Esther

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Likely from Persian stara (“star”); her Hebrew name is Hadassah (“myrtle”), marking a Jewish identity within a Persian court setting.
• Period/Era: Post-Exilic (Jewish diaspora under the Persian Empire)
• Main References: Esther 1–10
• Key Connections: Mordecai (cousin/guardian); King Ahasuerus/Xerxes I; the Jewish communities of the Persian provinces

Who was Esther?

Esther (Hadassah) was a Jewish woman living among the exiles in the Persian Empire.
She was taken into the royal household and became queen in place of Vashti.
With counsel from Mordecai, she used her court position to address a crisis threatening her people.

Key Events & Achievements

• Esther 2: Chosen as queen of Persia and placed within the royal court.
• Esther 4–7: Approached the king and exposed Haman’s plot against the Jews.
• Esther 8–9: Helped secure a royal counter-decree and the commemoration of Purim.

Life Lesson & Legacy

Esther’s account highlights how Jewish identity and communal responsibility were maintained within imperial power structures during the diaspora.

Key Verse

"And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" — Esther 4:14, ESV