1:1-2:23 ESTHER BECOMES QUEEN Officials and leading citizens from all over the Persian Empire had gathered in the winter capital for an exhibition designed to display the riches and magnificence of the royal court. The exhibition lasted six months and was...
Continued prosperity (10:1-3) The book concludes by noting the greatness of Mordecai and the benefits that he brought to the Jewish people. Under his administration, non-Jewish peoples were forced to contribute more to the Empire’s economy, so the burden on the...
3:1-7:10 PLAN TO DESTROY THE JEWS Haman plots evil (3:1-15) Some time later, a proud and ambitious man named Haman was promoted to the position of chief minister in the Empire. He apparently demanded that people honour him almost as if...
Esther agrees to help the Jews (4:1-17) Mordecai realized that the Jews’ only hope now lay with Esther, who, shut up in the women’s quarters of the palace, had not heard of the decree till Mordecai told her. He added that...
8:1-10:3 THE JEWS TRIUMPHANT Victory and celebration (8:1-9:32) Although Mordecai was appointed chief minister instead of Haman (8:1-2), the decree arranged by Haman was still in force. A king’s decree could not be changed. However, the king gave Esther and Mordecai...