Esther
the queen who interceded
Who was Esther?
- A young Jewish woman of Susa who had lost her father and mother. Mordecai, her relative, raised her as his own daughter. Esther 2:5-7
- King Ahasuerus chose her and made her queen in place of Vashti. Esther 2:17
- She risked her life by going to the king without being summoned, to plead for her people. Esther 4:8, 16; Esther 7:3
- The name
- Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, which means “myrtle,” a shrub. Esther was her other name. Esther 2:7; NAB note on Est 2, 7
- Also called
- Hadassah Esther 2:7
- Occupation
- Queen of Persia, wife of King Ahasuerus Esther 2:17
What the Bible says
Esther 2:5-7
5There was a man in the city of Susan, a Jew, named Mardochai, the son of Jair, the son of Semei, the son of Cis, of the race of Jemini, 6Who had been carried away from Jerusalem at the time that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon carried away Jechonias king of Juda, 7And he had brought up his brother’s daughter Edissa, who by another name was called Esther: now she had lost both her parents: and was exceeding fair and beautiful. And her father and mother being dead, Mardochai adopted her for his daughter.
Esther 2:17
And the king loved her more than all the women, and she had favour and kindness before him above all the women, and he set the royal crown on her head, and made her queen instead of Vasthi.
Esther 4:8, 16; Esther 7:3
8He gave him also a copy of the edict which was hanging up in Susan, that he should shew it to the queen, and admonish her to go in to the king, and to entreat him for her people. 16Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.
Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain.
The path of Esther
- Before Jesus. Esther had lost both her father and her mother. Mordecai, her relative, raised her in Susa as his own daughter. Esther 2:5-7
- Before Jesus. She was taken to the palace of King Ahasuerus with other young women. Esther did not say which people she belonged to, because Mordecai had asked her not to. Esther 2:8, 10
- With Jesus. The king loved her more than all the others. He placed the crown on her head and made her queen. Esther 2:17
- With Jesus. Haman obtained a decree to kill all the Jews on a single day. Mordecai asked Esther to plead with the king for her people. Esther 3:13; Esther 4:8
- With Jesus. Anyone who went in to the king without being called was to die, unless the king held out his scepter. Esther asked the Jews of Susa to fast for her three days, and she decided to go. Esther 4:11, 16
- With Jesus. Esther prayed to the Lord, dressed in mourning. On the third day she appeared before the king, and God changed the king’s anger into kindness. Esther 14:1-3; Esther 15:4, 10-11
- With Jesus. At the second banquet, Esther asked the king for her life and the life of her people. She told the king that the enemy was Haman. Esther 7:3-6
- Afterward. In tears, she asked the king to undo Haman’s plan. Later, with Mordecai, she confirmed by letter the feast of Purim. Esther 8:3-5; Esther 9:29-32
Words of Esther
“Go, and gather together all the Jews whom thou shalt find in Susan, and pray ye for me. Neither eat nor drink for three days and three nights: and I with my handmaids will fast in like manner, and then I will go in to the king, against the law, not being called, and expose myself to death and to danger.” Esther 4:16
Her answer to Mordecai, before she went before the king.
“O God, who art mighty above all, hear the voice of them, that have no other hope, and deliver us from the hand of the wicked, and deliver me from my fear.” Esther 14:19
At the end of her prayer, before she went to see the king.
“If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please thee, give me my life for which I ask, and my people for which I request.” Esther 7:3
To the king, at the second banquet.
“For how can I endure the murdering and slaughter of my people?” Esther 8:6
When she asked the king to undo Haman’s plan.
What they were like
- Brave: she went before the king knowing she was risking her life. Esther 4:11, 16
- Obedient to Mordecai, who had raised her. Esther 2:20
- A woman of prayer: she fasted and prayed before she acted. Esther 4:16; Esther 14:1-3
The greatest thing they did
- She pleaded for her people before the king, and the king allowed a new decree to be written in their favor. Esther 7:3-4; Esther 8:8
Not to be confused with
- Vashti was queen before Esther. The king set her aside because she would not come when he called her. Esther 1:12, 19; Esther 2:17
What people ask
How was she related to Mordecai?
They were relatives, and he raised her as a daughter. In the Hebrew text, Esther is his cousin; in Torres Amat, a Spanish Catholic translation, she is his niece. Esther 2:7, 15
Why does the Book of Esther have chapters marked with letters?
The Catholic Bible includes parts of Esther that were preserved in Greek, such as the prayers of Esther and Mordecai. They are marked with letters, from A to F. The Church holds them to be as inspired as the rest of the book. Esther 13:8-18; Esther 14:1-19; NAB introduction to Esther
Why did Esther fast?
To prepare herself before going to the king without being called. She asked the Jews of Susa to fast for her three days. Esther 4:16
What is the feast of Purim?
A Jewish feast that remembers how the people were saved in the time of Esther. “Purim” comes from “pur,” the lot Haman cast to choose the day. Esther 3:7; Esther 9:26-28
Her fear She was afraid to go in to the king without being called. Esther 4:11; Esther 15:8 When she saw the king angry, she turned pale and leaned on…
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