Reading Beneath the Surface: The Book of Esther

Who was King Ahauerus?
King Ahauerus was the father of Darius (Daniel 9:1). Ahauerus was a crazy king. It is recorded he put his wife on trial before the court and had her executed. He then married another wife (Esther).

It is recorded Ahauerus was a wild man. He would do things on impulse and relied on his seven chamberlains for advice. It was normal custom and tradition to take everything before the court and have them make laws and decrees. The king could wield his power by doing a royal decree.


Why was the king celebrating?
The Babylonians, Medes and Persians all knew the prophecy decreed by Jeremiah, stating that in 70 years, Israel’s captivity will be completed.

Jeremiah 25:8-14
8“Therefore this is what the LORD of armies says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, 9behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations; and I will [d]completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and [e]hissing, and an everlasting place of ruins. 10Moreover, I will eliminate from them the voice of jubilation and the voice of joy, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11This entire land will be a place of ruins and an object of horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

12‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the LORD, ‘for their wrongdoing, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. 13I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. 14(For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them; and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.)’”

Knowing God’s word, the king threw a huge party when the seventy years were  completed and Israel remained in captivity. The king brought out the gold and silver vessels. These were the items used in the Temple service. These are the items King Nebuchadnezzar carried away from Jerusalem.

Their was an error with the king’s logic. It was that he counted the 70 years of Israel’s captivity from the time the Israelites were first taken captive. Remember, there were three different times King Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem. Each time, he took some captives.

The prophet Daniel also makes this mistake. In Daniel chapter 9, Daniel petitions God to end the captivity. Daniel also references Jeremiah’s prophecy:

1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. (Daniel 9:1-2)

When Jeremiah’s prophecy is fulfilled, it is 70 years from the last captivity until their freedom. Needless to say, King Ahasuerus was celebrating too early. Because he believed God’s word was broken, he gave a party for 180 days for his nobles and princes. He then gave a party for all the people for 7 days. The party for the people can be seen as a way the king can beat down the Israelites and emphasize his power over them. Their God failed them. They were going to be in captivity forever.

The king is mentioned to be swearing royal garments. It is stated in jewish tradition, these garments were the ones worn by the priests of the Temple in Jerusalem. The priestly garments were worn as a symbol of atonement for the people.

The tunic, which covers most of the priest’s body, atones for killing. The pants atone for sexual transgressions. The turban, worn on the head, stones for haughtiness. The belt, wound around the body and worn over the heart, atones for the sins of the heart (i.e., improper thoughts). The breastplate atones for errors in judgment. The ephod atones for idolatry. The robe atones for evil speech. The High Priest’s crown atones for arrogance.

Keeping in mind all the garments and what they atoned for, by the king of Persia wearing them, he committed most (if not all) the sins. One of the worst ways to disrespect God is by using HIs holy vessels for common use and using his holy garments to be worn and stained at a party. (Side note: The garments worn by the priests would not be stained or soiled. If they were, the services they rendered while their garments were impure render the service invalid.)

With this picture painted, we may now understand why Mordecai does not want Esther to reveal her identity. Although the Israelites were part of the Persian kingdom, they were not respect or seen in high esteem. It was best if Mordecai and Esther did not reveal their ancestry. Remember, Mordecai was in the king’s gate and Esther had a chance at becoming queen.


Who was Memucan?
There are seen chamberlains listed for the king. When things are listed in Hebrew, they are listed from the person of being in highest authority to the lowest. Memucan is the last chamberlain to be listed. Therefore, he is the one who is the lowest in authority, and yet, it is Memucan who offers the kind advice. Memucan’s name appears to be a slang word which means to stumble or talk out of turn. Many believe Memucan is actually Haman.

When Darius becomes king, he only has six chamberlains (instead of seven). This means one of Darius’s father’s chamberlains must have died before Darius came to power, and that chamberlain was never replaced. Haman and his death fit the bill for this story line.


It was not a beauty contest
It is easy to read the Book of Esther and believe Esther and Mordecai was happy that Esther was selected to be part of the search fro the next queen of Persia. The truth is, Esther had no choice. Looking at the Hebrew, in verse 8 of chapter 2, the English reads Esther was brought into the king’s house. The Hebrew word “laqah” is translated into English as “brought”. This is a terrible translation. “Laqah” means to be taken captive, to snatch away, to seize, to be stolen or to be taken away. Needless to say, Esther and Mordecai had no choice in the matter. Esther was selected and she was taken captive.

Furthermore, once the girls had gone through the purification process, the king then raped each girl. After he was done with the girl, she was sent to the concubine house. The girl could never be married and would hav to stay in the house until she was called by name to spend more time with the king. It was not a glamorous life. The girls lived their lives in solitude. Unless they got pregnant from the one night spent with the king, they had no children.


The King’s Gate
At the end of chapter 2 in verse 21, we are told Mordecai sits in the king’s gate. This is slang for Mordecai being part of the king’s officials. Sitting in the gate could be a literal action.

The walls surrounded cities and king’s palaces. The only way in and out of a city was through the city gates. The city gates were often passageways which had side rooms. In the side rooms, court was held and official business was conducted. Citizens of the city were allowed in and out of the city. Visitors to the city may or may not be allowed into the city. For this reason, court was held at the gates. Those individuals who were not citizens of the city could appear in court without having to enter the city. Moreover, people passing in and out of the city through the gates provided protection for the city. Criminals could be apprehended if they were recognized entering/exiting the city through controlled passageways.

It is recorded the king’s gates for Susa were 35,000 square feet. These are some of the largest gates ever recorded. The king’s gates surrounded the palace and ensured no one would have access to the royal grounds without bring questioned and examined by a number of officials.

We are told there was a crime and the punishment for the crime was hanging on the gallows. This is a little bit of foreshadowing for the rest of the story. One thing to note, only the king or conviction by the court could order someone to be hung on the gallows. This is important to note because Haman builds gallows to hang Mordecai. Building gallows and using them to kill someone would go against the king and the court. This gives us insight into how haughty Haman must have felt when he was elevated to second in command. Haman felt emboldened to make the gallows. Perhaps he also saw himself as king and thought he could start issuing decrees to kill people just like the king. The irony is the gallows were found out and instead of Haman using them to kill Mordecai, the king orders Haman to be hung on his own gallows.

Lastly, the gallows Haman made were 75 feet tall. Ten feet equal one story. So the gallows Haman built were 7.5 stories tall. Haman’s gallows would have been visible to all his neighbors.


The King’s Signet Ring: More powerful than all the prophets
In verse 10 of chapter 3, we read that the king takes off his signet ring and gives it to Haman. This single act is more powerful than all the prophets in the Old Testament. For years, Israel was told to repent and to turn back to God or terrible things would happen. Once Haman receives the king’s signet ring, this becomes the most powerful tool used to make the Israelites repent and turn back to God. Once Haman uses the signet ring to make a declaration that the Jews are to be destroyed, the Jews realize they need to turn from their current ways and seek God.

In chapter 4 (verses 1-3), we read about Mordecai and the Jew putting on sackcloth and ashes, and they wept and mourned. The people were repenting of their ways and turning back to God. It is amazing how a signet ring had more power on the Israelites than the 45 prophets and 8 female prophets in the Bible.

As we look at this story, is this the same in our lives? Do people tell us we need to get on the right path, turn from our evil ways and seek God? Are their words effective? What will get us motivated to change? Is it a sudden financial strain, a death of a loved one, a medical diagnosis? God can use people and things to get our attention, but it often seems as though benign items (such as a signet ring in this case) are more powerful and effective than our fellow man.


The courier system in Persia was one of the best
There were horses mounted throughout the kingdom. The relay system worked in much the same way as the pony express gif in the USA. One horse would ride to a destination in which one or more horses would be waiting. The message was passed along and the horse(s) would continue on, distributing the info along the way and continuing to relay the message to other horses and their riders. This system allowed information to be spread quickly in the kingdom, which was HUGE!

The Book of Esther and the Amalekites

Imagine being given a command via a prophet of God to do a specific task. The task is not hard--destroy the enemy and all his possessions. But instead of obeying, you decide to spare the best of the loot for yourself. You claim you are going to give the items as offerings to God, but God knows your heart. You are greedy and only wish to enjoy the spoils of war. This is what happened King Saul was told to utterly eradicate the Amalekites. King Saul kept King Agag alive. King Agag's descendants would inflict harm on the Israelites and almost succeeded in completely eradicating the Israelites from the face of the earth.

The Origins of Amalek
In Genesis 36:12, we are introduced to Amalek. "And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife."

Jewish tradition holds that Timna was from royal Egyptian lineage. She wanted to be part of Jacob's family; however, she was not accepted. After being rejected, Timna did the next best thing she could think of, she attached herself to Jacob's brother's family, Esau. Remember that Esau and Jacob were twin brothers. Jacob bought the first born rites from Esau for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-34). Jacob also received the favored blessing from his father Isaac after deceiving him (Genesis 27:1-29). Esau had a son named Eliphaz. Timna became Eliphaz's concubine and bore Amalek. Thus, Amalek was Esau's grandson.

Although Genesis 36:12 proclaims the birth of Amalek, the Amalekites are first mentioned all the way back in Genesis 14:7. ("And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and conquered all the country of the Amalekites.") If one counts the Hebrew letters from the first letter of the word Amalekites and counts until the last letter in Amalek's name in Genesis 36:12, one counts 12,110 Hebrew letters. The Book of Esther also has exactly 12,110 Hebrew letters. God knew from the beginning that Amalek's birth would be a thorn in Israel's side for many, many generations.


Leaving Egypt
When the Israelites left Egypt and had crossed over the Red Sea, the first person to attack them was Amalek. "Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said onto Joshua, 'Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek; tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand'" (Exodus 17:8-9). All the nations feared the Israelites when they heard how God delivered the Israelites through the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh and his army. However, Amalek's attack on Israel cooled some of the surrounding nations' fear. As one rabbi said, "Israel coming out of Egypt was like a boiling pot. No one wanted to get near them. When Amalek attacked Israel, he cooled down the pot. This gave courage to the surrounding nations that Israel could be defeated."

God's anger is stirred up over Amalek attacking His people. God gives several promises to Amalek that his end will be destruction. "The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exodus 17:16). "And he looked on Amalek, and took up this parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction" (Numbers 24:20). "Blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget it" (Deuteronomy 25:19).

Lastly, God gives Israel one last command regarding Amalek: once Israel is settled in the land, they should destroy Amalek.

"Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt, how he attacked you on the way when you were faint and weary, and cut off your tail, those who were lagging behind you, and he did not fear God. Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies around you, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget." (Deuteronomy 25:17-19)



Saul's commission to utterly destroy the Amalekites
Saul was Israel's first king. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and the son of Kish. "Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son, whose name was Saul" (1 Samuel 9:1-2a).

Also recall, King Saul received a word from the LORD from the prophet Samuel to slaughter King Agag and the Amalekites. King Saul decided to spare his life. The prophet Samuel had to execute King Agag. (Read 1 Samuel 15)

1Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord. 2Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. 3Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”

4Then Saul summoned the people and numbered them in Telaim, 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 5Saul came to the city of Amalek and set an ambush in the valley. 6Saul said to the Kenites, “Go, depart, go down from among the Amalekites, so that I do not destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the sons of Israel when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. 7So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. 8He captured Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.

10Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following Me and has not carried out My commands.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the Lord all night. 12Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul; and it was told Samuel, saying, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself, then turned and proceeded on down to Gilgal.” 13Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have carried out the command of the Lord.” 14But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait, and let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak!”

17Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel, 18and the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’ 19Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

20Then Saul said to Samuel, “I did obey the voice of the Lord, and went on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and have brought back Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21But the people took some of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the choicest of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” 



22Samuel said,
“Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
And insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He has also rejected you from being king.”

24Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; I have indeed transgressed the command of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice. 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.” 26But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27As Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28So Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you. 29Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.” 30Then he said, “I have sinned; but please honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and go back with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.” 31So Samuel went back following Saul, and Saul worshiped the Lord.

32Then Samuel said, “Bring me Agag, the king of the Amalekites.” And Agag came to him cheerfully. And Agag said, “Surely the bitterness of death is past.” 33But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal. (1 Samuel 15:1-33)


A Closer Look at the Details of 1 Samuel 15
Once Saul was established as king, he received instructions from the prophet Samuel to go to war with the Amalekites and completely destroy them. "Then Samuel said to Saul, 'The LORD sent me to anoint you as king over His people Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he set himself against him on the way while he was coming up from Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him; but put to death both men and women, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey"'" (1 Samuel 15:1-3).

Saul goes to war with the Amalekites and defeats them. However, Saul fails to carry out God's complete command to destroy Amalek and everything associated with the Amalekites. "So Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is east of Egypt. He captured Agag the king of the Amaleites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the failings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to destroy them utterly; but everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed" (1 Samuel 15:7-9).

Saul seems blind to his disobedience. He believes he has fulfilled God's command. Samuel, however, can see through Saul's lies and knows Saul has disobeyed God. "Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, 'Blessed are you of the LORD! I have carried out the command of the LORD.' But Samuel said, 'What then is the bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?'" (1 Samuel 15:13-14) There is an interesting play on words here in the Hebrew. To obey in Hebrew is shema which translates to hear, listen and/or obey. Samuel is saying if you heard and obeyed the word of the LORD why is it I hear sheep and oxen which God commanded to be destroyed?

Saul's disobedience to spare Agag and the best of the things from the Amalekites has many implications for the future. First, God takes away the kingdom from Saul. "Samuel said, 'Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king'" (1 Samuel 15:22-23). "And Samuel turned to go, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. So Samuel said to him, 'The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you'" (1 Samuel 15:27-28).

Second, Agag's descendants live on. If Agag and all his descendants would have been executed, the Amalekite's lineage would have been cut off. However, since Saul spares them, their descendants continue into the future. Nearly 400 years later, Agag's descendant, Haman, attempts to craft a plan to exterminate the Jews. ("The king took off his ring from his hand, and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the Jews' enemy" Esther 3:10.) This is the basis for the Book of Esther. Interestingly, the heroes of the story, Esther and Mordecai are descendants from Saul. ("There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite" Esther 2:5. Recall that King Saul’s father was Kish.) So, although Saul does not obey God, his descendants do.

We can see through King Saul’s lack of obedience, his actions almost causes the complete extinction of the Jewish people. It is amazing to see how one act of disobedience can completely change history.


Mordecai, King Saul and Benjamin
As we read the book of Esther, we learn Mordecai is from the descendants of Kish and the Benjamites ("There was a certain Jew in the citadel of Susa, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite" Esther 2:5.) Going back to King Saul’s lineage, we see that King Saul’s father was Kish: 

1Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. 2He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people. (1 Samuel 9:1-2)

One may think this is a nice coincidence that King Saul did not execute the Amalekites, but his descendant Mordecai did. But what most do not know is the Amalekites could only be defeated by the tribe of Benjamin.

Eleven of Jacob’s sons bow down to Esau
When Jacob deceives his father, he leaves to go live with family in Paddam-aram. He marries Leah and Rachel and has relations with the two handmaids. While in Paddan-aram, Jacob has 11 sons. When Jacob returns back to the land of Canaan, his brother Esau comes to meet him. Jacob, in a panic, runs to meet his brother. Then the wives and handmaids along with all the children come and bow before Esau.

1Then Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. 2He put the maids and their children in front, and Leah and her children next, and Rachel and Joseph last. 3But he himself passed on ahead of them and bowed down to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

4Then Esau ran to meet him and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. 5He lifted his eyes and saw the women and the children, and said, “Who are these with you?” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” 6Then the maids came near with their children, and they bowed down. 7Leah likewise came near with her children, and they bowed down; and afterward Joseph came near with Rachel, and they bowed down. (Genesis 36:1-7)

From reading the text, all Jacob’s sons bowed down, except Benjamin. Benjamin was not born yet. This is important because by having all of Jacob’s sons bow to Esau, this made all of Jacob’s sons (and their descendants) subservient to Esau (and subsequently Esau’s descendants). Recall who was Amalek descended from?

9These then are the records of the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in the hill country of Seir. 10These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz the son of Esau’s wife Adah, Reuel the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. 11The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho and Gatam and Kenaz. 12Timna was a concubine of Esau’s son Eliphaz and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These are the sons of Esau’s wife Adah. (Genesis 36:9-12)

In a nutshell, Amalek was Esau’s grandson. So, all the sons of Jacob, except Benjamin, had bowed down to Esau (and indirectly to Amalek). With this said, no one from any of the 11 tribes could destroy the Amalekites. Only those people who were from the tribe of Benjamin could utterly eradicate the Amalekites.

Now you may understand the importance of Saul being a Benjamite and being given the decree to slay King Agag and the Amalekites. Many may have wondered if God wanted the Amalekites destroyed, why did He not ask David to do it? David was a valiant warrior. The answer is King David was from the tribe of Judah. Judah bowed down to Esau. Thus, King David could not kill the Amalekites because his ancestor had bowed down to Esau. The task could only be completed by a person from the tribe of Benjamin. And Mordecai was a descendant from Benjamin. Thus, Mordecai was allowed to fulfill God’s wishes of killing the Amalekites.

Purim & An Introduction to the Book of Esther

One of my favorite holidays of the year is the festival of Purim. Unlike other Jewish holidays in which there are strict observances set forth in the Torah, the only command for Purim is that it is to be celebrated on the 14th day of the Jewish month Adar (which occurs in February or March on the Gregorian calendar.) This year Purim will be celebrated from sunset on February 25 through sunset on February 25. Purim is mostly a holiday filled with lots of fun events and eating good food!

The Basics
The entire holiday of Purim is set aside to celebrate the Jews triumphal victory over the wicked Haman and his evil plot to exterminate the Jews as detailed in the Book of Esther. During the holiday, the Book of Esther is read in synagogue. (And I would suggest, if you wish to appreciate all the characters and things associated with Purim, it would be very beneficial to read the Book of Esther as well.) When the book is read, any time Queen Esther or Mordecai are mentioned, the audience breaks out into spontaneous cheers and shouts of joy. When the evil character Haman is mentioned, the crowd stomps its feet and shouts out booing.

The word Purim is derived from the Persian language which translated into English means lots. In the Book of Esther, Haman casts lots (i.e., throws dice or uses some sort of divination) to determine when he should carry out his evil plan of exterminating the Jews. The 13th of Adar (Adar is the 12th month on the Jewish calendar) was slated to be the date. On the 13th of Adar, the Jews and the Persians fought. On the 14th of Adar, the Jews in the Persian kingdom celebrated a glorious victory over their foes. (The Jews in the Persian capital city of Sushan fought for a second day on the 14th of Adar. On the 15th of Adar they held a giant celebration.) From this time forth, the 14th of Adar has been remembered and celebrated as a joyous day when the Jews defeated their enemies.


Other Facts
Esther's pagan name is derived from the Hebrew astir. Astir means hidden. This is symbolic in that God’s name is not mentioned in the Book of Esther; hence, God is “hidden”. Esther's Hebrew name is Hadassah. Hadassah is derived from the Hebrew word hadas which means myrtle tree. According to Jewish tradition, a myrtle trees represents righteousness in Scripture. The sages in the Midrash take this one step father and say just as a myrtle tree has a sweet smell and a bitter taste, so too Esther was good and listened (sweet) to the righteous Mordecai. She was adverse (bitter) to the wicked Haman.

The Book of Esther, known as "the Scroll" (Megillah) in Hebrew, is a book in the third section (Ketuvim "Writings") of the Jewish Bible. It is one of five scrolls (Megillot) in the Hebrew Bible. The Books of Esther and Song of Solomon are the only books which do not explicitly mention God in the text.

The book of Esther consists of an introduction in chapters 1 and 2; the main action occurs in chapters 3 to 9:19; and a conclusion is given in chapter 9:20-10:3. The plot is structured around banquets (mishteh), a word that occurs 20 times in the Book of Esther and only 24 times in the rest of the Hebrew Bible. This is apropos given that the Book of Esther describes the origin of a Jewish feast, the feast of Purim.

The Book of Esther became the last of the 24 books of the Tanakh (Old Testament) to be canonized by the Sages of the Great Assembly. It is usually dated to the fourth century BC. The Greek Book of Esther included in the Septuagint is a re-telling of the events of the Hebrew Book of Esther rather than a translation. The Greek book includes additional traditions which do not appear in the original Hebrew version. One such addition is the identification of Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes and includes details of various letters. The Coptic and Ethiopian versions of the Book of Esther are translations of the Greek version rather than the Hebrew version of the Book of Esther.

(Side note: The Tanakh also called the Mikra or the Hebrew Bible, is the canonical collection of Jewish texts, which is the textual source for the Christian Old Testament. These texts are composed mainly in Biblical Hebrew, with some passages in Biblical Aramaic. The traditional Hebrew text is known as the Masoretic Text. The Tanakh consists of 24 books.

Tanakh is an acronym of the first letter of each of the Masoretic Text's three subdivisons: Torah ("Teaching", also known as the Five Books of Moses), Nevi'im ("Prophets") and Ketuvim ("Writings"). Hence it is called TaNaKh. The name Mikra, meaning "that which is read", is another Hebrew word for the Tanakh. The books of the Tanakh were passed on by each generation, and according to rabbinic tradition, they were also accompanied by oral tradition called the Oral Torah.)


When did the Book of Esther take place?
The story of Esther happens directly after the Book of Daniel. It occurs in Persia during the New Persian Empire, which began about 550 B.C. with the reign of King Cyrus and ended around 330 B.C. The end of the Book of Daniel takes places at the beginning of the New Persian Empire.

We know that the setting for the Book of Esther is sometime between 485 B.C. and 460 B.C. It cannot be later than about 460 B.C. because Ezra, the Levite Priest who would lead a delegation of Hebrews back to Judah to complete the rebuilding of the Temple and restoring Jerusalem’s walls is involved in the story of Esther. So, the Book of Esther had to happen before Ezra headed back to Israel to complete those tasks. Esther occurs after the time of the Persian King Cyrus (who reigned at the end of the Book of Daniel). So, we get around a 25 years window when the events of Esther seem to have occurred.


The Story in a Nutshell
The Persian Empire of the 4th Century BC extended across 127 lands from northern Africa and Asia Minor in the east across to India in the west. All the Jews living in this region were ruled by the Persians. When King Ahasuerus has his wife, Queen Vashti, dethroned for failing to follow his orders, he arranged for a search to find a new queen. (I like to call this the very first beauty pageant, Miss Queen of Persia.) A young Jewish woman, Esther, found favor in the king's eyes and became the new queen. Under the command of her cousin, Mordecai, Esther never divulges her Jewish nationality.

Subsequently, Haman, a Jew-hating man, was appointed as prime minister of the empire. Mordecai defies the king's orders and refuses to bow down to Haman. Haman becomes infuriated and convinces the king to issue a decree ordering the extermination of all the Jews on the 13th day of the month Adar, a date picked via casting lots (purim).

When the decree is made public, Mordecai rallies the Jews, convincing them to repent, fast and pray. Moreover, he entreats Esther to ask the king to rescind his decree. Esther bravely goes before the king's throne and asks him (and Haman) to join her for a feast. After her courage fails her the first day, Esther asks the King and Haman to join her on the following day for another feast. At the second feast, Esther reveals to the king her Jewish identity. Haman begs the queen's forgiveness, but the king orders Haman to be hung. When Esther reveals to the king that Mordecai is her cousin, the king appoints Mordecai to be prime minister. A new decree is issued, granting the Jews the right to defend themselves against their enemy.

On the 13th of Adar, the Jews kill many of their enemies. On the 14th of Adar, they rest and celebrate their triumphant victory. In the capital city of Sushan, the Jews take one more day to finish killing their enemies.


Who is Haman

Central to the story if Esther is the man Haman. Haman was a man filled with jealousy when Mordecai refuses to bow down to Haman. We are told in the Book of Esther (chapter 3 verse 1) Haman was the son of Hammedatha the Agagite.It is believed the term Agag was a dynastic name for the kings of Amalek similar to Pharaoh being the dynastic name for the kings of Egypt.

Support for this can be seen in Numbers chapter 24. Remember Balaam is a prophet hired by the king of the Moabites to prophesy against Israel. Instead, God tells Balaam he cannot speak evil about Israel. Balaam gives his third prophecy which speaks about Agag being a highly exalted king:

5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted. (Numbers 24:5-7)

Remember Lot's Wife

Remember Lot’s Wife
In the story of Lot and his family fleeing from Sodom, we are given an interesting piece of information. As they were fleeing, Lot’s wife stopped and looked back at Sodom, which was in direct opposition to a command given in verse 17:



17 When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the surrounding area; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.”

23 The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of heaven, 25 and He overthrew those cities, and all the surrounding area, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot’s wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:17, 23-26)

There has been a lot of debate about the meaning of Lot’s wife’s actions. She deliberately sinned by disobeying the angel’s command. What was so important? What was she looking back for? Why did she stop? Although we cannot be 100% sure, we know she probably was looking back to the place where she had all her hopes and dreams. Lot’s wife had built her life in the city of Sodom. Perhaps her family was there. Her friends were there. Could she really leave all this behind and flee with two strangers into the unknown?

Lot’s wife is brought to remembrance again in Luke 17, when Jesus talks about the coming of the Son of Man.

28 It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, and they were building; 29 but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, the one who will be on the housetop, with his goods in the house, must not go down to take them out; and likewise the one in the field must not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. (Luke 17:28-32)

Looking back is also spoken about by Jesus for those who are fit for the kingdom of God.

Luke 9:57-62
57 As they were going on the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” 59 And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.” 60 But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” 61 Another also said, “I will follow You, Lord; but first permit me to say goodbye to those at my home.” 62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”


Nachshon and heroic actions

Nachshon was a prince of the tribe of Judah. He was the brother-in-law of Aaron, the high priest. When everyone else hesitated, he jumped into the swirling sea. He was Nachshon, the son of Aminadav.
Here is a portrait of the man whose quiet action left an indelible mark on our nation.


Family Origin
Nachshon was a fifth-generation descendant of Judah, son of Jacob. (His father was Aminadav, son of Ram, son of Chetzron, son of Peretz, son of Judah.) (1 Chronicles 2:4-10)

Nachshon is also the father-in-law of Rahab (the harlot from Jericho). Nachshon was through Boaz a direct descendant of David. (Recall Boaz married Ruth. Ruth and Boaz had a son Obed. Obed had Jesse. And Jesse had a son named David. (Ruth 4:20-22)) Nachson was exactly halfway in the direct line between Judah and King David.

He appears for the first time in the Torah when Aaron marries Nachson's sister: “Aaron took for a wife Elisheba, daughter of Aminadav, sister of Nachshon.” (Exodus 6:23) The Torah generally records names only when mentioning someone new, and the commentaries wonder why Elisheba’s brother is mentioned here as well.

They suggest that before marrying Elisheba, Aaron had inquired about Nachshon, his future brother-in-law. We learn from Aaron that when searching for a wife, it is important to vet her brothers. Fine, upstanding brothers indicate that the sister will be a fitting life partner.


At the Splitting of the Sea
Seven days after leaving Egypt, the Israelites found themselves trapped between a raging sea and the vengeful Egyptian army. Then God gave Moses a command that seemed impossible to fulfill: “Speak to the people of Israel; they shall travel.” (Exodus 14:15)

The order was given to go forward in verse 15. But who would make the first move? At that moment, Nachshon’s devotion and bravery came to the forefront. The Midrash and Talmud share the following account:

When Israel stood facing the Sea of Reeds, and the command was given to move forward, each of the tribes hesitated, saying, “We do not want to be the first to jump into the sea.”

Nachshon saw what was happening—and jumped into the sea.

At that moment Moses was standing and praying. G‑d said to him, “My beloved ones are drowning in the stormy seas, and you are standing and praying?”

Moses replied, “Master of the world, what am I to do?”

Said God, “You lift your staff and spread your hand over the seas, which will split, and Israel will come into the sea upon dry land.”

And so it was. Following Nachshon’s lead, the Israelites entered the sea and were saved.


Nachshon’s Reward
The Midrash enumerates the rewards that Nachshon’s brave deed earned him:
He was given the name Nachshon, since he jumped into the waves (nachshol) of the sea.
Five heroes of Israel were among his descendants: David, Daniel, hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.
The eternal kingdom of Israel was given to his tribe, Judah, and it follows that Messiah will be his descendant as well.

After Moses completed the Tabernacle in the desert, the princes of the twelve tribes of Israel offered special inaugural sacrifices and gifts. Even though Judah was not the most senior of the tribes, Nachshon, prince of Judah, was the first to bring his sacrifice. (Numbers 7:12) This may have been a reward for his special deed of devotion.

Nachshon is speculated to have also been among the seventy elders upon whom Moses conferred his spirit. (Numbers 11:16-30)


A Symbol of Strength
Nachshon’s name has become synonymous with courage and the will to do the right thing, even when it’s not popular.

Inspired by Nachshon, King David wrote in Psalms, “I have sunk in muddy depths, and there is no place to stand; I have come into the deep water, and the current has swept me away . . . Let not the current of water sweep me away, nor the deep swallow me, and let the well not close its mouth over me.” (Psalm 69:3, 16)



Lessons we can learn

One of the lessons we can learn from Nachshon is that we must stay focused on our life’s mission. Even if there is a seemingly impossible sea in front of us, we must go forward. When we do everything which is in our power—for Nachshon that was wading into a sea until it reached his nostrils—only then did God intervene. When we have done everything we think we can do, only then will God produce a miracle and show us a way foward. If we sit on the banks of the sea crying out to God, the sea will remain. Our enemy will creep closer and closer.

We may feel as though there are only four options:


1. Throw ourselves into the sea.


2. Surrender and return back to our former situation (for the Israelites that would be returning back to Egypt and becoming slaves again…if the Egyptians were nice. The Israelites who surrender would have most likely faced the death penalty for fleeing.).


3. Take up arms and fight the enemy.


4. Cry out to God, do everything possible and keep going forward until the sea splits.


In Closing
 We can go a lot of places and think we are escaping from God. We can do a lot of things, and think we are escaping from God. We can hold our tongue and not do as God instructs us, and yet, God will make our lives unbearable so that we have to do what he commands. Whether it is a fierce tempest which causes us to be tossed into the sea to be swallowed up by a giant fish or having God’s word burn within us, there is no place for us to flee. There is no one to fear except God. Even when we are promised we will be  persecuted, God is faithful to deliver us, even if we must endure much suffering. If we fear God, then there is no one else to fear.

7Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8If I ascend to heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

9If I take the wings of the dawn,

If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

10Even there Your hand will lead me,

And Your right hand will lay hold of me.

11If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,

And the light around me will be night,”

12Even the darkness is not dark to You,

And the night is as bright as the day.

Darkness and light are alike to You.

13For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

14I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

15My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

16Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;

And in Your book were all written

The days that were ordained for me,

When as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 137:7-16)