Keith Essex
Part XV: Esther

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 27: Introduction, Themes, and Purpose of Esther; and
• Lecture 28: Literary Structure and Interpretive Issues of Esther.

15. Esther [MSB, 668-70; ESVSB, 849-52; BTSB, 790-93; NIVSB, 802-5; HWSOT, 346-55; WOTA, 420-27; LDIOT, 213-23; DOTWPW, 160-70]
    1. Introduction
       1. Title: "Esther" in Hebrew and LXX [W&W, 354]
       2. Texts and Versions of Esther [W&W, 359; DOTWPW, 181-8]
       3. Date of Events:
          • From c. 483 BC (Est 1:3)
          • to c. 473 BC (Est 2:16-c. 479 BC; Est 3:7-c. 474 BC) [MSB, 672; CBCOT, 70; DOTHB, 485-92, 768-82]
       4. Canonical Position: Between Lamentations and Daniel, associated with the Feast of Purim (Est 9:20-32)
       5. The History of Interpretation [DTIB, 194-5; DOTWPW, 175-81; Reid, 24-28; ACCSOT, vol. V]
    2. The Major Themes [see W&W, 359-60; NIDOTTE, 4:582-5]
       1. No Mention of God's Name
       2. No Mention of Palestine, Jerusalem, the Temple, the Law, Prayer
       3. The Reversal of Human Plans (Est 9:1; see the charts below; BSac 159:636 (Oct, 2002) 425-35; BSac 160:637 (Jan, 2003) 34-47)
       4. The Jews (Est 2:5; 3:4, 6, 10, 13; 4:3, 7, 13, 14, 16; 5:13; 6:10-13; 8:1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 16, 17; 9:1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31; 10:3)
          1. The Hatred / Fear of the Jews (Est 3:5-6; 6:13; 8:13)
          2. The Deliverance of the Jews (Est 4:14; 8-9)
       5. The Major Characters [see Fox, Character and Ideology in the Book of Esther]
          1. King Ahasuerus — self-centered; insecure; emotional; impressionable; sensual (Est 1:1-8, 21; 2:2-4; 3:8-11; 7:7-10; 8:1-14; 9:11-14) [DOTWPW, 8-11]
          2. Vashti — beautiful; defiant; remembered (Est 1:10-12; 2:1)
          3. Mordecai ("the son of Kish," cf. 1 Sam 9:1) — dedicated to the welfare of the Jews (Est 2:5-7; 4:13-17; 10:3) [DOTWPW, 476-81]
          4. Esther — beautiful; submissive; courageous; prudent (Est 2:7; 5:1-2; 5:3-8; 7:1-10) [DOTWPW, 188-93]
          5. Haman ("the Agagite," cf. 1 Sam 15:8) — vindictive; crafty; proud (Est 3:1-6; 5:9-14; 6:6)
       6. The Echoes of Previous OT Deliverance (Gen 37-50; Exod 1-15) and Conquest (Josh 1-12) Narratives [see Laniak, 172-4, 254-61]
    3. Purpose:
       • While the physical seed of Abraham was not faithful to Yahweh, they were still protected by God in a hidden way from Gentile attack.
    4. The Literary Structure (W&W, 356-7; BSac 159:635 (July, 2002) 277-87)
       1. A Chart of the Pattern of the Traditional Understanding of Esther
          From Vashti to Esther

          From Haman to Mordecai

          From Calamity to Good for the Jews

          Royal Edict
          Esth 1:13-22

          Royal Edict
          Esth 3:7-15

          Royal Edict
          Esth 8:3-14

          Feast #1
          Esth 1:3, 5, 9

          Feast #1
          Esth 5:4, 5, 6, 8, 12, 14

          Feast #1
          Esth 8:17

          Feast #2
          Esth 2:18

          Feast #2
          Esth 6:14; 7:2, 7, 8

          Feast #2
          Esth 9:17-19, 22

           

           

          Feast of Purim

          Est 1:1 - Est 2:18

          Est 2:19 - Est 7:10

          Est 8:1 - Est 10:3
       2. A Chart of the Pattern of Reversal in Esther
          A

          Prologue: Persian Festival and Ascension of Esther (Est 1:1–Est 2:23)

          a

          The greatness of Ahasurerus; Vashti was deposed (Est 1:1-22)

          b

          Esther chosen, banquet in her honor; her Jewishness was hidden (Est 2:1-18)

          c

          Mordecai foiled the plot to assassinate Ahasuerus (Est 2:19-23)

          B

          Complication: The Jews Endangered by their Archenemy (Est 3:1-15)

          a

          Haman, the archenemy of the Jews, plotted to destroy the Jews on Adar 13 (Est 3:1-7)

          b

          Haman persuaded Ahasuerus to issue an edict to annihilate Jews (Est 3:8-15)

          C

          Response: Mordecai's Strategic Appeal (Est 4:1-17)

          a

          The Jews in Susa lamented over the first royal edict (Est 4:1-3)

          b

          Mordecai persuaded Esther to appeal to Ahasuerus (Est 4:4-17)

          D

          Development: Esther's First Banquet (Est 5:1-8)

          a

          Esther averted death and invited Ahasuerus to attend her banquet (Est 5:1-5a)

          b

          Esther's first banquet; she deferred her request (Est 5:5b-8)

          E

          Centerpiece: The Fall of Haman and Rise of Mordecai (Est 5:9–Est 6:14)

          a

          Haman boasted; his wife/friends encouraged him to hang Mordecai (Est 5:9-14)

          b

          Turning Point: that night the King could not sleep (Est 6:1-11)

          a'

          Haman lamented; wife/adviser predicted his downfall before Mordecai (Est 6:12-14)

          D'

          Consequence: Esther's Second Banquet (Est 7:1-10)

          b'

          Esther's second banquet; she made her request (Est 7:1-8)

          a'

          Haman invited his own death when he plead to save his life (Est 7:9-10)

          C'

          Resolution: Mordecai's Strategic Appeal (Est 8:1-17)

          b'

          Mordecai persuaded Ahasuerus to issue a second edict (Est 8:1-14)

          a'

          The Jews in Susa rejoiced over the second royal edict (Est 8:15-17)

          B'

          Denouement: The Jews Victorious over their Enemies (Est 9:1-19)

          b'

          The Jews were victorious and destroyed their enemies on Adar 13 (Est 9:1-5)

          a'

          Esther persuaded Ahasuerus to allow Jews to kill Haman's Sons (Est 9:6-19)

          A

          Epilogue: Jewish Festival and Ascension of Mordecai (Est 9:20–Est 10:3)

          c'

          Mordecai instituted Purim to celebrate foiling of Haman' plot (Est 9:20-28)

          b'

          Esther authorized Purim festival; her Jewishness was displayed (Est 9:29-32)

          a'

          The greatness of Ahasuerus; Mordecai was empowered (Est 10:1-3)
       3. The Outline of Esther
          1. Esther's Elevation to Queen (Est 1:1–Est 2:18)
             1. The Demand of Ahasuerus [Xerxes] of His Former Wife (Est 1:1-12)
             2. The Decree of Ahasuerus [Xerxes] concerning Women (Est 1:13-22)
             3. The Decision of Ahasuerus [Xerxes] concerning His New Wife (Est 2:1-18)
          2. Esther's Role in the Deliverance of Her People (Est 2:19–Est 7:10)
             1. Mordecai's Deliverance of Ahasuerus [Xerxes] (Est 2:19-23)
             2. The Decree against the Jews (Est 3:1-15)
             3. Esther's Intervention against Haman (Est 4:1–Est 5:8)
             4. The Pride of Haman (Est 5:9-14)
             5. The Plan of Ahasuerus [Xerxes] to Honor Mordecai (Est 6:1-9)
             6. The Humbling of Haman (Est 6:10-14)
             7. Esther's Further Intervention and the Hanging of Haman (Est 7:1-10)
          3. Mordecai's Elevation to Authority by Ahasuerus [Xerxes] and Esther (Est 8:1–Est 10:3)
             1. Mordecai's New Positions (Est 8:1-2)
             2. The Decree for the Jews to Defend Themselves (Est 8:3–Est 9:19)
             3. The Feast of Purim (Est 9:20-32)
             4. The Greatness of Mordecai (Est 10:1-3)
    5. Bibliography
       1. Exegetical:
          • Bush, Ruth, Esther (WBC).
       2. English Interpretation:
          • Allen & *Laniak, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (NIBCOT).
          • Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (NAC).
          • Reid, Esther (TOTC).
          • Whitcomb, Esther (EvBC)
       3. Expositional:
          • Duguid, Esther & Ruth (REC).
          • Luter & *Davis, God Behind the Seen.
          • Jobes, Esther (NIVAC).
    6. Selected Interpretive Problems [DOTWPW, 175-81]
       1. The Genre of Esther [see Breneman, 279-88; Laniak, 176-82; DOTWPW, 492-6; BSac 159:634 (April, 2002) 151-65]
          1. Complete Fiction; i.e. Parable or Allegory (reasons)
             1. Improbable Details
                1. Six Months of Feasting (Est 1:4)
                2. A Year-long Beauty Preparation (Est 2:12)
                3. The Height of Haman's Gallows (Est 5:14)
                4. The Number of Men Killed (Est 9:16)
             2. Contradictory Historical Data
                1. Xerxes' Wife Named Amestris
                2. Twenty Satrapies in the Persian Empire (cf. Est 1:1; 8:9)
          2. Historical Fiction or Historical Novel
          3. Historical Narrative (Est 10:2) [Baldwin (?); Breneman; Davis]
             1. The Use of the waw-consecutive (Est 1:1)
             2. Chronological References (Est 1:1, 3; 2:16; 3:7, 13; 8:9; 9:1, 17-19)
             3. The Invitation to Search the Historical Records (Est 2:23; 6:1; 10:2)
       2. The Spiritual Nature of Mordecai and Esther (Historically and/or Literarily) [MSB, 669]
          1. Spiritual Jews [Breneman; Reid (?)]
          2. Unspiritual Jews [Whitcomb; Davis]
          3. Spiritual / Unspiritual Jews [Bush]
          4. Unknown [Laniak; Jobes]
    7. Preaching Esther

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.