Esther in the Bible

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Recommended: Essay Summary of The Book of Esther

The book of Esther tells the faithfulness of one woman and her uncle. It is only one of two books that contain the heroism and bravery of a woman heroine. The story of Esther accomplishes two profound things, the first: “To demonstrate God’s providential care of his people, even those outside the land of Israel, and 2) to commend the observance of the feast of Purim by relating how it originated” (Breneman 289).Unlike the rest of the Bible the story of Esther does not directly state or talk about God, but instead shows God’s plans for all of our lives and how in all frightening moments of life, He remains faithful to those who trust and have faith in Him. “In spite of the omission of any name for deity, there is no other book in all the bible where God is more evident, working behind the scenes, than in this book” (Willmington 200). In order to understand who Esther was as a woman and her significance in the history of the Jews, we must first examine the circumstances and other individuals that impacted the events leading up to and after Esther became queen.
Many significant events took place between the period of King Xerxes’ banishing Vashti and his marriage to Esther. One of those famous events was the battle between King Leonidas, who led the Spartans, and the massive Persian army led by the powerful King Xerxes. King Xerxes ruled over 127 provinces. The provinces spanned from India to the demesne of the Nile in the southern regions of Egypt. King Xerxes reigned from his palace in Susa, which had been initiated by his father King Darius. King Xerxes was tough, surly, arrogant, and vain. He had managed to subdue and occupy great lands and had extended the borders of Persia very far. Many believe that the great feast that la...

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...eginning to end. For a king such as Xerxes that could have all he desired and saw himself as a god, to love and want to give half of his kingdom to this woman of no noble birth could only be done through God’s power. For it was for such a time as this that Esther was called upon, and she executed all that God wanted for her.

Works Cited

Breneman, Mervin. The New American Commentary Volume 10 - Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Nashville: B & H Pub. Group, 1993. Print.
Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Bible. Nashville, Tenn: Holman Bible Publishers, 2004. Print.
Stern, David H., Trans. Complete Jewish Bible: An English Version of the Tanakh (OldTestament) and B'rit Hadashah (New Testament). Clarksville, MD: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1998. Print.
Willmington, H L. Willmington's Guide to the Bible. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 1981. Print.

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