindness (BDB 338, cf. 2:9)

This is apparently a hendiadys. Apparently Esther's turn with the king was later in the rotation (four years had passed), possibly last because with her arrival before the king the contest stopped! As is common with Persian kings, the drinking party begins!

2:18 "he also made a holiday for the provinces" The term (BDB 629, KB 252), meaning "a giving of a rest," is a hapax legommenon and could refer to several royal favors:

1. no taxation (for a set period of time, KB 252)

2. no military draft (for a set period of time)

3. special amnesty (for a set period of time)

a. to slaves

b. to debtors

c. to prisoners (LXX)

4. a special holiday (BDB 629, from Aramaic root)

There is a historical example of the same type of amnesty found in Herodotus, Histories 3.67, which denotes a cancellation of #1 and #2 for three years.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2:19-23
¹⁹When the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate. ²⁰Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care. ²¹In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. ²²But the plot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai's name. ²³Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the king's presence.

2:19 "when the virgins were gathered together the second time" It is uncertain what the "second time" refers to (i.e., a time, a place, a part of the house of women). Some have assumed that it refers to (1) a second assembling of the first group at the king's house or to the main harem in contradistinction to the second harem (cf. v. 14) or (2) a second group of virgins (the king's sexual freedom did not stop with his infatuation with Esther).

2:21 "while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate" Mordecai's presence at the king's gate (cf. 2:19, 21; 3:2; 4:6; 5:9,13; 6:10,12) denotes a place of power and trust. He was a Persian official of some type connected with (1) protecting the king; (2) administering legal matters for the king; or (3) some type of advisor.

There has been much speculation as to how Mordecai became privy to this assassination attempt: (1) Targum #1 says that he knew the seventy languages of the world and simply overheard them speaking; (2) Targum #2 says that the Holy Spirit revealed it to him (i.e., the unseen hand of God); (3) Josephus says that a slave of the conspirator Teresh heard of the plot and since the slave was a Jew himself, told Mordecai.

▣ "those who guarded the door" Apparently, these were two eunuchs (see note at 1:10, i.e., personal guards) whom the king had made angry in some way. These close servants would have direct access to the king and would have had the best opportunity to assassinate him.

2:23 "hanged on a gallows" It is uncertain if this refers to the manner of death (i.e., hanging, BDB 1067, KB 1738, Niphal IMPERFECT) or to a later public humiliation by impaling. The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1629, gives Gen. 40:19; Deut. 21:22; Josh. 8:29; 10:26; I Sam. 31:10 as biblical accounts of impaling and then gives comments by Herodotus (cf. Hist. 3.125; 7.238) as confirming the practice. The NIV Study Bible agrees with this interpretation and gives further references in Herodotus (i.e., 3.129,159; 4.43).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. How can we explain the almost four years between the deposing of Vasti and the crowning of Esther?

2. Explain the beauty treatments and their purpose (cf. v. 12).

Esther 3

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Haman's Conspiracy Against the Jews	Haman and Mordecai	Haman Plots to Destroy the Jews	Mordecai and Haman (2:19-3:6)
3:1-7	3:1-6	3:1-6	The Decree of Extermination Against the Jews
	3:7-11	3:7	3:7-9
3:8-11		3:8-9
		3:10-11	3:10-11
3:12-15	3:12-15	3:12-14	3:12-13
			3:14-15a
		3:15
			3:15b

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:1-6
¹After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him. ²All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. ³Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, "Why are you transgressing the king's command?" ⁴Now it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. ⁶But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

3:1 "After these events" The UBS Handbook on the Book of Esther, p. 88, says that this phrase is a regular literary device used by the author of Esther to signal the beginning of the next part of the story (e.g., 2:1).

▣ "promoted" This VERB (BDB 152, KB 178, Peel PERFECT) is also used in 5:11. It means to make great or powerful. The reason for Haman's promotion is not stated.

There is a parallel relationship between this VERB and

1. "advanced him" (BDB 669, KB 724, Peel IMPERFECT)

2. "established his authority over all the princes" (BDB 962, KB 1321, Qal IMPERFECT)

This was a major political promotion into the second most powerful position of authority at the palace, if not the realm. The irony is that Mordecai's efforts in saving the king's life went unnoticed (cf. 2:19-23).

▣ "Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite" The exact etymology of the term "Agagite" (BDB 8, KB 10, "violent" or "angry") has caused much discussion. It is either an unknown geographical location (cf. NJB, from an inscription of Sargon, a district of Persia-Agag) or a family name, or it may be related to Agag (cf. TEV), the king of the Amalekites (Talmud, Targums, and Josephus' Antiq. 11.209), the traditional enemy of the Jews (cf. Exod. 17:8-16; Num. 24:20; Deut. 25:17-19; Jdgs. 6:3,33; I Sam. 15:8; I Chr. 4:42, 43). This third option is more plausible when Mordecai's Benjamite ancestry is contrasted to Haman's (literary foil).

The Jewish Study Bible mentions that Jewish tradition (the Targums) takes the rivalry between Israel and the Amalekites back to the rivalry between Jacob and Esau (cf. Gen. 36:12).

3:2 "bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him" This was simply polite court etiquette (cf. Herodotus 1.134; BDB 502, KB 499, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE and BDB 1005, KB 295, Hithpael PARTICIPLE. Both mean "bow down," but the second implies prostration). Some have assumed that since the king commanded (BDB 845, KB 1010, Piel PERFECT) it that Haman was a non-Persian. For whatever the reason, Mordecai would not bow down and pay homage to Haman. There have been many theories concerning his refusal:

1. bowing down involved worship and he refused because he was a Jew (cf. Daniel 3 and Esth. 3:4)

2. older Jewish commentators assert that Haman wore an idol (winged disk symbolic of Ahura Masda) around his neck and Mordecai would not bow down to the idol

3. others assume that Haman was a descendant of Agag (the Agagite or Amalekite), the enemy of Israel who was attacked by King Saul (cf. I Sam. 15), and Mordecai would not bow down to an enemy

3:3-4 From these two verses it is obvious that Mordecai's continuing refusal to pay homage to Haman was connected to his being a Jew (cf. vv. 4,6). By wilfully disobeying a royal command, he was putting his job and his life in jeopardy. By angering Haman he was putting every Jew in the empire at risk!

3:5 "Haman was filled with rage" The plot develops around this man's "being filled ("filled [BDB 569, KB 583, Niphal IMPERFECT] with rage" [BDB 404, KB 326]) at this one Jew from which he extrapolates an irrational hatred for all Jews (as Saul had attempted to kill all Amalekites, Josephus, Antiq. 11.211). An element of anti-Semitism is obvious (cf. v. 8). This is the first of several mood swings. Haman is depicted as rapidly moving from elation to fury!

▣ The term "rage" (BDB 404, KB 326) is used several times in Esther:

1. of the king, 1:12; 2:1; 7:7,10

2. of Haman, 3:5; 5:9

Haman's anger develops into the king's anger.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:7-11
⁷In the first month, which is the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and from month to month, until the twelfth month, that is the month Adar. ⁸Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king's laws, so it is not in the king's interest to let them remain. ⁹If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king's business, to put into the king's treasuries." ¹⁰Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹The king said to Haman, "The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please."

3:7 "the first month, which is the month of Nisan" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN CALENDARS at Ezra 3:1.

▣ "in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus" Esther would have been queen now for approximately four years. This would be 474 b.c.

▣ "Pur, that is the lot, was cast before Haman from day to day and month to month" This term "Pur" (BDB 807, KB 920) seems to be related to the Feast of Purim (BDB 807, cf. 9:32). It is now known that it is an Akkadian loan word which denoted a means by which one could know the best timing for future events (cf. v. 13). This was an ancient way to know the will of a deity. It is used in the OT for the dividing of the Promised Land in Joshua (i.e., the Urim and the Thummim of the High Priest); notice two uses in Nehemiah (cf. 10:34; 11:1) and in the NT for the filling of the place of Judas Iscariot (cf. Acts 1:26). Apparently Haman had the magi or sorcerers (cf. 6:13; Herodotus 3:128) cast these stones in order to know the specific date on which he would (1) revenge himself on the Jewish nation or (2) approach the king about their destruction. He was obviously looking for divine sanction for his evil plans. The lot fell on a date about eleven months in the future.

In this verse both the Akkadian term (BDB 807) translated "Pur" and the parallel Hebrew term (BDB 174) translated "the lot" are used together as in 9:24.

3:8 "their laws are different from those of all other people" Here is another example of "different equals bad." This is also flagrant exaggeration and stereotyping. Haman takes Mordecai's refusal to bow down to him because he was a Jew and extends his actions to all Jews in all provinces.

NASB, NKJV"scattered and dispersed"
NRSV"scattered and separated"
TEV"scattered"
NJB"a certain unassimilated nation scattered"

There are two Pual PARTICIPLES. They are parallel, but not synonymous. The first (BDB 808, KB 921) means distributed through the Persian empire (because of the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles). The second (BDB 825, KB 962) means "self-imposed separateness or exclusiveness," Anchor Bible, vol. 7B, p. 39. This meaning is seen in the NJB translation. The next phrase characterizes one aspect ("their laws are different") of this separateness. It is the very separateness that allowed the Jews to maintain their culture and tradition while in exile. The chief mechanism of the preservation of culture was the local synagogue.

3:9 "Let it be decreed" This VERB (BDB 507, KB 503) is a Niphal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense (cf. 1:19).

▣ "and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king's business, to put into the king's treasuries" This is a stupendous amount of money. We know from history that it equals two-thirds of the annual budget of the Persian empire (cf. Herodotus, Histories 3.95). Whether Haman was personally very wealthy or if he planned to use the plunder of the slain Jews is uncertain. Obviously the king was interested in this kind of arrangement since his coffers had been drained by the Greek war. The amount of money shows the intensity of the hatred of Haman.

3:10 "the king took his signet ring from his hand" The signet ring was a sign of the king's authority. It is amazing that the king checked Mordecai's story in 2:23, but does not check Haman's story!

3:11 "and the king said to Haman, 'The silver is yours'" Literally this is "the silver is given to you," which is a Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE. It seems from the context that this is the beginning of an Oriental bargaining section (similar to Gen. 23), not simply the king saying to Haman to keep all the money (i.e., silver) yourself (cf. 3:9; 4:7). The king was allowing him to pay those who would destroy the Jews and turn in their property to the crown.

The term "silver" was used in the sense of money, not always for literally weighing out the metal itself (e.g., I Kgs. 20:39; Isa. 55:2).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:12-15
¹²Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and it was written just as Haman commanded to the king's satraps, to the governors who were over each province and to the princes of each people, each province according to its script, each people according to its language, being written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring. ¹³Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces to destroy, to kill and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to seize their possessions as plunder. ¹⁴A copy of the edict to be issued as law in every province was published to all the peoples so that they should be ready for this day. ¹⁵The couriers went out impelled by the king's command while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in confusion.

3:12 "on the thirteenth day of the first month" The IVP Bible Background Commentary, Old Testament, has a great comment about this date.

"Passover, the greatest celebration of deliverance of the Israelites, was celebrated on the fourteenth of Nisan. The edict was written on the thirteenth of Nisan, so it began to be distributed on the fourteenth. Thus, just as the Jews were celebrating deliverance from their great enemy of the past, the Egyptians, they were learning of a new plot from a new enemy" (p. 488).

▣ "satraps. . .governors. . .princes" These are the three levels of Persian administration. The highest being the satraps, which numbered about thirty.

▣ "sealed with the king's signet ring" This phrase is parallel to "being written in the name of King Ahasuerus." The ring was used as an official seal. It was pushed into a blob of hot wax, not to seal a document, but as a sign the document was from the king (cf. 8:8; Gen. 41:42).

3:13 "to destroy, to kill and to annihilate" The author of Esther regularly uses several VERBS in parallel (cf. 7:4):

1. "to destroy" (BDB 1029, KB 1552, Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT)

2. "to kill" (BDB 246, KB 255, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT)

3. "to annihilate" (BDB 1, KB 2, Piel INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT)

The object of this attack is "all Jews":

1. young and old

2. children and women

This legal terminology clearly spells out the extent of the slaughter!

3:14 The interpretive question is, to whom is this decree addressed?

1. all citizens

2. the military

The answer probably lies in the compensation given to those who kill the Jews. Do they get part of their property? If so, then #1, but if not, then #2. If #2 Haman's offer of money was to pay for the military operation.

▣ "for this day" Literally "in one day." The interpretive question is, does this mean

1. all Jews were to be killed on one day, or

2. that the attacks were to be coordinated through all the provinces on one day?

From 9:11-15, option #1 seems best.

3:15 "the city of Susa was in confusion" The VERB "was in confusion" (BDB 100, KB 115, Niphal PERFECT) is used of Pharaoh thinking that evasive movement of the fleeing slaves was confusion (cf. Exod. 14:3). There have been two theories related to this phrase: (1) had a higher moral sense than the king, which seems to be implied from 8:15 or (2) citizens of Susa were planning how and who to kill in order to get their property.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did Mordecai not bow down to Haman?

2. Are we certain that Haman is a relative of Agag, a king of the Amalekites?

3. How were lots cast and what was their purpose? Are there other examples in the OT?

4. How large a sum of money is ten thousand talents of silver and how does it relate to the economy of the day?

Esther 4

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Esther Agrees to Help the Jews	The Appeal to Esther	Mordecai Asks for Esther's Help	Mordecai and Esther Try to Avert the Danger
4:1-3	4:1-3	4:1-3	4:1-3
4:4-9	4:4-8	4:4-11	4:4-5
			4:6-8
	4:9-17		4:9-11
4:10-12
		4:12-14	4:12-14
4:13-17
		4:15-16	4:15-17
		4:17

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 4:1-3
¹When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly. ²He went as far as the king's gate, for no one was to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth. ³In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.

4:1 "he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went in the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly" These were Jewish mourning rites; more are listed in v. 3:

1. tore his clothes, v. 1

2. put on sackcloth, vv. 1,3

3. put on ashes (or dust, but on the head), vv. 1,3

4. wailed loudly and bitterly, vv. 1,3

5. fasted, v. 3

6. wept, v. 3

Numbers 1 and 2 are often done together (cf. Isa. 58:5; Jer. 6:26; Jonah 3:6). The Persians also practiced #1 (cf. Herodotus, Hist. 8.99).

4:2 Expressing personal emotions in the king's presence or palace was inappropriate (cf. Neh. 2:1-2).

4:3

NASB, NKJV,
NJB, NIV"many"
NRSV, TEV,
REB"most"
JPSOA"everybody"
NAB"all"

The Hebrew has "many," but this term often has the connotation of "all" (cf. Isa. 53:11,12 vs. 53:6; Rom. 5:19 vs. 5:18).

▣ "lay on sackcloth" Sackcloth was made of coarse goat or camel hair. It was rough and most uncomfortable when worn close to the skin. The Jews wore it as an outer garment and even slept on it (cf. II Sam. 21:10; I Kgs. 21:27; Isa. 58:5).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 4:4-8
⁴Then Esther's maidens and her eunuchs came and told her, and the queen writhed in great anguish. And she sent garments to clothe Mordecai that he might remove his sackcloth from him, but he did not accept them. ⁵Then Esther summoned Hathach from the king's eunuchs, whom the king had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was. ⁶So Hathach went out to Mordecai to the city square in front of the king's gate. ⁷Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact amount of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict which had been issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show Esther and inform her, and to order her to go in to the king to implore his favor and to plead with him for her people.

4:4

NASB"the queen writhed in great anguish"
NKJV, NRSV"the queen was deeply distressed"
TEV"she was deeply disturbed"
NJB"she was overcome with grief"

The VERB (BDB 296 I; KB 297; Hithpalpel IMPERFECT) means to writhe in anxiety. The term is often used of child birth (cf. Ps. 29:8; 55:4-5; Isa. 26:17; 51:2), as well as the pain of the wicked in judgment (cf. Job 15:20). The ADVERB "deeply" (BDB 547) is added for emphasis. This term is used for both physical and psychological pain.

Her servants evidently knew her close relationship to Mordecai even though they may not have known that they were blood relations. Esther was greatly concerned about her uncle's actions.

4:7-8 Mordecai tells Esther's servant (Hathach) the situation and even gives him a copy of the posted edict to show Esther.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 4:9-12
⁹Hathach came back and related Mordecai's words to Esther. ¹⁰Then Esther spoke to Hathach and ordered him to reply to Mordecai: ¹¹"All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days." ¹²They related Esther's words to Mordecai.

4:9-12 She seemed to fear for her own life in breaking Persian court customs more than for the slaughter of her people! We learn of some of these customs from Herodotus (Hist. 3.118,140), which implies that only members of the seven special Persian families could approach the king without his permission.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 4:13-17
¹³Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine that you in the king's palace can escape any more than all the Jews. ¹⁴For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" ¹⁵Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, ¹⁶"Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish." ¹⁷So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.

4:13 Mordecai seems to be somewhat upset at Esther's response. Mordecai plainly tells Esther that if all the Jews die, then she will also die!

4:14 "relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place" This is where most commentators assert that a strong allusion to God is assumed (as in v. 16, cf. the Targums and Josephus' Antiq. 6.7). This is the Hebrew doctrine of God's providence. The Jews were an integral part of God's redemptive plan for all humanity (cf. Rom. 9:4-5).

The term "relief" (BDB 926, KB 1194) has a wide semantic field (possibly reflects two separate roots). Its primary meaning was "to be wide or spacious," but the same three consonants can also mean

1. liberation

2. air, breath, wind, spirit

3. smell, odor, scent

Here it means deliverance as in Gen. 32:16.

As God delivered His people from Egypt (cf. Gen. 45:5-7) He will deliver them from Haman. Esther has been placed in a special place for God to use (like Joseph) at this critical time (i.e., the unseen hand of God).

▣ "And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this" This is the most famous phrase in the book of Esther. It encourages great faith in God's unseen, but present, care and providence (the unseen, but ever-present, hand of God)!

▣ "you and your father's house will perish" Although Mordecai has confidence that God will deliver His people, Esther must choose if she will allow God to work through her life. This is the biblical tension between God's unconditional covenant (i.e., human redemption) and the conditional individual response.

4:16 "do not eat or drink for three days" There is a series of IMPERATIVES (3) and two IMPERFECTS used in a JUSSIVE sense.

1. go (BDB 229, KB 246, Qal IMPERATIVE)

2. assemble (BEB 488, KB 484, Qal IMPERATIVE)

3. fast (BDB 847, KB 1012, Qal IMPERATIVE)

4. do not eat (BDB 27, KB 40, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense)

5. do not drink (BDB 1059, KB 1667, Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense)

This verse vividly communicates Esther's fear ad faith!

Although prayer is not specifically mentioned, prayer and fasting are definitely linked in the OT.

This verse alludes to the mystery of prayer and providence. It is obviously God's will that the Jewish people survive in order for the Messiah to come. Why then such extraordinary means: (1) fasting (three days and nights with no food or water, a total fast) and (2) the numbers of people? Will God not act unless His people humble themselves and pray? God's redemptive will must have priority over human action! Does this whole context imply that God will surely accomplish His purposes, but possibly not through Esther and Mordecai (cf. v. 14)?

These questions are mysteries. Mystery about (1) a sovereign God and a covenant people; (2) prayer and providence; and (3) the new modern theological emphasis on open-theism (cf. Clark Pinnock, The Most Moved Mover). See SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE Versus Human Free Will at Neh. 9:7.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Explain Mordecai's statements in v. 14 and how they relate to your understanding of God's activity in your life.

2. Where in this chapter is God's presence and care assumed but not specifically stated?

3. Why does the book never mention God?

Esther 5

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Esther's Banquet	Esther Before the King	Esther Invites the King and Haman to a Banquet	Esther Intrudes on the Royal Presence
5:1-5	5:1-8	5:1-3	5:1-5
		5:4
5:6-8		5:5-6
			5:6-8
		5:7-8
Haman's Plot Against Mordecai	Haman's Exaltation and Chagrin	Haman Plots to Kill Mordecai
5:9-14	5:9-14	5:9-13	5:9-14
		5:14a
		5:14b

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:1-4
¹Now it came about on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace in front of the king's rooms, and the king was sitting on his royal throne in the throne room, opposite the entrance to the palace. ²When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king extended to Esther the golden scepter which was in his hand. So Esther came near and touched the top of the scepter. ³Then the king said to her, "What is troubling you, Queen Esther? And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be given to you." ⁴Esther said, "If it pleases the king, may the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him."

5:1 "on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes" This implies that she took off the sackcloth and ashes of fasting (cf. 4:16) or that she simply put on her royal robes as she approached the king.

▣ "and stood in the inner court of the king's palace in the front of the king's rooms" This verse is a very accurate description of the inside of the Persian palace at Susa. This has been confirmed by archaeological excavation and it is obvious that we are dealing with an eyewitness account of someone connected with the Persian court.

5:2 "she obtained favor in his sight" This theme of Esther finding favor is recurrent (cf. 2:9,15; 5:2,8; 7:3; 8:5). The invisible hand behind this favor shown to Esther by so many is the unseen hand of God. His presence was unseen in this post-exilic period, as it is today. Believers trust by faith, not sight, that God is with them and for them because of His promises in His book! The recurrent theme in Nehemiah was "trust and act on the word of God."

▣ "extended to Esther the golden scepter" This was the sign of acceptance at the Persian court (cf. Herodotus, 1.99). This scepter is depicted in several Persian wall paintings and carvings.

5:3 "What is troubling you" Obviously, Esther being willing to risk her life by coming without being summoned meant that something was gravely wrong.

▣ "even to half of the kingdom will be given to you" This shows the king's favor of Esther by using an Oriental idiom of exaggeration (cf. 5:6; 7:2; and Herodotus 9.109-11, as well as Herod's use of the same idiom in Mark 6:23).

5:4 "may the king and Haman come" Some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text have the first four initial consonants of the first four words emphasized because they spell out the divine name YHWH. This seems to be a coincidence of word order, not the premeditated theology of the original author. I personally reject all secret messages which clever people find hidden in ancient texts. God wants all humans in every age to fully understand His word.

Usually Persian kings ate alone, possibly joined from time to time by family or someone from the seven special families. For Esther to invite the king for a private meal was unusual, but to also invite Haman would have been highly unusual. Why she did this is uncertain, but her fasting and prayers brought faith and wisdom (the unseen hand of God)!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:5-8
⁵Then the king said, "Bring Haman quickly that we may do as Esther desires." So the king and Haman came to the banquet which Esther had prepared. ⁶As they drank their wine at the banquet, the king said to Esther, "What is your petition, for it shall be granted to you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done." ⁷So Esther replied, "My petition and my request is: ⁸if I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and do what I request, may the king and Haman come to the banquet which I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king says."

5:7-8 Esther's request may have been (1) out of fear (i.e., afraid to ask) or (2) a purposeful plan to pique the king's interest.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:9-14
⁹Then Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart; but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate and that he did not stand up or tremble before him, Haman was filled with anger against Mordecai. ¹⁰Haman controlled himself, however, went to his house and sent for his friends and his wife Zeresh. ¹¹Then Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, and the number of his sons, and every instance where the king had magnified him and how he had promoted him above the princes and servants of the king. ¹²Haman also said, "Even Esther the queen let no one but me come with the king to the banquet which she had prepared; and tomorrow also I am invited by her with the king. ¹³Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." ¹⁴Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet." And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made.

5:9 "Haman went out that day glad and pleased of heart" This book, like the Bible itself, is filled with shocking role reversals (i.e., Adam, Joseph, David, Solomon, Manasseh, etc.). The evaluations of the people of this planet are different from God's (e.g., Isa. 55:8-11; Ezek. 18:32).

In this book Haman is up and down, up and down, up and down. He becomes a type of restless evil, human cunning, thwarted by God's unseen hand.

▣ "Mordecai in the king's gate" Again Mordecai is identified with the palace guard (cf. 2:19,21; 3:2; 5:13; 6:10).

▣ "he did not stand up or tremble before him" After the issuing of the edict for the destruction of the Jews, Mordecai not only would not bow down, but would not even recognize Haman's presence. Mordecai had no respect for, or fear of, Haman!

▣ "Haman was filled with anger" The VERB (BDB 569, KB 583, Niphal IMPERFECT) expresses Haman's hatred (cf. 3:5).

His irrational anger (cf. v. 13) will be his undoing. The role reversal will occur because of Haman's anger/hatred/wrath (BDB 404).

5:10-14 Haman apparently had spiritual advisors who used divination for him (cf. 3:7; 6:13).

5:11 "the glory of his riches" The Hebrew word "glory" (BDB 458, KB 457) often is associated with wealth (cf. Gen. 31:1; I Chr. 29:12,28; II Chr. 1:11,12; Prov. 3:16). The word's basic meaning of "to be heavy" relates to weights of precious metals.

▣ "the number of his sons" From 9:7-10 we learn that Haman had ten sons. Both Hebrews and Persians saw a large number of sons as a sign of divine blessing (cf. Herodotus, 1.136).

5:13 "Yet all of this does not satisfy me every time I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate" Haman's hatred was stronger than all of the wealth and power that the king had given. This is a valid psychological insight on what a root of bitterness will do to a human heart!

5:14 "Have a gallows fifty cubits high" There is a series of IMPERATIVES (2) and IMPERFECTS (2) used as JUSSIVES:

1. "have a gallows. . .made" (BDB 793, KB 889) Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense

2. "ask the king" (BDB 55, KB 65), Qal IMPERATIVE

3. "hang Mordecai" (BDB 1067, KB 1738), Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE sense

4. "go joyfully. . .to the banquet" (BDB 97, KB 112), Qal IMPERATIVE

A cubit is the distance from a man's longest finger to his elbow, about 18 to 20 inches. We know from history about two different cubit measurements, one about 18 inches and a longer cubit as the official one for construction. This would have made the gallows about 75-85 feet high (higher than the columns of the king's palace). This may not relate to a hanging gallows but to a sharpened stake. The Persians were noted for impaling people, not for hanging them (cf. 9:13; Herodotus 3:159; 4:43; the Behistun Inscription column 2, paragraph 13 and 14; column 3, paragraph 8).

It is the exaggerations (e.g., the amount of money Haman offered for the Jews' destruction) in the book that cause literary scholars to reexamine the genre. It is not that the book itself causes insurmountable problems, but that, like Jonah and Job, it may have an historical core which is elaborated for theological reasons.

A 75-85 foot impaling stake certainly shows the extent of hatred and planning of Haman and his advisors! But the unseen hand of God, shockingly reverses the roles of Haman and Mordecai!

Esther 6

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The King Honors Mordecai	Mordecai's Triumph	The King Honors Mordecai	The Discomfiture of Haman
6:1-3	6:1-11	6:1-3a	6:1-10
		6:3b
6:4-11		6:4a
		6:4b-5a
		6:5b
		6:6a
		6:6b
		6:7-9
		6:10
		6:11	6:11-13
6:12-14	6:12-13	6:12-13
		Haman Is Put to Death (6:14-7:10)	Haman at Esther's Banquet (6:14-7:7)
	6:14	6:14-7:2	6:14-7:7

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 6:1-9
¹During that night the king could not sleep so he gave an order to bring the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. ²It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. ³The king said, "What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?" Then the king's servants who attended him said, "Nothing has been done for him." ⁴So the king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace in order to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him. ⁵The king's servants said to him, "Behold, Haman is standing in the court." And the king said, "Let him come in." ⁶So Haman came in and the king said to him, "What is to be done for the man whom the king desires to honor?" And Haman said to himself, "Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?" ⁷Then Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king desires to honor, ⁸let them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown has been placed; ⁹and let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble princes and let them array the man whom the king desires to honor and lead him on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, 'Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor.'"

6:1 "the king could not sleep" This not only shows the unseen hand of God (the LXX is specific), but also the results of eating too much the night before at the banquet! This same divine action occurs in Dan. 2:1; 6:1; and even in Gen. 31:40. There is certainly similarity between the lives of Joseph, Daniel, and Mordecai.

▣ "the book of records, the chronicles" These would be official court records (cf. 2:23 and 10:2).

6:2-3 The role reversal is beginning. The king has become aware of Mordecai's service and lack of reward from several years previous. It is amazing that the king was having read such old events!

6:3 The Anchor Bible, vol. 7B, p. 64, mentions that Mordecai's lack of reward would have reflected badly on the king (cf. Herodotus 3.138,140; 5.11; 8.85; 9.207; Thucydides, Peloponnesian Wars 1.138).

6:4 "Who is in the court" Haman had apparently come early in the morning to request the impaling of Mordecai. What irony!

6:5 Haman's early arrival shows his intense and continuing hatred of Mordecai. He is there to get permission to kill him and hang him high!

6:6 "'What is to be for the man whom the king desires to honor'" The king is referring to Mordecai, but Haman thinks it is himself!

▣ "and Haman said to himself" Pride is an evil master!

6:8-9 There seems to be a series of three things: (1) a royal robe which had been worn by the king; (2) a royal horse which had been ridden by the king and on whose head was the symbol of the Persian crown; and (3) a royal procession, led by the most notable princes, through the streets on this horse with its bedecked rider and a great proclamation.

6:9 The purpose of honoring Mordecai was to encourage loyalty and service to the king!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 6:10-11
¹⁰Then the king said to Haman, "Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king's gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said." ¹¹So Haman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, "Thus it shall be done to the man whom the king desires to honor."

6:10 "'Take quickly'" This represents two IMPERATIVES (BDB 554 I, KB 553 and BDB 542, KB 534). This has the connotation of urgency. This honor had been long overdue.

▣ "the horse" The king's special horse is mentioned in 8:10.

▣ "and do so for Mordecai the Jew who is sitting at the king's gate" This is the third IMPERATIVE (BDB 793, KB 889, Qal IMPERATIVE). How Ahasuerus knew that Mordecai was a Jew is uncertain unless it was recorded in the chronicles which were read to him the night before. It also acknowledges his apparent official position at the king's gate. It is uncertain if the king remembered Haman's edict and realized its consequences toward Mordecai.

6:11 Is there anything that would have upset Haman more than this? Note v. 12.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 6:12-13
¹²Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered. ¹³Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him."

6:12 "with his head covered" This was an Oriental symbol of dejection, humiliation, and mourning (BDB 341, KB 339, Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE, cf. II Sam. 15:30; Ps. 44:15; Jer. 14:3-4).

6:13 "his wise men" These are the ones who cast the lots before Haman in 3:7. The Hebrew word (BDB 314) often is used for a class of diviners (cf. Gen. 41:8; Exod. 7:11; Isa. 19:11; 44:25; Jer. 50:35; 51:57).

▣ "Zeresh his wife said to him" This is an unusual statement. It is somewhat similar to Pilate's wife speaking to him during the trial of Jesus (cf. Matt. 27:19) . We simply do not know why she spoke in this prophetic fashion. It is also similar to Balaam's prophecies in Numbers (cf. Num. 22-24). The unseen hand of God is clearly manifesting itself (role reversal). One wonders why these counselors did not tell him this before, as he was planning the destruction of the Jews and, later, Mordecai. In all probability this is a literary device which reflects the author's theology proclaimed by the mouth of Haman's wife. Dialogue often carries the theological load!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 6:14
¹⁴While they were still talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hastily brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

6:14 This set the stage for Haman's ultimate demotion and death.

Esther 7

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Haman Hanged instead of Mordecai	Haman's Fall	Haman is Put to Death (6:14-7:10)	Haman at Esther's Banquet (6:14-7:10)
	6:14-7:10	6:14-7:2	6:14-7:7
7:1-4
		7:3-4
7:5-6		7:5
		7:6-8a
7:7-10
			7:8-10
		7:8b-9a
		7:9b
		7:10

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 7:1-10
¹Now the king and Haman came to drink wine with Esther the queen. ²And the king said to Esther on the second day also as they drank their wine at the banquet, "What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half of the kingdom it shall be done." ³Then Queen Esther replied, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; ⁴for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king." ⁵Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who would presume to do thus?" ⁶Esther said, "A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!" Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen. ⁷The king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king. ⁸Now when the king returned from the palace garden into the place where they were drinking wine, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, "Will he even assault the queen with me in the house?" As the word went out of the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. ⁹Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were before the king said, "Behold indeed, the gallows standing at Haman's house fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai who spoke good on behalf of the king!" And the king said, "Hang him on it." ¹⁰So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai, and the king's anger subsided.

7:4 "for we have been sold" This VERB (BDB 569, KB 581, Niphal PERFECT) is used in Lev. 25:34,48 in the sense of "sold for debt" (cf. Neh. 5:8). It became the opposite of "redeem." Esther sees herself and her people as sold to Haman's hatred and by implication, the king's nonchalance.

▣ "to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated" These three INFINITIVES (Hiphil [BDB 1029, KB 1552], Qal [BDB 246, KB 255], and Piel [BDB 1, KB 2]) describe the doom awaiting all Jews in Persia. The series is for intensity! It also is exactly what Haman had written in his decree (which Mordecai had given to Esther, cf. 3:13) under the king's authority.

NASB"for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king"
NKJV"the enemy could never compensate for the king's loss"
NRSV"but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king"
TEV-----omitted-----
NJB"it will be beyond the persecutor's means to make good the loss that the king is about to sustain"
JPSOA"for the adversary is not worthy of the king's trouble"

This is polite court language. It is not meant to be literal, but demure. All of the "ifs" in v. 4 serve the same purpose.

The translations differ over how to take the term nzq (BDB 634, KB 684) an Aramaic loan word found only here in the Bible. Some translations take it as (1) "trouble" or "annoyance," but others (2) as "damage" or "loss" (referring to the money Haman offered in 3:9; 4:7). Esther is thinking of herself, her people, and her king!

7:5 "who would presume to do this" There may be a sound play in the term "sell" (v. 4, BDB 569, KB581, Niphal PERFECT) and "presume" (lit. "fill," BDB 569, KB 583, Qal PERFECT). The king has asked the crucial question!

7:6 "foe. . .enemy. . .wicked" Esther combines a series of words (as v. 4) to describe the depth of her animosity toward Haman.

▣ "terrified" The Arabic root means "to come upon suddenly." In Hebrew (BDB 129, KB147, Niphal PERFECT) the Niphal stem denotes terror (cf. I Chr. 21:30; Dan. 8:17).

7:7 "and the king arose in his anger from drinking wine" This shows how alcohol accentuates the emotions (cf. 1:12). See Special Topic on alcohol at Ezra 7:17.

7:8 "falling on the couch where Esther was" It must be remembered that the wife of the king took on something of his royal person. Therefore, to touch her was a grave offense. Haman probably had grasped Esther's legs and may even have been kissing them when the king re-entered. Jealousy and anger took over!

It is interesting to speculate from a Jewish perspective how Haman was seen as wanting to be king himself:

1. wants the king's clothes

2. wants to ride the king's horse

3. Esther's accusation in v. 4 may have implied a charge of treason

4. wants the king's wife (or so the king thought)

▣ "they covered Haman's face" Although we do not know this from the Persian period, we learn from Greek and Roman literature that this was done to condemned people (from the Anchor Bible, vol. 7B, p. 72; Curtius 6.8,22; Livy 1.26.25). Some scholars say that they have no right to see the king anymore, while other scholars say it was to protect the king from the person's evil eye.

7:9 What irony!! In context Haman was trying to kill the very one who the king was honoring!

7:10 "hanged Haman on the gallows" This was probably impaling, not hanging as we understand the term. See note at 2:23.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Did the Persians crucify, hang or impale criminals? How and why?

2. Explain the significance and/or origin of the theological statement of Haman's wife in 6:13.

Where the world comes to study the Bible

Latest Articles

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Nehemiah 12

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Nehemiah 13

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Introduction to Esther

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 1

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 2

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 3

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 4

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 5

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 6

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 7

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Pages

You are here

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Nehemiah 12

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Nehemiah 13

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Introduction to Esther

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 1

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 2

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 3

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 4

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 5

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 6

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Esther 7

From the series: The Post-Exilic Period: Ezra, Nehemiah, And Esther PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE

Pages