Chapter 394 of 1163

ESTHER

Esther and Ruth are the only books in the Bible named after women. Ruth was a Gentile who married a Jew, while Esther was a Jewess who married a Gentile. Both were women of faith and courage; both helped to save the nation of Israel, Ruth by the birth of a son and Esther by the death of an enemy.

The Persians conquered Babylon in 539 b.c. The events in the book of Esther occurred at Susa (Shushan; Esther 1:2; see also Neh. 1:1), where the king’s winter palace was located, and they belong between chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra. The king who married Esther was Xerxes I (the name Ahasuerus was a title, like Pharaoh); the events in the book cover about ten years, from his third year (1:3) to his twelfth year (3:7).

The name of God is not mentioned in this book, but the hand of God is seen throughout the account. A primary lesson is that God is sovereign in the nations of the world, and His people must surrender and do His will. The Jews who were struggling in Jerusalem and Judah needed the encouragement of this book and the reminder that God keeps His covenant promises (Gen. 12:1–3).

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