The Book of Esther

For the Freedom of the Faith

An unknown author recounts how God makes use of a woman to set free his people whose existence is threatened by the all-powerful minister of a Persian king. The drama takes its point of departure from one of the episodes of the conflict, well known in ancient history, between the pagan world and the Jewish people—because of their religion and their customs.

Beautiful in its literary aspect, although a bit heavy-handed in its emphases, the account brings on stage vivacious personages with well-drawn features. They are representative types: Ahasuerus, the Eastern monarch; Haman, the high official and sworn enemy of the Jews; Mordecai, the ardent patriot; Esther, the worthy sister of the courageous heroines of the Bible. The author knows how to highlight contrasting situations, how to maintain tension, and bring about the resolution, all the while keeping the reader breathless.

Our author makes us relive, with much truth, the historical framework in which he chooses to have his drama take place: the time when the Persian Empire dominates the Near East. He seems to have composed his drama expressly to transform the Feast of “Purim” into a celebration of national independence, whereas it was originally probably nothing more than a great feast of spring.

Like the Books of Tobit and Judith, the Book of Esther is not a pure and simple novel; although the author takes much liberty in his dealings with history and geography, his sole intent is to instruct and edify.

Besides the Hebrew text, in which—something very curious—God is never named, there exist also Greek versions that add 107 verses and felicitous complements recognized by the Catholic Church as inspired writings. These are the parts indicated in this edition by letters (A–F), which emphasize the action of Providence more expressly.

Scholars tell us that A, C, D, and F were probably composed in Hebrew or Aramaic and were part of the Semitic text used by the Greek translator: B and E were probably composed in Greek. The postscript (F:11) indicates that A and F were part of the Semitic text when Lysimachus of Jerusalem composed his translation around 114 B.C. The date for B, C, D, and E is sometime before A.D. 93.

Following the line of the story of Joseph at Pharaoh’s court or the deeds of Daniel at Nebuchadnezzar’s court—if Daniel antedates it—the Book of Esther, composed in all likelihood between the third and the second century B.C., brings the Jewish people a message of consolation in accord with their tradition.

The dispersed communities, or the community held under political tutelage even in the Holy Land, encounter malevolence and, at times, persecution. Many await with impatience a national liberation or, at least, a time when the Jewish people will have importance amid the nations. If nothing else, they await the triumph of the faith.

It is expressly thinking of these situations that writings like the Book of Esther take up anew the ancient biblical theme of the reversal of circumstances. When all appears lost, God never abandons those who trust in him (Pss 118:8; 124:1) and observe his commandments (Ps 118).

The author insists on the value of spiritual means: prayer, fasting, and chastity, which characterize the spirituality of the age. Nationalism remains restrained, and God’s vengeance prevails over his mercy when he intervenes in confrontations between nations.

In the crucible of suffering, there still remained to be discovered the whole vastness of God’s goodness: Jesus would reveal that his call does not exclude any country or any race. But even now a message remains for us: the greatness of God in confrontations with the pride of people and nations and his concern for the oppressed. No earthly power is definitive, and we have the certainty that in one way or another, God is not indifferent to the action of human beings in the midst of the events of their time.

The Book of Esther may be divided as follows:

I: Prologue (A:1-17)

II: Esther Chosen as Queen (1:1—2:23)

III: Haman’s Plot To Destroy the Jews (3:1-13; B:1-7; 3:14—4:8; B:8-9; 4:9-17; C:1—D:16; 5:1-14)

IV: Vindication of the Jews (6:1—8:12; E:1-24; 8:13—10:3)

V: Epilogue (F:1-11)

In his Latin translation of the Bible known as the Vulgate, Jerome placed the Greek additions (A–F) at the end of the Hebrew Book of Esther, and they were numbered consecutively when the Bible was divided into chapters and verses. The order of the Vulgate in relation to the order of the Greek text is as follows: