However, since it was written by jews who had been exiled in persia and dealt with persian court proceedings, it is only natural that it borrows words from the vernacular. Cat zavis explores how the contrasting worldviews portrayed in the books of esther and exodus manifest also in. Esther 9 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Such readings invite us not only to celebrate the triumphs of mordechai and esther but to question the limits of jewish life in the diaspora. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third section ketuvim, writings of the jewish tanakh. Once in the palace as a candidate to marry king achashveirosh, esther has one years access to the latest and most elaborate beauty treatments. Esther is read during the purim feast on 14th and 15th adar februarymarch. In the jewish bible, esther follows ecclesiastes and lamentations and is read on the festival of purim, which commemorates the rescue of the jews from hamans plottings. Megillat esther, the book of esther in the form that we have it in the hebrew. It is one of the five scrolls megillot in the hebrew bible. Using the same format as the muchadmired jps torah commentary, berlin evaluates the language, plot, historical framework, and importance of esther to later tradition, seeing it as a comedy used in the festival of purim.
Most likely, the book of esther doesnt have the name of god because it shows how god works behind the scenes. But in his book, michael eisenberg takes all these flukes, odd gaps, and confusing characters descriptionsaction and weaves them into a whole new tapestry that paints a picture weve not seen before. Mar 28, 2006 shalom mishpochah family, esther, the hidden one. Jewish bible commentaries merrimack valley havurah. The jewish people are rescued and delivered esther 8. In times of oppression the jews found comfort in this narrative, for it presented an example of sudden divine salvation in the days of distress esth. The jewish publication societys highly acclaimed bible commentary series provides a linebyline commentary of the original hebrew bible text, complete with vocalization and cantillation marks, alongside the jps english translation this commentary approaches the book of esther from a fresh literary pointofview. The jewish community, and its areas of residence, outside erez israel. Yet esther, of all the biblical books outside of the torah, is the only one that addresses the origin of a new festival. Although we do not know who wrote the book of esther, from internal evidence it is possible to make some inferences about the author and the date of composition.
Esther is the heroine of the purim story, in which the jewish people who live in the sprawling persian empire are saved from haman s evil scheme to annihilate them. The book of esther focuses on four central characters. The second part may have been redacted as late as the eleventh century ce and contains commentary on the remaining chapters of esther. Esther a story of bravery, palace intrigue, and, of course, the origins of purim has always held a special place in the hearts of the jewish people. In fact, the implication throughout esther is that practically all of it is documented in that book. Treasures in the hebraic roots the book of esther defeating. Book of esther, book of the hebrew bible and the christian old testament.
May 09, 2017 the book of esther reflects this idea, by referring to vashti as queen vashti 1. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third section ketuvim, writings of the jewish tanakh the hebrew bible and in the christian old testament. It is clear that the author was a jew, both from his emphasis on the origin of a jewish festival and from the jewish nationalism that permeates the story. The object of esther is undoubtedly to give an explanation of and to exalt the. Study the bible online using commentary on esther and more. 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. The book of esther reflects this idea, by referring to vashti as queen vashti 1. Esther is the most secular of the biblical books, making no reference to gods name, to the temple, to prayer, or to distinctive jewish practices such as kashrut keeping kosher. Some of these words are the hardtopronounce achashdarpanim, which means satraps or governors.
Explains the role of the megillah in the holiday and how women are viewed in the bible. Oct 15, 2017 the book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third section ketuvim, writings of the jewish tanakh the hebrew bible and in the christian old testament. Recipient of the prize of the minister of science, culture, and sport of the state of israel for classical literature for the year 5762 2001. But when she learns of a plot to kill all the jews in the persian provinces, she courageously uses her position to intercede on behalf of her people. But the megillahs mandate differs from the torahs in one crucial respect. The author of the book of esther is unknown, though some attribute the work to mordecai. The enemies of the jews had hoped to kill all the jews. The book of esther serves as the authorizing document for purim, a holiday that is not mentioned in the torah. In the book of esther, what is not said is vitally important. Following tradition, the books explanation of purim as a historical event to be. Esther, apocryphal book of the jewish encyclopedia.
The biblical book of esther is set in the third year of ahasuerus, a king of persia who is identified as artaxerxes in the greek version of the book as well as by josephus, the jewish commentary esther rabbah, the ethiopic translation and the christian theologian barhebraeus who identified him more precisely as artaxerxes ii. Name of the chief character in the book of esther, derived, according to some authorities. It belongs to the third section of the judaic canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. Solving eleven mysteries of the jewish holidays and liturgy, mitchell first, 2015. The book of esther as a manual for jewish survival mosaic. Hebrew, meaning scroll, it is usually used to refer to the scroll of esther megillat esther, also known as the book of esther, a book of the bible traditionally read twice during the holiday of purim. As queen, esther hides her religious identity and maintains her jewish practices keeping kosher and observing the laws of shabbat and family purity in secret.
The book is named for the star of the story, a young jewish girl named hadassah who was taken from her guardian, mordecai, and forced to compete for the affection of the king. He did not always interpret scripture l iterally and so was amillennial he interpreted revelation as a historicist which led. But when she learns of a plot to kill all the jews in the persian provinces, she courageously uses. All this agrees with the theory of a late origin for the book, as it is known, for example, from ecclesiastes, that the religious spirit had degenerated even in judea in the greek period, to which esther, like daniel, in all probability belongs. Megillah with indepth commentaryside by side version.
Only one book is mentioned in esther and that is the book of the chronicles of the kings of the medes and persians esther 2. Berlin begins with a lengthy introduction, discussing esther as comedy and as diaspora literature. The original text of the megillah book of esther with a running commentary culled from the talmud and midrash, the great torah commentators and the chassidic masters. Zionist interpretations of the book of esther open up readings of the book that are easily overlooked in the fun and whimsy of our carnivalesque celebrations of purim. Sadly, many who read and study esther including bible scholars who write commentaries on the book fill in the blanks, rather than leaving them blank and learning from the silence of the author.
The events that the first chapter of the book of esther describes happened about 483 bc before christ. The only allusion in esther to religion is the mention of fasting iv. Esther in ancient jewish thought, aaron koller, 2014. Perhaps the most radical recent jewish commentary on the book comes from the. In sum, since the book of esther is the only biblical book that directly addresses antisemitic thinking, it is not surprising that the midrash and commentary traditions use this book as a platform to expand on the subject. He overcame the jews and he took many jews to babylon. Book of esther overview insight for living ministries. During this holiday, the jews remember how god saved them from their. Esther commentary scroll down to page 273 for 3 page commentary on esther includes maps seems to be well done alexander d davidson lectures, expository and practical on the book of esther 1859.
The heroine of the book named for her, esther is a young jewish woman living in exile in the persian lit. Shushan, a legendary account of how the familys ancestor mordechai gained power in court, and of the source of the familys wealth and authority. It is careful not to say that god commanded the observance of purim. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third. The book of esther, the holy bible, complete audiobook. Instead of praising the heroes, mordechai and esther, as jewish tradition always has, he flatout condemns them of being firmly and.
Read esther commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible complete. According to recent research the book of esther was written in the middle of the 4th century bce during the reign of artaxerxes iii. But mordecais law allowed the jews to defend themselves on that day. Esther is, among the generality of jews, the best known of all the books of the bible p. Esther, purim and why it all still matters jews for jesus. Treasures in the hebraic roots the book of esther defeating amalek by messianic rabbi zev porat to support our ongoing work in israel, go to. Esther commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Tracing the history of the book of esther and jewish festival purim. It includes essays entitled when and where was the book of esther written. Dec 22, 2017 esther a story of bravery, palace intrigue, and, of course, the origins of purim has always held a special place in the hearts of the jewish people. The book of esther has served the jewish people as support of their national hope and especially so in the days of persecution. This holiday, based on the biblical book of esther, is an appointed time to remember the victory of the jewish people in persia over the wicked haman during the babylonian captivity. The message of the book of esther, a work of historical fiction written in the diaspora in the late persianearly hellenistic period fourth century b. According to schellekens interpretation, the book of esther is a fanciful family history of a rich and powerful jewish family in 4th century b.
Listen to this description in the five megilloth, a jewish commentary published by the soncino press. We will celebrate the feast of purim on march 14, 2006. The canonical book of esther undoubtedly presents the oldest extant form of the esther story. This spurs a number of classical jewish exegetes to add a detail not present in the text. Certainly, the author of esther drew on written sources. Character and ideology in the book of esther, michael v. The events in the book of esther occurred from 483. The original text of the megillah book of esther with a running commentary culled from the talmud and midrash, the great torah commentators and the. Classical sources such as josephus, the jewish commentary esther rabbah and the christian theologian barhebraeus, as well as the greek. Mar 04, 2017 treasures in the hebraic roots the book of esther defeating amalek by messianic rabbi zev porat to support our ongoing work in israel, go to. When esther becomes queen, she keeps her jewish decent a secret est. The book of esther records the origin of the holiday called purim. Hence it belongs to the bestknown otbooks with the jews and it is also the book, which has the oldest copies. Over 100 years earlier, nebuchadnezzar the king of babylon had attacked jerusalem.
Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament. Esther with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. God is always active in esther, even though it is behind the scenes. The commentary approaches the book of esther from a fresh literary pointofview. Mar 05, 2020 zionist interpretations of the book of esther open up readings of the book that are easily overlooked in the fun and whimsy of our carnivalesque celebrations of purim. Despite such questions the book of esther sits comfortably in the hebrew. Because she would force jewish girls to undress, and work on the sabbath, it was decreed that she should be stripped naked on the sabbath. Esther understands very well her role as ahasuerus s queen. 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. That might be because purim is one of the few occasions for revelry in the jewish calendar year a day of carnivals, feasting and festive commotion.
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