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              ESTHER

  FAMOUS PAINTINGS
OF ESTHER

WIFE DISOBEYS HUSBAND !!!!!!!

PEOPLE IN THE STORY

FAMOUS QUOTES

BIBLE REFERENCES

INTERESTING SITES

ACTIVITIES/QUESTIONS

THE DRUNKEN BANQUET
One night when the Persian king, Ahasuerus, was drunk, he sent for his beautiful queen, Vashti, to appear before his men. She refused to come. Humiliated, the king banished her. But now he was lonely, so a beauty contest was held: the most beautiful girl would become his new queen. 

ESTHER BECOMES QUEEN
A young Jewish girl called Esther was chosen. She was helped by her cousin Mordecai, but nobody knew that they were related, or that Esther was a Jewess. Mordecai was in the king's favor, since he had once saved the king's life.
But Mordecai had an enemy, a powerful man called Haman. Discovering that Mordecai was Jewish, Haman fed the mind of the king with ideas about people who were different. Under his influence, the king decided to execute all Jews in his kingdom - not realizing his beloved new queen Esther, and his savior Mordecai, were both Jewish.

ESTHER IN DANGER
Mordecai went to Esther and told her she must do something to save her people. She did not wish to, because it would place her own life in danger - she was not allowed, on pain of death, to go to the king unless she had been summoned. But she gathered her courage together, went to the king's throne-room, and fortunately was embraced by him. She invited him to a special banquet at which, of course, he would be the guest of honor. Haman was to come as well.

'Drunk with wine,  he sent for his beautiful queen, Vashti, to appear before the men. She refused to come. Humiliated, the king banished her. But now he was lonely, so a beauty contest was held: the most beautiful girl would become his new queen.'
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ESTHER'S BANQUET
Haman and the king attended the banquet, and Ahasuerus promised Esther that she could have anything she wanted – even half his kingdom. 
Esther asked that the king and Haman attend a second banquet. The king agreed. In high spirits, Haman returned to his home and ordered the erection of a gallows, to hang Mordecai.

ESTHER SPRINGS HER TRAP
Meanwhile, Esther’s banquet had started. Ahasuerus again promised Esther anything she wanted. She asked that her life be spared and her people saved. From whom? asked the King. From Haman, replied Esther. 
Haman was trapped. He was taken out and hanged from the gallows he had built for Mordecai. 
The Jews were not only saved from death: they could attack those people who had been their enemies, and claim their property. On the very day that they were to have been annihilated, they turned the tables by destroying all those who had sought to kill them. Thousands were killed, including the ten sons of Haman. From that day on, the Jewish people kept the day as a special festival called Purim.

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PEOPLE IN THE STORY
Esther: A beautiful young Jewish orphan who is cared for by cousin Mordecai. Chosen to be a possible wife for the great king Xerxes I. Becomes wife of the Persian emperor, who does not know she is Jewish. Intelligent, discreet - the perfect wife. Saves the Jewish people from the danger of an ancient Holocaust.
Mordecai: a Jew during the Babylonian exile. Esther's cousin and guardian. He urges Esther to use her influence to save the Jewish people, even though it means possible death for her. Afterwards he becomes chief minister to the emperor/king.
Ahasuerus:  the Hebrew name for the Persian king Xerxes. Divorced his highborn first wife in a fit of pique. Holds a nation-wide search for a second wife. Erratic and short-sighted, unsuited for government of the huge Persian empire - a perfect character in this satire on absolute power.
Haman: Chief minister and adviser to King Ahasuerus. He hates all Jews, but especially Mordecai. Esther outmaneuvers him, and he is hanged from the gallows he built for Mordecai.
Vashti:  The first wife of Ahasuerus. Refuses to parade before her husband's drunken friends at a royal banquet. There's a hint of political intrigue going on behind the scenes, which Ahasuerus is too stupid to pick up on. She is banished for lèse majesté.

FAMOUS QUOTES
' Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.' (Esther 2:2)
'....if I perish, I perish.' (4:16)

BIBLE REFERENCE:  The Book of Esther, and Book of Esther with Additions

INTERESTING WEBSITES - stories, pictures, reconstructions

What to look for in a husband 
(compare this criteria with Ahaseurus' method when he chooses a wife)  
WOMEN IN THE BIBLE: MAJOR EVENTS

Fabulous jewelry from the ancient world 
BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY: JEWELRY 

Esther's story in more detail - its historical context, the purpose of the story
BIBLE WOMEN: ESTHER

Esther as one of the great heroines of the Bible 
BIBLE TOP TEN HEROINES 

The Palace of Persepolis 
BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY: PALACES

Paintings of Esther at the court of the king, including the famous 'Fainting Paintings'
BIBLE ART: ESTHER

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ACTIVITIES AND FOCUS QUESTIONS

Debate: ‘that benign despotism is an effective form of government’

• Decide what 'benign despotism' means.
  Divide the group into two sides

• Decide which side will support the proposal and which will oppose it.

• Draw up a list of at least three points to support your argument

• Decide which points should be argued most strongly

• Nominate a number of debating team members and a chairperson

• Choose the team members for your side.

• Team members meet and prepare their arguments.

• Conduct the debate; guests may be invited

• Hold a debriefing/discussion afterwards.  

 Discussion, analysis

What would be the qualities of an ideal queen? In other words, what should Ahasuerus have been looking for when he searched for a new queen/wife?

What qualities do you hope to find in a husband/wife? Discuss this question with a learning partner, and list the five most important qualities.

What qualities do you think your future life partner would hope to find in you? How can you cultivate these qualities in yourself? List some practical strategies for being the person you want to be.  

In depth study of one person's story
Choose one of the people whose stories are told on this site and develop a PowerPoint presentation about them.
The presentation must be at least 10 slides long and should include 
 *  a supporting image/picture/painting of each person 
 *  a map of Israel showing the cities and areas where the story took place.  
You may call up other websites to support your ideas.

In your presentation (approximately 10 minutes), answer the following questions:

1. What are the main events of the person's life? Tell the story.

2. What were their main qualities? What made them stand out from the crowd?

3. What obstacles did they face? Did they overcome them, or go with the flow? Explain.

4. How did they use their abilities to do God’s work?  

5. Which part of their story appeals to you most? Why?

You must include three short quotations from the Bible texts to illustrate the points you are making. 

Focus Questions
1. What are the most interesting moments in Esther's story? 
2. In the story, who speaks and who listens? Who acts? Who gets what they want? If you were in the story, which person would you want to be friends with? Which person would you want to avoid?
3. What is God's interaction with the main characters? What does this tell you about the narrator's image of God? Do you agree with this image?
4. What is happening on either side of the story, in the chapters before and after it? Does this help you understand what is happening?
5. The narrator/editor has chosen to tell some things and leave other things out. What has been left out of the story that you would like to know?
6. Are the characteristics and actions of the people in the story still present in the world? How is the story relevant to modern life, especially your own?  

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Bible Stories: People of the Old Testament
Esther Saves the Jewish People - Bible Study Resource