Esther - Lesson 2

• The beginning of the first chapter of Esther identifies the place of the narrative to be at the citadel of Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire, around 485-481 BCE being governed by king Ahasuerus as he is preparing to reengage in battle with the Greeks.

• The second part of Esther chapter 1 describes Queen Vashti’s refusal of the command from King Ahasuerus to come display her royal crown and her beauty to the men gathered at the King’s banquet.

  • The results of her refusal to the King’s command was an edict that was brought by the 7 advisors to the King for the Queen to be removed from her royal position in the court and not to be in the King’s presence again for the disgrace brought upon the King and by extension on the kingdom.

• Chapter 1 takes place in the third year of King Ahusuerus’ reign. Some small details in chapter 2 will identify the events unfolding are about three years after chapter 1.

  • There is a year of what is described as beauty treatment for Esther and she will be taken as Queen for King Ahusuerus in the seventh year of his reign seen in v 16.

• There are some important historical milestones to highlight before continuing the verse by verse

  • Darius I suffered a defeat at what is know as the battle of Marathon in 490 BCE.

  • Persians should have had the advantage in numbers and the tactic of rapid fire arrows, However the Greeks had developed an bronze-armored shield that created an effective defensive shield allowing the Greeks to march into close range where their superior weapons won the day.

• Ahasuerus then was defeated at Thermopylae by the Spartans 480 BCE (the movie 300 is a depiction of this battle) The Greeks all died but they bought time for the other cities to resist the Persian attacks.

  • The land battle was halted because winter set in and the battle was taken to the seas.

  • The Persians were then routed in the battle of Salamis by a superior commander who lured the them into the narrow straights with no way of escape.

• War continued to simmer and the Persians tried to gain the upper hand in political negotiations, when they did not provide the desire outcome a final battle was engaged at Plataea in Boeotia in August 479 BCE.

  • Again as against king Darius I the superior shields and weaponry of the Greeks won out.

• Ultimately the Greeks were left to their freedom for a time and they flourished and developed culturally with what would become the foundation of Western civilizations.

• The Persians under King Ahasuerus did not seek to overtake the Greeks again and King Ahasuerus spent his time on building projects.

  • The lavish spending on his building projects and the war efforts put a great deal of strain on the monetary strength of the kingdom.

• The scriptures don’t give the details of the defeats suffered by the Persian Army because the focus stays on the things unfolding in the royal court.

  • God always stays focused on what is happening for His people.

Esth. 2:1 After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.
Esth. 2:2 Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.
Esth. 2:3 “Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them.
Esth. 2:4 “Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

• King Ahauerus has now returned to his governance duties back in the citadel of Susa after returning from the battle fields and the significant losses endured there.

• Now that the King is home he is no longer angry about the events depicted in Esther chapter one. It appears the King Ahasuerus is remembering the events that caused a decree to be made against Vashti.

• The specific reference to the king no longer being angry and yet remembering could suggest the king is experiencing a sadness over the events and maybe longing for his beautiful wife.

• The scriptures are clear to refer to her as Vashti and not Queen Vashti as her position had been removed by the decree.

• This was most likely what the king’s advisors had feared would occur and why they spent time developing a strategy to prevent Vashti from ever returning to the court.

  • Verse 2 defines what the king’s attendants feel is the solution to the king’s restlessness as the suggest, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.”

• The names of the attendants are not listed here but they may be the same eunuchs mentioned previously.

  • Verse 3 gives the details of how these women are to be found:

“Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them.”

• Breaking down this plan the first order of business would be for the king to find an overseer in each of the 127 provinces of the kingdom. An overseer would be someone to supervise and direct the work of others.

• The specific assignment would be to gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem.

• This would be like a beauty contest without comparison with the prize being the position of Queen in the Persian Empire.

• The description includes the word ‘every’ and this should not be missed. This was a massive undertaking with no one to be missed who could meet the qualifications.

• Before we get carried away with the romance of the idea think of some of the practical implications throughout the kingdom.

  • Many of these young women may have been previously promised to another before this search is carried out.

  • The unmarried men in the kingdom seeking their own wives would be without options until the search in completed.

• This would be a sought after honor for many from the families whose daughter could be chosen as well as the province where she lived being honored as well.

  • There may have been families who did not wish for the daughters to be taken away and unable to return to them forever.

• All the women were to live in the harem under the charge of Hegai,

• The name Hegai occurs as an officer of Xerxes in the Histories of Herodotus (ix. 34)

  • While in the harem the women are to let their cosmetics be given them, we will look at this more in detail when we get to verse 12.

• Verse 4 gives the conclusion of this venture as:

“Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.”

• To the surprise of no one,” And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.”

• King Ahasuerus was reported by historians to be a womanizer so this suggestion would please him.

Esth. 2:5 Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,
Esth. 2:6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled.
Esth. 2:7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Esth. 2:8 So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.
Esth. 2:9 Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem.
Esth. 2:10 Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known.
Esth. 2:11 Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

• In verse 5 the narrative focuses in specifically at the citadel of Susa.

  • The next character of the story is revealed as, “a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite.”

• Mordecai was already living at the citadel in Susa.

  • We have already ascertained the men serving at the citadel of Susa were highly regarded men and a representative of either a province or people group in the Persian Empire.

• Mordecai’s family tree is listed ending with an establishment of him being from the Jewish tribe of Benjamin.

• Verse 6 establishes Mordicai’s grandfather Kish as one, “who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled.”

• The event of King Jeconiah’s exiled is found in Jer. 27:19-20:

Jer. 27:19 “For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city,
Jer. 27:20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.

• Nebuchadnezzar’s removal of king Jeconiah from Jerusalem was in 597 BC.

  • All the nobles of Jerusalem were included in this exile, Kish would have been in this group of people and have been from one of the noble families of Israel.

  • Mordecai was from the royal families of the Jews.

• Verse 7 tells us, “He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother.

  • Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.”

• The next character in the narrative of Esther is introduced as Hadassah, a Jewish name meaning ‘myrtle’ and her Persian name Esther meaning ‘star’, this could be a potential reference to the star–like flowers of the myrtle.

  • Esther is Mordecai’s cousin as she is his uncle’s daughter.

  • Esther is without a living father or mother, however her family line is also from a royal family of Jews just as Mordecai, he adopted her and was raising her as his own daughter.

• Esther is described as, “the young lady was beautiful of form and face”

  • Verse 8 indicates what happens next and what the result is, So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.”

• Notice there is a command and a decree issued.

  • A command is an order given to be carried out as a task but the decree is issued with the weight of law.

• As a result of this command, “many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai,”

• It is with this group of young women we find out, “that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.”

• To be clear the scriptures are giving this detailed information to explain why this Jewish girl would be found in the harem of the Persian king.

  • Mordecai and Esther were under command of the king.

  • There was no option to disobey this command.

• The narrative seems to move quickly as verse 9 says, “Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him.

  • So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem.”

• Esther pleased Hegai and found favor with him, we are not told how this is achieved just a fact that it was true.

  • Hegai was in charge of the harem and once he identified someone he thought would be a suitable woman for the job he moved quickly to provide her with her cosmetics and food.

• These would be the best cosmetics and food in the kingdom.

• Secondly we see Hegai, “gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace”.

• Lastly he, “transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem.”

• It is important to remember what the daily life would have been like at the court of the king.

  • It would be a very dangerous place, especially for a young lady.

  • There would have been intrigue by all the political rivalry that would have been taking shape in this situation.

  • Every province would have wanted the honor of providing the king with his next queen.

  • There were those most likely in the royal court who still had loyalties to Vashti.

  • There were those who did not want to see King Ahasuerus succeed, as we see displayed later in the book of Esther.

  • This is a world of intrigue and danger.

• Verse 10 seems to indicate this truth as, “Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known.”

• Esther does not tell anyone she is of Jewish decent.

  • She does not say what family she is from or who her relatives are.

  • She can honestly respond that she is an orphan.

  • She carries out the instructions given to her by Mordecai, even though she has left his home and is now residing in the palace receiving special recognition.

• It would seem being a Jew in this time would have added to the dangers Esther might face.

  • This also will bear out as a truth of this time in history as the story will continue to unfold.

• It would appear Esther would not have practiced the rituals of the Law in terms of restricted foods, or practicing of the feasts.

  • This may be something that the Jews were not practicing in their exile but we are not told here any of those details.

• Mordecai displayed his true affection for Esther as verse 11 says, "Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.”

• There are no details given as to who would give Mordecai the updates on Ester’s well being.

  • It is possible it was one of her maids or it could have been Esther herself but we are not told.

  • It would seem Mordecai truly cared for Esther, this may also be the reason she trusted the advice that he had given to her to not reveal her lineage.

Esth. 2:12 Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women — for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women —
Esth. 2:13 the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.
Esth. 2:14 In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

• Verse 12 gives a lot of information as to the processes involved before a young woman could be brought to the king’s chambers.

  • First we learn that each woman would go in separately to King Ahasuerus.

  • This visitation would not happen until there was a completion of 12 months, called the regulations for the women.

• This would have been a common protection for the king.

  • It was through careful examination over a period of time that diseases would be detected.

  • It is often the symptoms of disease take some time to present.

  • Secondly it would be absolutely certain the young woman was not with child before being with the king.

• Next the twelve months were divided with six months beginning with oil of myrrh, this oil is recorded as popular in other royal courts so not unique to the Persian court and it does have a reputation of containing anti-inflammatory, anti-septic, and expectorant properties.

• The second six months were spices and the cosmetics for women.

  • From this time in history this may have included hair removal, lightening of skin color and perfuming the skin and hair with oils and incense.

• There may also have been time for education in life at the royal court.

• Verse 13 begins by describing, “the young lady was to go in to the king this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace.”

• Each woman is given a choice to take anything she desires with her when she goes to be with the king.

  • This was something she would have giving a considerable about of thought to as she prepared for this event.

  • Each young lady would have wanted to make a unique impression on the king.

• Verse 14 demonstrates the change in the young woman’s life that happened after this evening with the king, “In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.”

• The young ladies would go to the king in the evening and after that she would leave in the morning to be moved to a new location in the harem.

  • She would enter a virgin and leave a concubine of the king.

  • She would leave the harem managed by Hegai and be moved to the harem managed by Shaashgaz.

• This harem is filled with the concubines of the king.

  • She would not be brought back in to be with the king unless he asked for her by name because the king was delighted with her.

  • She would not go back to her family, she would live in the palace and be provided for.

  • She could not marry another man.

  • She would most likely not have her own family to raise. If she did have a child, a male child in particular, this son would not be considered in line for the throne.

Esth. 2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.
Esth. 2:16 So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
Esth. 2:17 The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Esth. 2:18 Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.

• Verse 15 gives insight into the character of Esther as we are reminded of her family connections, her father was Abigail and that her cousin Mordecai took her as his daughter.

  • When it was the evening in which this young woman would go in to the king she only asked for what Hegai advised her to take.

• It seems Esther took counsel from those around her which would display a humble spirit.

• The scriptures say, “Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her.”

  • She found favor with Mordecai as he took her as his daughter.

  • She found favor with Hegai as he quickly brought her into the harem and gave her advantage over all the other virgins.

• Verse 16 gives us the details of when this event takes place, “So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.”

  • This is the confirmation of the historical time this narrative takes place.

  • This would have been about four years from the time the king had issued his edit concerning Vashti.

• This would be one of the area of concern for the Jews reading this narrative regarding Esther as it would display a young Jewish virgin going to be with a Gentile, married man.

  • This would be a violation of Jewish Law and could be seen as a disgrace to some.

  • This became a moral struggle for may Jews to put this in a positive light as it appears was needed in later years because Esther would come to represent a heroine of the Jews.

  • This would be why the Rabbis took care to write history to put Esther in a better light as compared to Vashti.

  • The focus should be directed to what the scriptures have to say.

• God uses all events of history to bring Himself glory even the parts that seem mired in darkness.

• Verse 17 displays the response of the king after his evening spent with Esther as we read, “The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she found favor and kindness with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti, he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti”

• Esther was compared to all the women in the king’s harem, both the concubines and the virgins and is said to have found favor and kindness with the king.

• The result was the king set the royal crown on her head.

  • She was selected to be his queen in place of Vashti.

  • This king only has one queen at a time, one wife he considers to be queen.

• Verse 18 describes what the king does next, “Then the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday for the provinces and gave gifts according to the king’s bounty.”

• The king is happy once again and celebrates by giving a great banquet for all his princes and his servants.

  • The king also shared his joy with the kingdom by making a special holiday to mark the event in all the provinces and giving gifts.

Esth. 2:19 When the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.
Esth. 2:20 Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.
Esth. 2:21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
Esth. 2:22 But the plot became known to Mordecai and he told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.
Esth. 2:23 Now when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows; and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence.

• Verse 19 describes another event at the citadel of Susa, “When the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.”

• The description of gathering the virgins together the second time has been debated by many with differing opinions.

• Looking back at v 17 we know Esther found favor and kindness more than all the virgins.

  • These are those who still had hoped to have the opportunity to impress the king but Esther had found the favor and kindness of the king.

  • The contest was over.

• The important part of the verse is describing the time in connection with where Mordecai is at the time as he is described as sitting at the king’s gate.

• The gate of a city was often were official business was conducted. See Ruth 4:1-2:

Ruth 4:1 Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz spoke was passing by, so he said, “Turn aside, friend, sit down here.” And he turned aside and sat down.
Ruth 4:2 He took ten men of the elders of the city and said, “Sit down here.” So they sat down.

• In this smaller community we find Boaz calling for witnesses in a legal matter in the book of Ruth.

  • In a capital city like Susa to be a man sitting at the king’s gate would come with significant responsibility.

• Verse 20 reiterates that, “Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.”

• Esther is still listening to the direction of her adopted father, Mordecai, even though she is no longer under his care but has been crowned the Queen.

  • This again displays her humble character.

• Verse 21 discloses a significant incident, “In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s officials from those who guarded the door, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.”

• The relevance of, ‘in those days’ is tied to the event where the virgins were gathered together a second time, which was also a time in which Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate.

• During this particular time two men, who are described as officials of the king who were to guard the door of the king’s gate, become angry enough to try and kill King Ahasuerus.

• Tensions were probably running high for a lot of reasons but for the young virgins who were to be sent home their delegates would have been offended for them.

  • That is speculation but it would seem the two events are tied together here.

• The king’s life would always be in danger as this is part of the risk to having so much power.

• In verse 22 we hear that the plot became known to Mordecai and he translated the message through Queen Esther.

• It was then Esther who told the king the information she had received from Mordecai.

• Finally in verse 23 the result of this revelation is that there was an investigation lauded and the report was verified with the conclusion of both men being hanged on the gallows.

• As with every important event that transpired during the king’s reign this one, “was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the king’s presence.”

• The books containing the king’s written records would have been destroyed in the fire that happened during the reign of Artexerxes, the son of King Ahasuerus.

  • How amazing is it the events were recorded for us by God in His divine way.

• The coincidences continue to stack up in this story.

• The King is ready to carry on his duties as King now that the wars of subsided with the Greeks.

  • A Jewish princess, not identified publicly, already resides in the citadel of Susa.

  • She happens to be beautiful, humble, obedient, wise and charming.

  • She catches the attention of Hegai an important official in the king’s service, one who happens to control the daily lives of all the virgins brought to the king.

  • The king happens to adore her as well and selects her to be his queen.

  • Her adopted father happens to be sitting in the king’s gate when a plot to kill the king is discovered and thwarted.

• What coincidences have come together in your life?

  • Have you seen the hand of God brining unexpected events to some amazing outcome?

  • Do you hold all things in life with an open hand toward God to use as He wills and determined to give Him full change and credit for all things?

Prov. 3:3  Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Prov. 3:4  So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.
Prov. 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
Prov. 3:6  In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Prov. 3:7  Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Prov. 3:8  It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.