Queen Esther Gets the Job Done

Bible Study

Esther Chapter 7:

1 So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. 2* And on the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.” 3 Then Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request. 4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king.”

5 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, that would presume to do this?” 6 And Esther said, “A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!” Then Haman was in terror before the king and the queen. 7 And the king rose from the feast in wrath and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. 8 And the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was; and the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?” As the words left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman’s face.

9 Then said Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, “Moreover, the gallows which Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing in Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.” 10 And the king said, “Hang him on that.” So they hanged Haman on the gallows which he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.

(Revised Standard Version)

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Context:

The Book of Esther is an apologetical work, explaining the Jewish feast of Purim. While some historians hold that the book dates from the second century B.C. at the earliest, it recounts the deliverance of the Jewish people from a fifth century B.C. pogrom attempted by the Persians.

Esther risks her life to mediate with the King in the face of the persecution of her people by his minister Haman. The snippet at left tells only the ending; the entire story includes the details of how Esther happened to become the queen, and the way in which Mordecai had already proven his worthiness to the king.

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Translation:

This book does not mention God even once, a trait it shares with the Song of Songs. Over the centuries, both Christian and Jewish scholars have debated its accuracy for this reason and others. However, the popularity of the story among Jews and its consistent appearance among canonical texts argues for its authenticity. (Even the famous Jewish scholar Maimonides called the book of Esther second only to the Torah.) Besides, the inclusion of a brave and intelligent woman’s story in the Bible is surely a gift of God in the first place.

Jews call this scripture the Megillat, and the story of Esther is read (either at home or in the synagogue) on Purim, replete with booing, hissing and noisemakers. (Purim this year begins at sundown on March 23.) Some Jews also follow the traditional exhortation to drink enough that one cannot differentiate between “cursed be Haman” and “blessed be Mordecai.” That might be why Americans refer to this holiday as the Jewish Mardi Gras. (Few Catholics celebrate Mardi Gras with such alcoholic fervor, either.)

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Vocabulary:

feast: The Hebrew word for feast in the first verse of chapter seven, shahthah, emphasizes the alcoholic content of the festive menu. All the other references to feasts in the book of Esther use the word mishteh, which derives from the same root, but emphasizes the banquet.

assault: Did the king think Haman and Esther were having a lover’s quarrel? Or did he think Esther was about to be raped? The Hebrew word kabash, meaning to force or to be subjugated, connotes the latter interpretation.

cubits: A cubit was a measurement of the distance between the tip of the middle finger to the elbow (the length of the forearm). Understandably, the length of a standard cubit varied among the cultures of the ancient near east.

Esther is a heroine worth emulating. The Bible does not mention the details of her personal piety, mentioning neither the kosher laws nor even the prayers common to the Jewish woman. Still, Esther got the job done. Sometimes, a focus on outward signs of religious observance can get in the way of the legitimate work.

Esther’s genius is shown in her forethought about what the king might appreciate about her. She presents herself in beauty, and invites him to feast with more than his eyes. And, when the first feast was done, wouldn’t you want to be done also? But, wisely, she merely asks for the favor of a second round of serious hospitality. Esther earned her people’s redemption, no doubt about it. When a religious person offers a sincere gift of self, only illogical antipathy rejects the gesture. Boo, hiss, Haman! Esther defeated you with honor!

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Discussion Questions:

1. Then as now, drinking alcohol can predispose someone to think kindly on your plans. Have you ever poured an extra glass for a man in hopes of getting him to see things your way? Do you regret it? Why or why not?

2. Esther was careful to express her warmth and respect for the king tangibly before making her good faith request. Is it ever possible to secure true justice quickly? Are women more better than men in visualizing the possibilities for justice? What could that mean for world peace?