Esther אֶסְתֵּר
Jewish queen of Persia; saved her people from genocide.
Who is Esther in the Bible?
Esther, born Hadassah, was a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia during the reign of King Ahasuerus and saved her people from genocide (Esther 2.7, 2.17). An orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, Esther was chosen from among the most beautiful women in the empire to replace the deposed Queen Vashti (Esther 2.7-17). When the official Haman plotted to exterminate all Jews in the Persian kingdom, Esther risked her life by approaching the king without invitation to expose his treacherous scheme (Esther 4-5). Her courage led to Haman's execution and the Jews' deliverance, after which Esther and Mordecai established the Feast of Purim to commemorate God's protection (Esther 7-9, 9.29-32). Her story demonstrates how God's providence works through faithful individuals to preserve His people, even when His name is never explicitly mentioned in the narrative.
Biography
Esther, born Hadassah, was a Jewish woman who became the queen of Persia during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). She was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai (Est.2.7). Esther was chosen to be queen after Ahasuerus deposed Queen Vashti (Est.2.17). When Haman, a high-ranking official, plotted to exterminate the Jews, Esther risked her life by approaching the king uninvited to expose Haman's plot (Esther 4-5). As a result, Haman was hanged, and the Jews were given the right to defend themselves, leading to their deliverance (Esther 7-8). Esther and Mordecai instituted the Feast of Purim to commemorate this event (Est.9.29-32). Her story exemplifies courage, faith, and God's providence in protecting His people.
Family
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEsther 5 verses
- Esther 2:7
"And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter."
Study Esther → - Esther 2:8
"When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women."
Study Esther → - Esther 2:10
"Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so."
Study Esther → - Esther 2:11
"And every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn about Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her."
Study Esther → - Esther 2:15
"Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found..."
Study Esther →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֶסְתֵּר |
| Named | Hebrew | הֲדַסָּה |
Encyclopedia Article
ISBE 1915 (Public Domain) Esther
was brought up at Susa by her cousin Mordecai, who seems to have held a position among the lower officials of the royal palace. Vashti, Xerxes' former queen, was divorced; and the most beautiful virgins from all the provinces of the empire were brought to the palace of Susa that the king might select her successor. The choice fell upon the Jewish maiden. Soon after her accession a great crisis occurred in the history of the Jews. The entire people was threatened with destruction. The name of Esther is forever bound up with the record of their deliverance. By a course of action which gives her a distinguished place among the women of the Bible, the great enemy of the Jews was destroyed, and her people were delivered. Nothing more is known of her than is recorded in the book which Jewish gratitude has made to bear her name.
Change of Name
The change in the queen's name from Hadassah hadacah, "a myrtle," to Esther, "a star," may possibly indicate the style of beauty for which the Persian queen was famous. The narrative displays her as a woman of clear judgment, of magnificent self- control, and capable of the noblest self-sacrifice.
See ESTHER, BOOK OF.
John Urquhart
1. The Canonicity of Esther 2. Its Authorship 3. Its Date 4. Its Contents 5. The Greek Additions 6. The Attacks upon the Book 7. Some of the Objections 8. Confirmations of