A Historical Story Of Esther

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Esther is considered to be one of the books classified as historical books in the Old Testament. This puts Esther in the place as directly Ezra and Nehemiah. It is often disputed, however, whether or not Esther is actually a factual, historical story or rather a work of fiction. Esther does, as a matter of fact, display some historic material, but can also provide less detail than necessary to know if some events or people actually existed in this time.
The story of Esther focuses on a young woman, named Esther, and her uncle, Mordecai. They are both Hebrews living inside of the kingdom of Persia after the Hebrew exile from Israel. While there, the King’s honored noble, Haman, devised a plan to eradicate all Hebrew peoples living in Persia because Mordecai refused to bow to him. Coincidentally, the King had recently taken a new wife. This woman was Esther. Esther decided it would be safer to hide her true identity as a Hebrew to protect herself and Mordecai. However, as Haman was yet again angered by Mordecai’s unwillingness to bow to him, Esther had a plan of her own, to expose herself as a Jew to the king and save her people. But, the night before, the king had trouble sleeping and ordered that he be brought the annals of his reign to read. He opened to the story of Mordecai saving him from assassination. So he decided to reward Mordecai. He asked Haman, “What should be done for the man the king delight to honor?” Haman answered, thinking the king was speaking of him, to dress the man in robes and proclaim him to the city as the man the king delights to honor. The king then ordered Haman to do that very thing for Mordecai. This angered Haman even more.
That night, Esther invited the king and Haman to a banq...

... middle of paper ...

...ugh his ability to be hidden in certain situations.
Source: Huey, F.B. “Esther.” 1 Kings – Job. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988. 773-839. Print. Vol. 4 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: With the New International Version. Frank E. Gæbelein, gen. ed. 12 vols. 1976-92.

15.)Information: The New Interpreter’s Bible says that being the heroin, we would expect Esther to be morally a role model. But, it goes on to claim that Esther, “falls far below the general level of the Old Testament” in terms of morals. But, it also goes on to say that in doing this, she is acting wisely and, “protecting herself, her kinsman and, ultimately, her people.”
Source: Crawford, Sidnie W. “The Book of Esther.” 1 Kings – Judith. Nashville: Abington Press, 1999. 853-972. Print. Vol. 3 of The New Interpreter’s Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes. Leander E. Keck et al. gen. ed. 12 vols.

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