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2018 March 16

Image 1: Famous Persons: Queen Esther (c. 1450)
Andrea Del Castagno (c. 1421 - 1457)
Italian Renaissance Style
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy
Image Credit: Web Gallery of Art

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Image 2: Woman Receiving a Letter (1663-1665)
Ludolf de Jongh (1616-1679)
Dutch Golden Age Baroque Style
Private Collection
Image Credit: Web Gallery of Art

[ Illustration: The First Painting depicts Esther after she received the crown. I've chosen the Second Painting to suggest the moment in which Esther received a letter from Mordecai which revealed a plot against the king, thereby saving his life. ]

SPECIAL NOTE:

[ I will again be working through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. I will be adding links, resources, images, and the like, upgrading the former work-through which began with the 2013-10-12 posting which can be found, along with the full Genesis to Revelation postings, in the Archive Page. Postings will be at midnight Eastern Time, as I am able. However, no chapters will be skipped, even though a posting may be late. And all postings will be housed in the Archive Page. ]

     Explanation: In Esther 2 Ether becomes queen and Mordecai foils a plot against the King.
     After Ahasuerus deposed Vashti (as described in the previous chapter), his servants suggested that he choose a new queen from among the fair young virgins of the land (1-4).
     A Jew named Mordecai had an adopted daughter named Esther; and Esther was among those chosen to be considered as the new wife of Ahasuerus. After she was taken into the royal palace, she was given seven maidens to attend her; and she began to undergo purification rituals for a year. During that time Mordecai checked on her daily (5-11).
     After twelve months of purification each of the chosen women came before Ahasuerus in the evening and returned the next morning. If the king was pleased with her she would be called again by name; but otherwise she saw the king no more (12-14).
     When Esther's turn came, she went before the king without the adornments that the other women took. She obtained the favor of all who saw her; and Ahasuerus chose her as his wife. And the king made a great feast; and he granted relief (perhaps meaning tax forgiveness) to his provinces and gave substantial gifts (15-18).
     When virgins were gathered a second time, (perhaps to choose one or more additional wives), Mordecai sat in the king's gate because he was part of the king's household (Esther 2:5). Esther had not yet told anyone that she was Jewish, in accord with Mordecai's command to her. During that time two chamberlains made a plot to kill Ahasuerus; but Mordecai discovered the plot and sent word of it to Ahasuerus via Esther. The conspirators were hanged; and the incident was entered into the court records (19-23).
     NOTE: Esther (fl. 483-473 B.C.) was contemporary with the following Biblical persons:; Nehemiah (served 445-425 B.C.); Joel (580-450 B.C. -- if this late date applies, rather than a date in the 9th century B.C.); Haggai (520 B.C.); Zechariah (520-518 B.C.); Ezra (538-456 B.C.).

[Traditional Patriarchal Chronology. Judges Period Chronology 1. Judges Period Chronology 2. Kings of Judah and Israel #1. Kings of Judah and Israel #2].

[Post Exile Chronology 1. Post Exile Chronology 2. Post Exile Chronology 3.]

[Prophets Chronology 1. Prophets Chronology 2. Prophets Chronology 3. Prophets Chronology 4.]

[Intertestamental Period Chronology 1. Intertestamental Period Chronology 2. Intertestamental Period Chronology 3.
Intertestamental Period Chronology 4. Intertestamental Period Chronology 5.]

[New Testament Chronology 1. New Testament Chronology 2. New Testament Chronology 3. New Testament Chronology 4. New Testament Chronology 5.]

[ Sermons: Dominic Smart. Various. ]

RESOURCES

PLEASE NOTE: Use the resources on this and other sites thoughtfully, particularly the commentaries and encyclopedias. I have attempted to list conservative, scholarly resources. However, some providers use liberal or liberal-influenced commentaries such as the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (in Bible Hub). Such commentaries are undoubtedly included by the provider for the wealth of useful information and comments which they provide. By consulting several commentaries, it should be fairly easy to sort out the wheat from the chaff. If, however, you would like personal assistance, write to me at AD LIB ARTS EMAIL.

          [ THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Esther 2: 2 Kings 24:10-16; 2 Chronicles 36:10; Esther 1].
[5] Nehemiah 7:7.
[6] 2 Kings 24:12-16.
[10] Esther 7:4.
[11] Esther 5:13.
[12] Esther 1:8; Esther 1:15.
[19] Esther 3:7.
[21] Esther 1:10; Esther 6:2.
     -- From Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers ]

          [ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]

          [ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]

          [ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

          [ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]

HARMONY OF THE LAW

John Calvin - CCEL | Analytical Chart - BLB

GOSPEL HARMONIES

Gospel Harmony - Summary | The Harmony of the Gospels - Augustine | Gospel Harmony Chart - Online Bible

Greek Harmony of the Gospels - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF) | Gospel Harmony in English - Robertson - (Downloadable PDF)

HEBREW AND GREEK INTERLINEAR BIBLES

Hebrew and Greek Interlinear Download - Scripture 4 All

Bible Hub Interlinear Hebrew and Greek Bible

Bible Hub Hebrew Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Hebrew Interlinear

Mounce Interlinear | Bible Hub Greek Interlinear | Scripture 4 All Greek Interlinear Bible

Esther Detailed Outline

Esther 2

Map 1: Bible Nations | Map 2: Empire of David and Solomon Map 3: Kingdoms of Judah and Israel | Post Exile Chronology.

1. The Rise of Esther (1:1 - 2:18)

     ¹ After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her. ² Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair [good of appearance] young virgins sought for the king: ³ And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair [good of appearance] young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: ⁴ And let the maiden which pleaseth [is good in the eyes of] the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased [is good in the eyes of] the king; and he did so.
     ⁵ Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; ⁶ Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captiviy which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. ⁷ And he bought up [And he is supporting] Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair [lovely of form] and beautiful [good of appearance]; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. ⁸ So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was bought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. ⁹ And the maiden pleased him [And she is pleasant in his eyes], and she obtained kindness of him; and speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women. ¹⁰ Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it. ¹¹ And Mordecai walked every day [and in each day and day] before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
     ¹² Now when every maid's [maid and maid] turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of [as edict of] the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) ¹³ Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house. ¹⁴ In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.
     ¹⁵ Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained [is being lifted to] favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. ¹⁶ So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. ¹⁷ And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸ Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

2. The Rise of Haman (2:19 - 3:15)

A. Mordecai Versus Haman (2:19 - 3:7)

¹⁹ And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate. ²⁰ Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was bought up with him. ²¹ In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus. ²² And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name. ²³ And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles [words] before the king.

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