Esther is the eponymous heroine of the Book of Esther.Set in the Persian Achaemenid Empire, it tells how king Ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, Vashti, is deposed for disobeying him.Esther (called Hadassah when first introduced) is chosen to fulfill this role due to her beauty. Based on Biblical information and historical data recorded, it is stated that King Ahasuerus could have been anywhere between 37 and 40 years old while Esther would have been anywhere between 14 and 16 years of age. Was John the Baptist conceived via an immaculate conception? When her cousin Mordecai angers Hamanthe big bad of the storyHaman decides her's going kill every Jew in revenge. When Haman, the royal vizier of the king, planned and convinced the king to issue an edict of extermination to kill all the Jews in the kingdom, Esther and Mordecai foiled the plan. Esther and Mordecai then sent letters across the provinces and declared the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar a Jewish holiday named Purim. Mordecai revealed this information to Esther, who then told the king about the plot. ), Lexikon der christlichen Ikonographie, 1 (1968), 6837; F. Rosenberg, in: Festschrift Adolf Tobler (1905), 33554; P. Goodman, Purim Anthology (1960). On Esthers request, they repeated the massacre the following day, killing 300 more men (9:1315). - Esther 1:11, Say: In front of all the people of Susa, the Kings request was turned down. bible: See bibliography to *Scroll of Esther. In a matter of days, Esther went from being the most powerful woman in the kingdom to being a prisoner in her own palace. Mordecai understood and canceled the Passover festivity, replacing it with a fast (Esth. Meanwhile, Haman the Agagite was elevated to the top-most position in the court. The kings heart is in the hand of the Lord. According to one translation of events, she refused to appear at the banquet "wearing her royal crown." It appears that each of these women had sexual relations with the king. Here are some interesting facts about Esther's story that you may not have known. The virtues of the Jewish heroine were emphasized in the Austrian dramatist Franz Grillparzer's unfinished play Esther (1848), and other treatments included J.A. Encyclopaedia Judaica. Given that only virgins were selected as candidates to. 2. She became queen in Vashti's place - with all the wealth and power of an Eastern queen now suddenly at her disposal. Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Culture Society History. . The Queen had a strong faith. Should the explanation in Genesis on how God created plants before the sun affect the understanding of creation? In 478 B.C., Esther became the queen of Persia. He was born in 518BC. After his marriage the statue was replaced by one of Esther (Midrash Abba Guryon, Parashah 2). "Esther Esther was also a great queen who cared deeply for her people. 2007BibleLessons4Kidz.com All rights reserved worldwide. Actually, as with many figures from the Bible, there is now some scholarly controversy about whether Queen Esther really did indeed exist. Popular single subjects were the toilet of Esther, the triumph of Mordecai, and the punishment of Haman. Queen Vashti was wrong to refuse her husbands wish, but sending her away forever was a very sad solution. A royal decree meant the King could never change his mind. 0 responses When the young woman approached the king in this manner, she was granted whatever she desired to take from the harem to the king's palace with her. Once, while at the palace gate, Mordecai overheard a plot being hatched by two of the king's eunuchs to kill Ahasuerus. We must ask ourselves why these Israelites were still living in a foreign land where they did not belong. Haman was never approached by her. . Say: Because the Israelites had disobeyed God, God allowed them to be taken captive. She was an orphan. Darius must be 37 years old (62 minus 25) when he got married to Esther. The story was sometimes presented in a narrative cycle of varying length or in individual episodes. It is rich in wisdom (Colossians 3:16). For the King to be turned down by his very own queen in front of so many people was not alright with the king. R. 6:13; Meg. Esther was selected as Queen from among all the eligible women in the empire because she was beautiful of form and face.. Persian Queen Esther (492 B.C.c. Thus Esther became responsible for deliverance from extinction not only of herself but also of her entire people. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/esther. Some scholars now believe that her story, recounted in the Book of Esther in the Bible, is actually a "historic fiction" with no basis in fact, and that it was intended as an allegory designed to teach essential truths. Thus Esther herself is of royal blood, a descendant of King Saul, worthy of royal marriage. We do things Gods way. Because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of every believer (Romans 5:5), we are able to live pure lives, no matter where we are (1 Corinthians 10:13, Titus 2:11-12). Encyclopedia.com. When he returned, he found Haman at Esther's feet. King Xerxes took away the queens crown. Well say this water stands for people. He does NOT want the people around us to affect us. Just like the color did not get into our oil, our lives must remain pure. Why did Jesus associate with disreputable people? It is also said to be derived from the Persian word stara, meaning star. Some suggestions in the Talmud, the Yalkut Shimoni, and in the Aramaic translation and elucidation of the Book of Esther (called Targum Sheni) state that the name Esther was derived from Venus, the morning star named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty. . But Esther's descendants were among those who decided to remain in their land of exile. Just two books later, we find the book of Esther. At the outset, the Persian ruler Ahasuerus has a grand feast that is spoiled when his wife, Vashti, refuses his demand that she perform before the assembled males. . 4:117). This time, she disclosed that she was a Jew and that Haman was plotting to kill all the Jews including her (7:16). ." . The Bible depicts Esther as an orphan who was raised in the house of her uncle Mordecai ().The A type of non-halakhic literary activitiy of the Rabbis for interpreting non-legal material according to special principles of interpretation (hermeneutical rules). Esther reigned as the queen of Persia for a period of about 13 years. It would be final. The book elucidated that during a festival, a heavily drunk King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti to come before the guests wearing her crown and to show her beauty (1:1011). Because of his immense love for the child he had raised, Mordecai checked on her every day. Troubled by the marriage of such a paragon to a gentile monarch, even in the cause of saving her people, rabbinical texts try to explain away the marriage as a formality without substance, outright rape, or, in an extreme instance, by claiming that Ahasuerus made love only to "to a female spirit in the guise of Esther" (Ginzberg, 4:387; 6:640n. Two early works on this theme were La Representatione della Reina Hester (c. 1500), an Italian verse mystery that went through several editions during the 16th century, and the last of the 43 plays of the French Mistre du Viel Testament, a work of the later Middle Ages. https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/esther-0, "Esther Halevy, Elimelech "Esther God blessed her greatly among the people, and she quickly rose to the position of queen. They didnt have a land, they could not worship God in His temple, and they didnt have their freedom. She was lovely to look at. 22 Feb. 2023 . 24:1719). Now, the king ordered that Haman be executed, along with his ten sons, on the very same gallows. Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender: Culture Society History, The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, ESTHER Haman then pleaded with Esther for forgiveness. In addition, everyone took her to be one of his own people (Meg. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! The king was humiliated and enraged, and he banished Vashti. The believers are in the world, interacting with these people, but they must live godly lives. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Encyclopaedia Judaica. Esther first appears in the story as one of the young virgins collected into the king's harem as possible replacements for Vashti, the banished wife of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I, reigned 485465 B.C.E. Most successful were the satiric Megilla-Lieder of the Yiddish poet Itzik *Manger adapted for the stage in Israel in 1965. the queen was 23 when she. 13a). The next day, she revealed to the king that she was a Jew and asked him to spare her people (Esther 7:3). The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Encyclopedia of Religion. We do not do things our own way. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. For one year, each young woman received perfume baths and special treatments with the sole purpose of being beautiful for King Xerxes. In the Middle Ages, the role of Esther took on powerful symbolic dimensions among Jews for at least three reasons. In 473 B.C., Esther managed to save the Jewish people of the kingdom from a massacre, a liferisking accomplishment that made her famous. She was Jewish but never revealed her nationality or family background as Mordecai had. She had been orphaned as a child and raised by her cousin Mordecai. Garden City, N.Y., 1971. SOLOMON (Heb. - Proverbs 21:1, Props: Clear glass pitcher (a clear drinking glass would work for a small group of students), water, 4 colors of food coloring, salad oil - as clear as possible, large spoon. (Mark 2:15). Any one of his people among you can go up to Jerusalem. Her real name was Hadassah, but she was called Esther by non-Jews, this being the Persian name for Venus (ibid.). Thinking that the king was talking about him, Haman advised that the man should be dressed in royal robes and the crown of the king, mounted on the king's royal horse, and glided around while a herald called "See how the King honors a man he wishes to reward!" https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/esther, "Esther A Yiddish play, Esther, oder di belonte Tugend (1827, 18543), was written by J. Herz, and Hebrew adaptations of Racine's classic drama made by S.J.L. Halevy, Elimelech "Esther Since Esther is an Iranian heroine, it is not surprising that Iranian Jews have preserved her memory with great devotion. To her enduring credit, she employed these means in the service of divine aims. Esther's motive in inviting Haman to the banquet was that he should not discover that she was Jewish, and that the Jews should not say: "We have a sister in the king's palace," and so neglect to pray for God's mercy. Esther in Medieval Garb: Jewish Interpretation of the Book of Esther in the Middle Ages. History records nothing about 'Queen Esther', who many scholars 9:2). The libretto was translated into Hebrew by the Venetian rabbi Jacob Raphael Saraval (17071782), and two copies of it with the scenic indications in English and Italian respectively are in the Ets Haim Library, Amsterdam; no evidence of a performance has yet been discovered (see Adler, Prat Mus, 1 (1966), 1234, 212). Esther then planned to appeal to the king on behalf of the Jews, but this would require that she reveal to her husband the king that she, too, was Jewish. The scenes depicted at Dura-Europos were Esther and Ahasuerus enthroned and Mordecai riding in triumph on a regal white horse. This makes Esther 60 years younger than her cousin Mordecai. A shrine in Hamadan, Iran, grew up around a tomb purported to contain the cenotaphs of Esther and Mordekai, which dates no earlier than the thirteenth century. When Mordecai refused to do so (3:25), an infuriated Haman decided to kill Mordecai as well as all the Jewish exiles across the Persian Empire (3:6). Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/esther-0. [CDATA[ She was of the tribe of Benjamin and lived during the time Israel was exiled. His task was to inform Ahasuerus of any conspiracy against him. 3). When Vashti, the first wife of Ahasuerus, defied the kings wish to appear at his banquet and display her beauty, she was banished. 6:114). Ahasuerus), was displeased with his wife and sought her replacement. She is remembered as a great heroine in Jewish history. In Queen Esther's Garden: An Anthology of Judeo-Persian Literature. Rembrandt painted Mordecai pleading with Esther (1655), Ahasuerus and Haman at Esther's Feast (1660), and Haman in Disgrace (1660). This way, she was able to have a healthy, caloric diet while avoiding the royal yet unkosher meat and wine fed to the other queen candidates. When Haman was named prime minister, the king had issued a general order that all were to bow to him. Stir and show the pitcher to the kids. She also thought that by being friendly to Haman she would rouse the king's jealousy to such an extent that he would kill both of them (Meg. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/esther. Vashti is banished, a decree is issued that all wives must honor their husbands, and the stage is set for a search to replace the defiant queen. The myrtle tree was native to Babylonia, but Jewish exiles who returned to Jerusalem took the tree with them, and it became a symbol of the nation of Israel. But when the former queen, Vashti, fell into disfavor with her husband, Ahasuerus, the king chose Esther to be his wife and queen. Esther must have been a "teenager" based on the historical and Biblical facts above. Encyclopedia.com. Revealing her origins Queen Esther begged for and was granted the lifting of the edict as well as revenge against Haman. But as we said earlier, believers are called to live in the world with all the other people. She would have probably been married off to some other man and would have had a few children. 16 September 2012. The name Esther itself means star and happiness. During the second banquet, she informed the king of Haman's plot to kill her and other Jews. . Encyclopedia.com. But this is the norm for MENA until the Mandates. Spiritual & Religious Leaders. The following evening, when the king and Haman attended Esther's second banquet, the king promised her to grant any request that she made. She was determined to be a just and fair queen, and to make her people proud. "Esther Esther was a descendant of King Saul. 7 vols. Various additions to Esther have been incorporated into the Apocrypha and Septuagint, and there are numerous expansions in the Aramaic Targum sheni. (February 22, 2023). Haman then obtained the kings permission to execute his plan. After the Babylonian empire was itself conquered by the Persians under Cyrus the Great, the exiled tribes were allowed to return to Jerusalem. See pages 335342. In a way that the children can see, pour the oil into a clear glass to show the oil is still clear. But God promised, through the prophet Jeremiah, that one day He would gather the Israelites together again and restore their land (Jeremiah 30:1-4). Some Jews chose not to return to Jerusalem as God had commanded. During the night, King Xerxes's right hand man Haman (played by Mr. Lunt) tells Vashti that the king wants her to make him a sandwich. Translated by Henrietta Szold et al. . Share After the Middle Ages the story of Esther was treated in a less symbolic manner and was used instead as a storehouse of picturesque episodes. Married to King Ahasuerus after he divorced the former queen for disobedience, Esther would intercede on behalf of the Jewish people of the kingdom and prevent their annihilation. The monarch of Persia, King Ahasuerus, was wealthy and powerful. 22 Feb. 2023 . Encyclopedia.com. The hero of the Book of Esther is a Jewish woman who lived in Susa and became queen when she was chosen to be the wife of King . Remove your spoon and allow the water to settle while you say the next few lines. ." She is one of the four most beautiful women in the world (the other three, also in the Bible, being Sarah, Rahab, and Abigail), and her beauty flourished unabated throughout her life. Encyclopaedia Judaica. She persuades him to stop the slaughter of her people. After Haman's execution, Esther and Mordecai were awarded all of Haman's estate. Initially afraid of meeting the king unsummoned, Esther told Mordecai to ask the Jews to fast for 3 days and said that she would also do so (4:1516.). Numerous details enhance the biblical account, which highlight Ahasuerus' credulity, Haman's arrogance, Mordekai's cleverness, and Esther's beauty and loyalty to her faith. Ahasuerus was struck by her beauty, and made her queen instead of Vashti (2:17). After an investigation, the eunuchs were executed, and Mordecai's loyalty and aid to the king was recorded in the chronicles of the kingdom. However, the tradition is evident in Isaac Offenbach's play Koenigin Esther (manuscript dated 1833, at the Jewish Institute of Religion, New York), which includes some "couplets" and in which the court jester seems a more important figure than the biblical personages. Why did Herod like to listen to John the Baptist, who criticized Herods lifestyle? Esther exemplified humility. When her parents died, Mordecai adopted her and raised her in his home. Mordecai sent back word complaining that these days included the first day of Passover! "Esther." The people break the laws God has given. . Encyclopedia.com. Although the date of her death is not known, Jewish tradition indicates that Queen Esther's tomb is in Hamadan, also known as Ecbatana, located in what is now western Iran. Brenner, Athalya, ed. Obviously, the Jews were greatly distressed by the decree, and Mordecai turned to Esther for help. 1), Sheba The higher the vote, the further up an answer is. She risked her life to save her people, the Jews, from being massacred. Does God gives us political leaders or do we vote them by choice? https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/esther-0, Mishkinsky, Moshe; Spector, Shmuel "Esther The event was attended by people from one hundred twenty-seven provinces of Persia, a kingdom that stretched from India to Ethiopia. Choose another color and add it to the water. However, till that time, she had not disclosed her Jewish background to the king. S. Schwarz, The Jews in the Soviet Union (1951), index; lnyl, 1 (1956), 1413. . The most notable modern work on the subject is Darius *Milhaud's opera Esther de Carpentras, which dramatized the staging of an old Provenal Purim play with the threat posed by a conversionist bishop of Carpentras. Regret of what he did, missing Vashti Ask: Have you ever regretted something you did in the midst of being angry or upset? Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Choose another color and add it to the water. When we live Gods way, our lives will be full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. Esther is one of the Tanakh's few true queens. Esther was kidnapped from her home and forced to live at the palace with the other harem girls. According to the biblical Book of Esther, Esther was a Hebrew woman from Persia who became the queen of Persian king Ahasuerus, generally identified as Xerxes I, the fifth king of kings of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. Say: At the very end of the Kings parties, when he was just about finished showing off this splendor to all of Susa, the king made one request. 6). But she refused to come. Walfish, Barry Dov. To commemorate their deliverance, the Jews established the twoday festival of Purim, which is still observed to this day. . Report The author of the Book of Esther is believed to beMordecai, Esther's cousin. When the book of Esther opens, the great-grandson of King Cyrus, a man named Xerxes, was king over the massive territory of Persia and Media. Their legal marriage age suggests that they prefer young people below 18 (prime of the youth). The customary recitation of Esther's narrative is essential to any Purim celebration. Esther, an opera by Jan Meyerowitz with text by Langston Hughes, was written in 1956. ; tenth century b.c.e. The king complied with Esther's request, and the edict of destruction was changed into permission given to the Jews to avenge themselves on their enemies. This decree was obtained through a cunning deception that, at its core, was essentially an act of revenge on the part of Haman against Mordecai. An imperial decree was issued across the kingdom to kill all Jews on the 13th of the month of Adar (3:1315). A trickster's manipulative conduct, coupled with seductive beauty, are viewed to have been part of Esther's only available means to carry out her unselfish purpose through powerful but vulnerable men. , hypocoristic masculine proper name containing the theophoric element Marduk), name of two Biblical figures: It became a frequent pilgrimage destination for Iranian Jews. As his first bit of counsel, he told her to conceal the fact that she was Jewish. The Megillah called her a beautiful young virgin, indicating that she would be around 12 years oldgross, alright? Esther reminded the king that the decree for the massacre was still in effect. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Ancient Persia, notably the capital city of Susa, is the setting for the book of Esther. A total of more than 75,000 people were killed by the Jews who, however, refrained from engaging in any more plunder (9:1617). - Esther 2:1 NET. When you look to others for advice, be sure to choose people who follow God and know what the Bible says. Main Point: God is Sovereign. Sixty years later, the king of Persia, King Cyrus, conquered Babylon. Retrieved February 22, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/esther. //
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