The Bible Book

132

See also: Ruth and Naomi 108–09

T

he story of Esther is one of

only two books in the Bible

that makes no reference to

God (the other is Song of Songs).

The tale of a Jewish queen who

speaks up to save her people, it was

likely included to show how even a

silent God causes good to triumph.

Esther becomes the wife of King

Ahasuerus after he sets aside his

previous wife, Queen Vashti, for

refusing to appear before guests.

A beautiful girl, Esther has been

raised by a relative, Mordecai, but

does not reveal her Jewish heritage

to the king. The king is delighted

with his wife and with Mordecai,

who uncovers an assassination

plot against him. Unfortunately,

Mordecai offends the chief minister

Haman, who vows to destroy all

Jews and obtains a royal decree to

murder and plunder, without telling

the king whom he is targeting.

Mordecai asks the queen to

intervene. She is reluctant, as it is

punishable by death to approach

the king, but the devout Mordecai

believes God has placed Esther in

her exalted position to do His work.

At a banquet, Esther reveals her

heritage and pleads for her people,

thus fulfilling her divine purpose.

To her relief, the king turns his fury

on Haman, who is executed.

Although the royal decree

cannot be withdrawn, the king

allows the Jews to defend

themselves and no one can stand

against them. This event is still

commemorated as Purim, named

after the Hebrew word for the lots

(dice) used by Haman to decide

when to kill the Jews. ■

IN BRIEF

PA S SAGE

Esther 1–10

THEME

Salvation from unlikely

sources

SETTING

486–465 bce During the

reign of King Ahasuerus. The

Persian capital city of Susa in

modern-day Iran.

KEY FIGURES

Esther An orphaned Jew who

becomes Queen of Persia.

Mordecai Esther’s cousin and

her only family.

King Ahasuerus King of

Persia and husband of Esther.

Probably the historical figure

Xerxes I, known as Xerxes

the Great

Haman The king’s chief

minister and Mordecai’s

sworn enemy.

I WILL GO TO

THE KING ... IF I

PERISH, I PERISH

ESTHER 4:16, QUEEN ESTHER

Who knows but that

you have come to

your royal position for

such a time as this?

Esther 4:16

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133

See also: Entering the Promised Land 96–97 ■ The Fall of Jerusalem 128–31

M

ost scholars agree that

Nehemiah’s existence is

rooted in historical fact.

This great organizer and devout

follower of God is credited with

rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem,

as well as continuing to revive the

city and its people’s worship of God.

While serving as the cup bearer

to King Artaxerxes I, Nehemiah

receives his sovereign’s permission

to return to his ancestral homeland

of Jerusalem and rebuild the city’s

walls. On his arrival, he organizes

the wall’s restoration, but struggles

to motivate the demoralized and

divided Jewish people.

Faith restored

Nehemiah and the Jews are also

opposed by many disparate groups:

Arabs, Philistines, Ammonites, and

Samaritans led by Sanballat the

Horonite. Agreeing on nothing else

but their opposition to the Jews,

they hinder their work on the walls

through insults, scorn, and terror.

Nehemiah turns to God, praying

for Him to acknowledge everything

His people have had to endure, and

his faith is rewarded. The wall is

rebuilt in just 52 days. Nehemiah

then gathers everyone together to

dedicate the newly defended city to

God and hear Ezra read the Law of

Moses. The people revive the feast

of Sukkot, commemorating the

Israelites’ years in the wilderness.

Jerusalem is now reborn, with

Nehemiah having corrected the

disobedience to God that caused

the city to fall. ■

THE HISTORICAL BOOKS

HEAR US, OUR

GOD, FOR WE

ARE DESPISED

NEHEMIAH 4:4, REBUILDING JERUSALEM

IN BRIEF

PA S SAGE

Nehemiah 1–13

THEME

Jerusalem is restored

SETTING

c. 445 bce during the reign of

Artaxerxes I, king of Persia.

Susa, the Persian capital, and

then Jerusalem, capital of the

kingdom of Judah.

KEY FIGURES

Nehemiah An important royal

official who sets out to rebuild

the walls of Jerusalem.

Ezra A scribe-priest who

works with Nehemiah to

restore the city of Jerusalem.

King Artaxerxes I King

of Persia.

Sanballat the Horonite

The Samaritan governor,

who seeks to sabotage the

restoration work.

The Jews hold weapons along with

their tools as they rebuild the wall. This

etching (1852–1860) by Julius Schnorr

von Carolsfeld shows the threat of

violence the Jews faced while working.

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