When events took a turn for the worst and Esther learned that Prime Minister Haman planned to kill all Jews in the Persian Empire, on a single day, she decided to act quickly to prevent the genocide. Rabbah6:9). Nehemiah probably knew of Queen She was in a foreign land without the protection and support of her people. Instead, Haman was hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordecai, and the Jews were given permission to destroy their enemies. Theritualobservance of Purim begins with a day of fasting,Taanit Esther(Fast of Esther) on Adar 13, the day preceding the actual holiday, in honour of the fast Mordecai and the other Jews held on Esthers behalf when she went uninvited to the king. Josephus final words about Shelamzion are that despite her deviation from proper feminine behavior, she had kept the nation at peace (Jewish Antiquities 13:432). Esther standing in the Inner Court. Rabbah30:4). And lest you think I am making an argument about gendered skills (i.e., what women do vs. what men do), the following from the late biblical scholar Tikva Frymer-Kensky is noteworthy: With these two queens, the Torah and Jewish history model another way of being successful in the world, both for men and women. Mordecai stopped at the gate because he wanted to tell the king about a plot to kill him. Esthers Origins and Her Adoption by Mordecai, Esther Delivers Up Haman and Reveals Her Identity. Another tradition has Esther reciting this psalm during the three days of fasting that preceded her going to Ahasuerus: My God on the first day, my God on the second day, and why have You abandoned me? on the third. Rachel was silent when she saw that Jacob married her sister instead of herself. Is the singer Avant and R Kelly brothers? The grave of Mordecai and Esther still stands in Hamadan; and the Jews of Iran, to this day, are referred to as "the children of Esther.". We rely on the support of readers like you. Designation of the five scrolls of the Bible (Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther). Browse 35 queen esther bible stock illustrations and vector graphics available royalty-free, or start a new search to explore more great stock images and vector art. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. She had two grown sons (Aristobulus and Hyrcanus II), but she decided not to step aside for them; perhaps she foresaw that the rivalry between the younger and older son would not end well. Esther then initiated a covert plan to defeat Haman using her grace and beauty. According to another tradition, he accompanied her to ensure that she did not suffer from sorcery (Esth. So, we know that Daniel was dead long before Esther was born and Wake up to the day's most important news. In addition, she serves as an example of how to effectively use your voice and influence to make a difference. We can adjust the hypothetical ages and birth dates of Mordecai, Esther and their parents by a few years and still keep it . Daniel probably died shortly after Darius took the throne in 521 She was living there as part of the harem of the king, but was singled out by the King who was so taken with her beauty that he chose her to be his queen. cit.). Bibles] who ruled Persia from 486 to 465 BC. 2). ), or her strength wanedPirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer[ed. The Bible; the Pentateuch; Tanakh (the Pentateuch, Prophets and Hagiographia)Torah scholars. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Rabbah8:3). Esther was taken from her home and came to live in the palace along with many other girls of the harem. The monarch of Persia, King Ahasuerus, was wealthy and powerful. It was only when Esther came that Ahasuerus removed the likeness of Vashti and replaced it with that of Esther (Esth. She died peacefully on Thursday afternoon at her Scottish estate, where. Esther is noteworthy for her beauty, intelligence, and courage, along with her humility. The Queen was the oldest monarch to have reigned in Britain before she passed away in September 2022, aged 96. It is most unlikely that there ever was a Queen Esther, in which Theodor-Albeck], MS. Vatican, para. QueenEsther, the central character in the Biblical book named after her, is extensively and sympathetically portrayed in the Rabbinic sources. The jar symbolizes Esthers grief, fear, and pain, which stems from her captivity in King Xerxes harem. Three ministering angels were appointed to aid her at that moment: one made her head erect, one endowed her with charm, and one stretched out the scepter(BTMegillah15b). When she became orphaned, she was adopted by her cousin Mordecai. They derive this from the various verses that reflect the thought of the characters, or that attest to actions of which a normal person could not be cognizant, such as Haman said to himself(Esth. [11] According to the colophon to Greek Esther, a delegation of Jews from Jerusalem went to Egypt with the translation of the story of Megillat Esther and asked the Jews of Alexandria to begin celebrating the festival of Purim. In spite of its origins it soon became the basis of the Jewish festival of Purim.According to the book, Vashti, Esther's predecessor as queen of Persia, was divorced by her husband, King Xerxes (Ahasuerus), who then sought a suitable virgin for his wife, finally choosing Esther. Some may have stumbled upon the street named after her in downtown Jerusalem, but otherwise, she is generally only briefly mentioned, marginalized, and almost written out of the historical record. Plath famously battled depression and other mental illnesses, and the same is true of Esthers condition in the novel. Esthers extreme courage and her willingness to risk her own life for the safety of her people serves as an inspiration to this day. The legal corpus of Jewish laws and observances as prescribed in the Torah and interpreted by rabbinic authorities, beginning with those of the Mishnah and Talmud. He was a Jew living in the Persian city of Susa, and he became a prime minister in the Persian court of King Ahasuerus. The historical reality of this biblical episode, and whether or not Esther actually existed, has often been questioned. How can we explain Esther's abrupt change in behavior from deep despair to determined action and from passiveness to leadership? Queen Esther by Edwin Long in 1878. Mordecai held a position inside of the king's palace, and he went their every day to perform his duties. In order to recognize Mordecais efforts, the king made him his minister and gave him a royal robe and princely apparel. As a result of her mother's death . Help JWA continue to lift up Jewish womens stories, this month and every month, by. She was placed with her adoptive family, the Kings, on the orders of Queen Esther of Persia, who held a grudge against all Jews. They did not have the riches that Esther had. Mordecai was Esthers cousin and guardian, having adopted her as his daughter when her parents died. In their commentary on the Book of Esther, the Rabbis expand upon and add details to the Biblical narrative, relating to her lineage and history and to her relations with the other characters: Ahasuerus, Mordecai, and Haman. She was 96. As Ahasuerus enjoyed only 14 more years on the throne, we conclude that Esther was but 28 years. Happy Womens History Month! The answer she gave was that anasmakhta(Scriptural support) for the writing of the Book of Esther is to be found in the verses mandating that the memory of Amalek be blotted out, with the explicit command(Ex. The Talmud reveals that Esther's relationship with Ahasuerus wasn't a romantic one. This book therefore has the same sanctity as the other books of Scripture. Her thoughts are characterized by pressured speech, disorganized thought processes, confusion, and paranoia. Esther, the orphaned cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, won the kings devotion and was chosen to be the new queen; Mordecai had instructed her to not reveal that she was Jewish. 10:3) was able to have interceded for the welfare of all his kindred (Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer, chap. He was born in 518BC. The King also issued a proclamation throughout the land to honor Mordecai. For an analysis of these sources and their reliability, see Tal Ilan,Integrating Women into Second Temple History(Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1999), esp. Queen Vashti has been banished and an edict goes out for all qualified young virgins throughout the empire to be taken to the palace as he searches for a new queen. Esthers first husband was Mordecai. She understood that she had a mission and that she could shape reality rather than passively suffer through it. [12] Ilan, Esther, Judith and Susanna as Propaganda for Shelamzions Queenship,Integrating Women, 135. Similarly, her son Benjamin knew about the sale of Joseph, but remained silent and did not tell his father. The Book of Esther relates that Esther told no one of her Jewish origins, as Mordecai had ordered her. In Shelamzions period, there were no precedents for powerful queens in Judeanot unless one counts Jezebel, the most notorious queen in Israelite history, or her daughter Athaliah. Esther, heroine and central figure in the Book of Esther of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. The Midrash adds that Esther's father died during her mother's pregnancy, and the latter died during childbirth ( Esth. What is the labour of cable stayed bridges? Esther was the best-looking woman, and Ahasuerus picked her to replace Vashti as Queen. What Did God Write on the Tablets of Stone? Vashti (Hebrew: , romanized: Vat; Koin Greek: , romanized: Astn; Modern Persian: , romanized: Vti) was a queen of Persia and the first wife of Persian king Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther, a book included within the Tanakh and the Old Testament which is read on the Jewish holiday of Purim.She was either executed or banished for her . The Book of Esther was probably written in the 2nd centurybce. cit.). She should know better to try to fool God who said to her, "No, but you did laugh . i. This exegesis casts the Biblical narrative in a different light. Furthermore, he commanded all the provinces of his realm to provide special favors and tax exemptions to Esther and her people, the Jews. The Jewish festival of Purim celebrates this event. Esther 7:1-6, 9-10. Esther despaired throughout her first six years in the palace. not tell how old she was, is certainly not historical and appears See also Susan Niditch,A Prelude to Biblical Folklore: Underdogs and Tricksters(Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2000). This last event was around the same time that Esther became Queen. Buckingham Palace's website announces the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, 2022. When Esther's parents died, I adopted Esther and took care of her like she was my daughter. She was able to use the jar to communicate her innermost thoughts and feelings to those around hershowcasing her strength, resilience and defiance in the face of her oppression. During Jacob's stay, he fell in love with Rachel . extended into the reign of her stepson, Artaxerxes. One of these officials was the biblical Mordecai. Esther took her turn after 12 months of preparation, and she was chosen as queen: "She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. Elizabeth I is one of England's most well-known monarchs. 49). Given things for purification (Esther 2:9). What episode does Squidward say the F word. Esther is then remembered and celebrated in the annual festival of Purim. Esther turns in prayer to God and compares the situation of the Jews of Persia to that of the Jews in Egypt: in Egypt the Jews cried out and were answered; and in Persia, they fasted, prayed and cried out over their tribulation and the decree that was harsher than that during the time of the Egyptian servitude. He married Esther in 479BC (Esther 2:16), when he was 40. The. As a result of his heroic actions, Mordecai was honored by King Ahasuerus for his bravery, and he was made Prime Minister with great authority. The Rabbis devote extensive attention to Esthers observance of the laws of niddah. Institution: National Library of Israel, Jerusalem. Immediately upon her death, her sons fought over the throne, eventually inviting in Rome, and Judea never regained full independence until the modern state of Israel. 5). Throughout the book of Esther, Queen Esthers bravery and courage is seen as an example of how God can deliver and uses those who are willing to obey and trust Him. Rebekah had sent him there to be safe from his angry twin brother, Esau. 10:2). When the king saw his queen, Xerxes lowered his golden scepter to invite Esther into his presence. Alexandra the Maccabee. She also exhibits symptoms of agoraphobia, suicidal ideation, and feelings of overwhelming guilt and worthlessness. In Jacobs blessing to his sons, he blesses Benjamin(Gen. 49:27): Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he consumes the foe, and in the evening he divides the spoil, which the Rabbis applied to Mordecai and Esther. point. 22:25). Along with Queen Shelamzion Alexandra, Queen Esther shows that skills at the negotiating table should be just as valued as skills in the field of war. And her name was not Esther. This makes Esther 60 years younger than her cousin Mordecai. She succeeded in remaining concealed for four years but was eventually found and brought to the royal palace. She appears to be a loyal wife to Mordecai, as she supports him throughout his efforts to save the Jewish people from Hamans plot. 100). Sometimes it was hard for Esther because the other Jews were treated badly. Esther: A Queen Under Control. No, Esther and Mordecai were not married. It seems unlikely that Esther was ever Queen of Persia, so we can not say at what age Xerxes married her. Ahasuerus is moved by her words and instead orders Haman to be hung on the gallows he had built for Mordecai. We may assume, therefore, that she was about 14 years of age when she succeeded to the throne. Esther showed tremendous courage in standing up for what she believed was right, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable opposition. The Rabbis also offer various proofs that the Book of Esther was written with the spirit of divine inspiration. Ultimately, the jar became a symbol of Esthers courage and determination. The midrash tells that when Esther came to Ahasueruss palace the spirit of divine inspiration left her, and she then prayed to God. He killed Haman in 473BC, when he was 45 ( Esther 3:7 ). When Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman at the gate, Haman was extremely offended and sought to have Mordecai killed. Rabbah 6:5; BT Megillah 13a). "order." Another tradition has her eating only seeds in the harem, similar to Daniel and his fellows, in order to observe the laws ofThe Jewish dietary laws delineating the permissible types of food and methods of their preparation.kashrut (BT Megillahloc. Esther had been made queen to save her people; her mission and her faith shaped her character and inspired her to act and succeed. Narrator: After Haman died, King Ahasuerus gave a second decree to preserve the Jews and give them power to destroy their enemies within the kingdom. She notes that Josephus only knew this queen by her Greek name, Alexandra, while the Rabbis only knew her by her Semitic name. According to the tradition that she was previously unmarried, she was now married to and lived with a non-Jewish king. Similarly, Shelamzion had to succeed against all odds to maintain her queenship. This meant the king was happy to see her and would not put her to death. One tradition asserts that Esther used a resorbent, that is, she employed a contraceptive device to prevent any pregnancy by Ahasuerus. Mordecais refusal to bow to Haman displayed his firm faith and commitment to his people and to the God of Israel. Esther before she died (I'm guessing she died in 464 BC) and maybe . Ilan relies upon Bickermans dating, as does Aaron KollersEsther in Ancient Jewish Thought(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014). The Jews were in the Babylonian exile. (Viewed on March 4, 2023) . At that banquet, she heightened the tension between the two by inviting both men to a second banquet. [9] For more on Esthers diplomacy and its place in theMegillahand in understanding female biblical characters, see Michael Foxs TABS essayThe Women in Esther.. Her story is one of faith, courage, and resilience, and her bravery serves as an inspiration to others to never give up fighting for what you believe in. Esther was taken to the royal harem despite her being married, which further aggravated her sorry condition. In contrast, the BT also cites a tradition that Esther had a greenish [sallow] complexion, and therefore was called Hadassah; according to this tradition, Ahasuerus was drawn to her because she was endowed with great charm (BTMegillahloc. He also appointed her as queen of the Persian Empire and gave her a royal medal of honor. The moral of the story of Esther is to stay true to yourself and never give up on your beliefs. Also called the "Festival of Mazzot"; the "Festival of Spring"; Pesah.Passover. Horev], chap. Queen Esther is the reluctant heroine of the Purim story. "scroll." Designation of the five scrolls of the Bible (Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther). Esther becoming queen was a massive step up in the world, but that was probably because her husband was The King You Didn't Mess With. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. In one exegetical expansion, the women in the harem would adorn Esther, for they said to themselves: This one will certainly be married to the king, so it is worth our while to honor her (Midrash Panim Aherim, version B, para. She overtook Queen. The more prevalent Rabbinic opinion is that Hadassah was Esthers second name, with a plethora of interpretations built on the similarity of the myrtle (hadas) to Esther: Esther was so called because she was righteous, and the righteous are called myrtles; she was of average height, like a myrtle, which is neither short nor long; she had a greenish (sallow) complexion, like a myrtle (BTMegillahloc. The BT presents this in the opposite way: the king first talked with her by means of an interpreter, but when she told him that she was descended from King Saul, he spoke with her directly, out of respect (Lev. Fear strikes in the hearts of many, including Mordecai, as he realizes Hadassah will be taken. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Since the king had commanded Haman to have Mordecai dressed in the kings clothes, Esther ordered the bathing attendants not to work that day, so that Haman would be forced to serve Mordecai himself (Lev. Then the king made a great feast of Esther, for all his . Mordecai was elevated to second-in-command in the kingdom. 25:49) because she was the niece of Mordecai and Israel was delivered through her (Esth. Rabbah6:9). The Babylonian tradition (according to which she was Mordecais wife) understands this apprehension as her awareness that she would thereby lose her status as one compelled [a married woman living with another man against her will] and become a woman who does so freely. One day he overheard a conspiracy between two of the king's guards who wanted to assassinate Xerxes. According to the second direction, Esther was her real name, and she is so named throughout the Book of Esther; accordingly, the name Hadassah needs further explanation. What is the reflection of the story of princess urduja? I told her not to tell anyone she was an Israelite, though, because a lot of people still didn't like Israelites and I thought King Xerxes might not pick her to be the new queen if he knew she was an . She 4:16) and if I am to perish, I shall perish.". It is believed that Mordecai was married before the events of the book, as the King of Persia issues a decree for all unmarried women to come to the palace for beautification treatments. Something went wrong while submitting the form. Esther eventually won the heart of the king and his servants, and she was selected to become the new queen of Persia. The Scroll of Esther is read on Purim from a parchment scroll.Megillah loc. Upset, the king stepped out into the palace gardens. After he had Vashti killed, all the lands rebelled against him; once he married Esther, one hundred and twenty-seven lands came under his rule once again, and when he appointed Mordecai as viceroy, they all returned to him (Midrash Tehilim, onPs. The Jews, said Haman, must be eliminated for the good of the kingdom. Fortunately, the king was able to get to the bottom of the plot and expose the would-be assassins before any harm came to Mordecai or the king. The day before, the 96-year-old queen pulled out of a virtual Privy Council meeting after her doctors advised her to rest. [1] As shall be discussed further below, much of what we know about Shelamzion Alexandra comes from Josephuss two accounts of her reign inJewish War1.107-119 andJewish Antiquities13.398-432. Honor the king. The Queen died in the afternoon of September 8, 2022. Mordechais loyalty and faithfulness to the King were key elements in the unfolding of the events. Princess Margaret, the Queen's younger sister, was born in 1930. 464 BC. She was the second daughter of Laban, Rebekah's brother, making Jacob her first cousin. Continue Learning about Religious Studies. The Funeral of Queen Victoria by Wiliam Lionel Wylie (c) National Maritime Museum. A seven-day festival to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt (eight days outside Israel) beginning on the 15. He deposed Queen Vashti in 483/482BC when he was 36 ( Esther 1:3 ). someone died doesn't mean they didn't exist. The king did not believe in God but Esther did. Esther wanted to speak with Xerxes about Haman's hatred toward the Jews. The king agreed, not knowing that Esther, his beloved queen, and Mordecai, the man to whom he owed his life, were both Jews. What happened to Queen Esther in the Bible? Have an update or correction? Mordecai was instrumental in thwarting a murderous plot by one of the kings advisers, Haman, to annihilate the Jewish people. 22:5). In reference to her lineage, the Rabbis state that she continued the way of the members of her tribe: Rachel, Benjamin, and Saul(Gen. Rabbah71:35; see below: Esther Does Not Reveal Her Origins). She married her cousin Alexander of Judaea (died 48 BC), who was the son of Aristobulus II. The Jewish festival ofPurimcelebrates this event. Seeking a new queen, the king appointed commissioners to bring all the beautiful young virgins from every province into his harem for a year of cosmetic treatments so that he might select a new bride. The regimen of rituals, songs and textual readings performed in a specific order on the first two nights (in Israel, on the first night) of Passover.SederOlam Rabbah29;Midrash Panim Aherim, version B, para. How old was The Queen Mother when she died? This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Esther-biblical-figure, McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia - Esther. She was Jewish but never revealed her nationality or family background as Mordecai had. According to other traditions, her bowels were loosened (BTMegillahloc. The king held a party in his honor one day. The Bible doesn't say how old Esther was when she married him, but if she was 17 this would make her born in 500BC. The enraged King ordered Haman's hanging, elevated Mordecai to prime minister and gave Jews the right to defend themselves against any enemy. He asked what she wanted. Esther, on the other hand, was taken every day and, like them, she requested miracles. Though she may have been elderly at the time of her death, her legacy continues to live on.