§93. Esther Made Queen (Esther 1:1, 5, 7, 9, 11-13, 15, 16, 19, 21; 2:1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 15-18, 20)

A. QUEEN VASHTI DEPOSED

King Ahasuerus made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace. And they gave them in vessels of gold royal wine in abundance, according to every man's pleasure.

Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

Then the king said to the wise men, "What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not done the bidding of the king?"

And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, "If it please the king, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she."

And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan.

B. THE SELECTION OF ESTHER

After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was pacified, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, "Let there be fair young maidens sought for the king in all his kingdom; and let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti." And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

There was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, who had brought up Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, that Esther was taken into the king's house.

Now when the turn of Esther was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what the keeper of the women appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all them that looked upon her. So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king.

Esther had not yet showed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.

§94. The Plot against the Jews (Esther 3:1, 2, 5, 6, 8-13; 4:1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11-17)

A. THE ENMITY OF HAMAN

After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed down, and did reverence to Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence.

And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. But he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had showed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from those of every people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written that they be destroyed."

And the king took his ring from his hand and gave it unto Haman, and said, "The people is given to thee to do with them as it seemeth good to thee."

Then were the king's scribes called, and letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

B. MORDECAI'S APPEAL TO ESTHER

Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry: and he came even before the king's gate: for none might enter within the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

And Esther's maidens and her chamberlains came and told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and she sent her chamberlain to Mordecai to know what this was, and why it was.

And Mordecai gave him a copy of the writing of the decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her; and to charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him, for her people.

And he came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Then Esther gave him a message unto Mordecai, saying: "All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days."

And they told to Mordecai Esther's words. Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther, "Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou and thy father's house shall perish: and who knoweth whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai, "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.

§95. Esther's Brave Intercession (Esther 5:1-5; 7:2-6, 9, 10; 8:1-8, 9, 11, 15-17; 9:1, 2, 5, 20-23, 32)

A. THE DANGEROUS INTERVIEW

Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the entrance of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, "What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom."

ESTHER'S PALACE

And Esther said, "If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him."

Then the king said, "Cause Haman to make haste, that it may be done as Esther hath said."

So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. And the king said unto Esther, "What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed."

Then Esther the queen answered and said, "If I have found favor in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request: for we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish."

Then spake the king Ahasuerus and said unto Esther the queen, "Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?"

And Esther said, "An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman."

Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. Then said one of the chamberlains that were before the king, "Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman hath made for Mordecai standeth in the house of Haman."

And the king said, "Hang him thereon."

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

B. THE DELIVERANCE OF THE JEWS

On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman and his device that he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre. So Esther arose, and stood before the king. And she said, "If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman which he wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: for how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?"

Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write ye also to the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse."

Then were the king's scribes called at that time, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces, that the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, their little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.

And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad. The Jews had light and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a good day. And many from among the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews was fallen upon them.

C. THE FEAST OF THE DELIVERANCE

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have rule over them; whereas it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them; the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them was fallen upon all the peoples. And the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and with slaughter and destruction, and did what they would unto them that hated them.

And Mordecai wrote letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far, to enjoin them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same, yearly, as the days wherein the Jews had rest from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to gladness, and from mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor. And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them.

And the commandment of Esther confirmed these matters of the feast of Purim; and it was written in the book.

THE MEANING OF THE STORY

346. Among the stories of their heroes the Jews preserved several stories of heroines, and none is more striking than that of the patriot queen, whose extraordinary bravery saved her people. There are many kinds of bravery, some in doing, some in suffering. Let us try to get a correct judgment of Esther.

347 (§93A). The first part of the story shows how Esther became the queen of Persia. What kind of feast did the king give? What command did he give to Vashti? Let us remember that ladies in the East do not often appear in public before men. How did it happen that Vashti was deposed?

348 (§93B). What plan was proposed to secure a most beautiful wife for the king? Who was Mordecai? How did he get Esther introduced to the king? How did she become queen? Note that her cousin had advised her not to let it be known that she was a Jewess, because there was a prejudice against her nation.

349 (§94A). The villain of the story is Haman. What high place did he hold? How did Mordecai offend him? What revenge did he plan?

350 (§94B). Mordecai knew that when a royal decree had been issued it could not be changed. How did he behave? What did he request Esther to do?

351 (§94B). Notice the strict rule of the Persian court. No one could see the king unless summoned by him. How different from our democratic government, where any citizen may at least ask permission to see the president! But Mordecai urged Esther to risk her life to save her people. Now see how brave she was. She might have said, "No one knows that I am a Jewess. I am quite safe as the king's wife. I will keep silent. It would be folly to risk my life by offending the king." But she decided to risk her great place with its wealth and luxury, and also her life, because her duty to her people required it. What answer did she send to Mordecai?

352 (§95A). Describe Esther's approach to the king. The tyrant happened to be in a good humor, so she was safe. What invitation did she extend?

353 (§95A). Haman was delighted with the great honor the queen did him. He had no idea that his enemy, whom he had planned to hang on a high gallows, was the queen's cousin. How did it all turn out?

354 (§95B). How was Mordecai promoted? We must remember that although Haman was dead, the king's decree for the slaughter of the Jews could not be changed. But permission could be given to the Jews to defend themselves on the day of the massacre. How was this arranged?

355 (§95C). Of course this is an old story of times when people took fierce revenge, so we learn that the Jews slaughtered their enemies. But it was a great deliverance, and Mordecai and Esther planned that a great feast should be kept to celebrate it. What kind of feast was it?

356 (§95C). The Jews still keep the Feast of Purim. It is one of the merriest times they have. They have all kinds of fun and give presents, as we do at Christmas. And they still honor the beautiful queen, who stood with her own people in their peril, and saved them by her wit and courage.

WRITTEN REVIEW

Recall Mordecai's suggestion to Esther (p. 356). In the days of chivalry knights had a motto: Noblesse oblige meaning that those of noble rank had an obligation to serve those in need. Any strength or good we have is not for our own use, but to help others with. Take this as your motto. Draw a banner and inscribe in colors: Noblesse oblige.