Book of esther and mordecai

King xerxes of persia was the worlds most powerful monarch who ruled the persian empire around 486 b. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Without taking away from her courage, wisdom and devotion to god, the real hero of the book is a midlevel government official, mordecai. It is he, not esther, whom the book praises in its conclusion. This monologue, particularly its climactic phrase for such a time as this, is. The greek septuagint remedied this situation by adding six passages which include the name of god. As you read the book of esther, you will see that mordecai was very. For mordecai the jew was second to king ahasuerus, and was great among the jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his kindred. Esther 6 new international version niv mordecai honored.

Mordecai held some type of official position within the. Esther bible story summary what christians want to know. The kings chief advisor, haman, is offended by esther s cousin and guardian, mordecai, and gets permission from the king. Book of esther, in the hebrew bible and the christian old testament. Queen esther was given rule over the house of haman. Now there was in the citadel of susa a jew of the tribe of benjamin, named mordecai son of jair, the son of shimei, the son of kish, who had been carried into exile from jerusalem by nebuchadnezzar king of babylon, among those taken captive with jehoiachin king of judah. His actions within esther s life story in the bible characterize attributes. Mordecai was like a father to his cousin, queen esther pexels.

Mordecai s genealogy in the second chapter of the book of esther is given as a descendant of kish of the tribe of benjamin. By alistair begg in this message, we meet esther and her cousin mordecai and learn how she was chosen to be queen of the medopersi. The book of daniel provides accounts of jews in exile being assigned names relating to babylonian gods and mordecai is understood to mean servant of. She was the cousin of a benjamite named mordecai, who was also her guardian, having adopted her as his own daughter when her parents died. The book of esther may not explicitly mention the name of god in its pages, but it undoubtedly showcases gods hand upon his people. Mordecai informed esther of law and advised her to speak with the king. The massacre had been plotted by the kings chief minister, haman, and the date decided by casting lots purim. As you read the book of esther, you will see that mordecai was very instrumental in ensuring the safety of not only esther and the jewish people, but of also exposing treachery in the kingdom of her husband, king ahasuerus. But while the characters might resemble a fairy tale, the book of esther depicts actual events that shaped jewish history and instituted the festival of purim. Kish was also the name of the father of king saul, and the talmud accords mordecai the status of a descendant of the first king of israel. Esther 4 new international version niv mordecai persuades esther to help. God is not mentioned in the book of esther, but that doesnt mean he isnt there. Do you know any parents who do not enjoy pictures of their children and delight to show them to their friends. Mordecai was revealed to be the foster father of esther.

Esther, the beautiful jewish wife of the persian king ahasuerus, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of jews throughout the empire. One key figure in the book of esther, a man named mordecai, is someone we should know and learn from. Esther 6 niv mordecai honored that night the king bible gateway. Esther had been living in the citadel of susa, where the king also lived. He has been believed by many to have been the author of the book of esther. Grand old holy tells us the story of queen esthers wit and how she saves the lives of mordecai and fellow jews from. Put in a nutshell, the theology of the book of esther is judeocentered. The book ends with mordecai as the kings chief minister. The authorship of the book of esther is a subject of debate.

Mordecai says to esther that if she is unwilling to act on behalf of her people, help will come from another place, but that other place is certainly no deus ex machina. He is described as being the son of jair, of the tribe of benjamin. Mordecai is one of the main personalities in the book of esther in the hebrew bible. Xerxes i, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general. The king could not sleep that night and began to read the book that contained all. The fascinating story of mordechai and esther and their triumph over the treacherous haman, based on the megillah, talmud and midrash. This monarch learns of esthers jewish identity only after haman, the storys villain, plots to annihilate the jews, including esther and her guardian mordecai, who like haman serves the king. Why, at this time of success, he should not have earned everyone s respect bothered many commentators, and numerous explanations have been offered. The book of esther is about a jewish girl adopted by her uncle, mordecai, after her parents died.

Mordecai goes and wails outside the palace gates while wearing sackcloth, and esther fasts for three days before visiting the king. In the narrative, ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, vashti, refuses to obey him, and esther is chosen for her beauty. Yeah, he knows how to foil an assassination plot, he knows when to strap the sackcloth on, he knows when to weep and wail in front of the emperors gate, and he. The events of the book of esther took place about 2,500 years ago during the reign of king ahasuerus of persia and media. Esther is described in the book of esther as a jewish queen of the persian king ahasuerus commonly identified as xerxes i, reigned 486465 bce. Queen esther and mordecai were given hamans estate. Hes a bit more minor leaguethe faygo to their fanta, if you will. Mordecai persuades esther to help when mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out. The festival of purim was established by mordecai to remind jewish people how they were saved by queen esther and mordecai from extermination. The book of esther is the only one not found in the dead sea scrolls. Esther asked the king to allow the jews to defend themselves against the people of haman, the agagites. The book purports to explain how the feast of purim came to be celebrated by the jews. Mordecai is a lot like daniel or joseph, except hes not quite as awesome or good at interpreting dreams or anything like that. For he was in charge of a very charming and good hearted cousin named esther, or hadassah.

But there a couple of problems with this view, first in order for mordecai to have been alive at this time, his great grandfather, grandfather, and father all had to have been in their fifties at the time their sons were born and mordecai would have been advanced in years at the time of the book of esther. The genre of the book of esther is narrative history. Xerxes, the persian king, rejected his wife queen vashti, and fell in love with esther at a beauty contest. What is the persian city where most of the book of esther takes place. Learn how the story of queen esther, mordecai and their people impacts you. It is one of the five scrolls megillot in the hebrew bible. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third section ketuvim, writings of the jewish tanakh the hebrew bible and in the christian old testament. The book of ester is a very special book in the bible, so here are 11 important bible verses from the book of esther. Esther 4 niv mordecai persuades esther to help bible.

One of the most famous passages of the book is esther 4. This book is the story of how godly queen esther came to the throne in persia and preserved her people from extinction through her wise trust in god. The book of esther in the bible contains the whole entire story of esther and mordecai. Very briefly, the biblical book of esther narrates the marriage of esther, a jew, to the persian king ahasuerus. Esther and mordecai biblical missionaries amazing facts.

The prayers of esther and mordecai are especially noteworthy. Among the numerous subplots is the personal hatred that haman bears for mordecai. In book of esther xerxes i, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of jews throughout the empire. The book of the old testament immediately before esther. Summary of the book of esther genuine leather bible. Mordecai learned of a plot to kill the king and continue reading summary of the book of esther. King ahasuerus gave his ring to mordecaithe ring he had previously given to haman when haman became the kings righthand man. Believed by some to house the remains of the biblical queen esthe r and her cousin mordecha i, it is the most important pilgrimage site for jews in the country. What does esther do before agreeing to help mordecai.

The book of esther is a unique book in the bible in, for one thing, its written from the persian perspective because the children of god are captives. As esther was an orphan, her cousin mordechai brought her up. The book of esther may remind you of a classic, once upon a time childrens story with a wealthy king, his beautiful queen, and an evil villain. Esther was a jewish woman who was selected by the persian king ahasuerus to be his wife. The story of esther, mordecai, haman and king ahasuerus, is a drama which.

He took esther as the new persian queen, not knowing she was an israelite. Purim today is not celebrated as mordecai asked the people to do, and as they agreed to do. Mordecai was esthers adoptive father, mentor, confidante, cheerleader. Through the grace of god, the author has identified at least 80 divine interventions and reversals in the book of esther in the bible. Esther is worried the king will execute her for visiting him unannounced, butto the contraryhe is mellow and pleased.

The book of esther in hebrew is secular in nature, in that the name of god, the temple, and prayer are not mentioned. Mordecai story book of esther old testament bible story for. Esther and mordecai under xerxes of persia amazing bible. Esther 4 niv mordecai persuades esther to help bible gateway. But mordechai feared the day when esther would be called to the palace. Esther 6 mordecai honored that night the king bible. But it is also a wonderful story of courage and faith. To most parents it would have been a rare honor and a great privilege to have a daughter married to the king.