EXPLORING THE BOOKS

ESTHER• 17th Book of the Bible• 10 Chapters• 167 Verses• Name of God is never mentioned, Only book in the

Bible that can claim this• Author is not known– Likely candidates include

Ezra, Mordecai• Book takes place in Persia after captivity

ESTHERGENERAL OUTLINE-3 FEASTS

FEAST OF AHASUERUS---CHAPTERS 1 AND 2

FEAST OF ESTHER---CHAPTERS 3- 7

FEAST OF PURIM---CHAPTERS 8-10

CHAPTER 1• INTRO TO AHASUERUS—PERSIAN KING• HAS A FEAST LASTING 180 DAYS (6 MONTHS)• FOLLOWS THIS FEAST WITH ANOTHER LASTING 7 DAYS• INTRO TO VASHTI HIS QUEEN, SHE HAS HER OWN FEAST

WITH THE LADIES• KING CALLS FOR VASHTI WHO REFUSES ON 7TH DAY• MUST PUNISH VASHTI OR ALL WOMEN WILL DISOBEY• VASHTI WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE BETTER THAN SHE

vs 19• LETTERS SENT THROUGHOUT INVITING PARTICIPANTS

CHAPTER 2• YOUNG VIRGINS ARE SOUGHT TO AUDITION AND

BROUGHT TO THE KINGS CHAMBERLAIN• INTRO TO MORDECAI—A BENJAMITE- WHO WAS

BROUGHT OVER IN CAPTIVITY• INTRO TO ESTHER—HIS COUSIN WHO HE RAISED• ESTHER PLEASES THE KING, DOESN’T REVEAL HER

KINDRED, IS PURIFIED FOR ONE YEAR• ESTHER IS CHOSEN BY KING, HE MAKES HER A

FEAST TO CELEBRATE• MORDECAI WHO SAT AT THE GATE DAILY HEARS A

PLOT AGAINST THE KING

CHAPTER 3• INTRO OF HAMAN, PROMOTION OF HAMAN• MORDECAI REFUSES TO BOW/ HAMAN’S

WRATH• HAMAN’S PLOT TO GET EVEN, THE REWARD• THE LAW WRITTEN TO DESTROY THE JEWS

ON THE 13TH DAY OF THE 12TH MONTH

CHAPTER 4• MORDECAI AND THE PEOPLE MOURN FOR THE

PASSING OF THE DECREE• ESTHER HEARS OF THE WEEPING OF HER PEOPLE,

SEEKS TO FIND OUT WHY• MORDECAI’S INSTRUCTION TO ESTHER• ESTHER’S FEAR AND MORDECAI’S

ENCOURAGEMENT• “FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”• THE 3 DAY FAST

CHAPTER 5• ON THE THIRD DAY ESTHER PRESENTS HERSELF• ESTHER INVITES KING AND HAMAN TO BANQUET• AGAIN• HAMAN GLOWS GOING HOME BUT SEES

MORDECAI• HAMAN’S CELEBRATION • ZERESH’S IDEA OF A 50 CUBIT GALLOW

CHAPTER 6• KING IS RESTLESS NIGHT BEFORE BANQUET, BRING

THE BOOKS, READS OF MORDECAI’S DEED• HAMAN CALLED IN BEFORE THE KING AND THINKS

HE IS BEING REWARDED• HAMAN’S PLAN TO REWARD HIMSELF• HAMAN FOLLOWS THROUGH ON KINGS REQUEST• HAMAN GOES HOME, WIFE PREDICTS HIS FALL• HAMAN BROUGHT TO BANQUET

CHAPTER 7• THE BANQUET, THE KING ASK ESTHER HER

REQUEST• ESTHER’S REQUEST AND HER ACCUSATION• KING LEAVES, HAMAN PLEAS FOR HIS LIFE• KING RETURNS TO FIND HAMAN ON BED,

SENTENCES HIM TO DEATH ON HIS OWN GALLOWS

CHAPTER 8• MORDECAI PRESENTED TO KING AND REPLACES

HAMAN• ESTHER’S PLEA FOR HER PEOPLE• KING ALLOWS NEW LETTER TO GO OUT• THE JEWS ROLE REVERSAL FROM PERSECUTED TO

DELIGHT

CHAPTER 9+10• MORDECAI’S FAME SPREADS• HAMAN’S TEN SONS KILLED AND MANY OTHER

ENEMIES OF THE JEWS• ESTHER’S NEW REQUEST • FEAST OF PURIM INSTITUTED ON 14TH and 15th

DAY OF 12TH MONTH AND CELEBRATED YEARLY• BOOK ENDS WITH MORDECAI PROMOTING PEACE

FROM #2 POSITION IN THE KINGDOM AND JEWS BEING BLESSED

CHAPTER 10