The Book of Esther (and Mordecai)

Esther is the only book of the bible that doesn't mention God. The cliched comment on this is that the book demonstrates the "invisible hand of God". From looking at the structure of Esther, we actually find a deeper aspect to this cliche.

At the middle of each of the chiastically structured stories, we find the king. Either the king remembering, or the king discovering what's happening, or the king making a decision. So we have not just the invisible hand of God, but we have the invisible influence of God through the king.

From Vashti to Esther

Mordecai Saves the King

From Haman to Mordecai

The Jews Rule

The Festival of Purim

Two Queens, Two Banquets

The king has a banquet first for himself, all the people, and one for Vashti, his queen. He displays his wealth and exercises generousity to all the people. By the end of the story, there is another banquet where the king proclaims a holiday for the people, exercises his generousity and invites the nobles to the banquet. This time though, the queen is Esther.

The king orders Vashti to come to him- she refuses, a proclamation is made after consultation with the king's advisers, and Vashti is dethroned. Further on in the narrative, a new edict is issued after consultatation with the king's advisers, Esther responds to the new edict, comes to the king and is made queen.

In the middle of all the action- the king's anger subsides and he remembers.

(A) Feast: EST 1:1 - 8

  (B) Vashti- the queen: EST 1:9

    (C) "Vashti, come!": EST 1:10 - 12

      (D) King Follows Advice: EST 1:13 - 22

        (X) The King Remembers: EST 2:1

      (D') King follows advice: EST 2:2 - 4

    (C') Esther comes to the king: EST 2:5 - 16

  (B') Esther made queen: EST 2:17

(A') Banquet: EST 2:18

Back to the start of Esther...

Mordecai Saves the King

Mordecai is at the king's gate and Esther's background is well hidden. Later on, Mordecai- still at the king's gate- refuses to honour Haman. Mordecai's background is out in the open and Haman decides to kill all the Jews. While at the gate, Mordecai learns of a plot to kill the king and the plotters were hanged. The king finds out about the plotters- but also learns that it was Mordecai who uncovered the plot.

(A) Mordecai at the Gate/ Esther's "Jewishness" hidden: EST 2:19 - 20

    (B) Plot to kill the king: EST 2:21

        (X) King finds out: EST 2:22

    (B') Plotters killed: EST 2:23

(A') At the Gate/ Haman Honoured/ Mordecai's "Jewishness" revealed: EST 3:1 - 6

Back to the start of Esther...

Mordecai Triumphs over Haman


The king remembers the time that Mordecai saved the king.

Haman goes from planning to hang Mordecai, to being hanged himself. Haman boasts of how great he is to having to honour Mordecai. Haman's advisers go from advising Haman to hand Mordecai, to advising the Haman has no chance against the Jews. The signet ring given to Haman is now given to Mordecai. The Jews turn from mourning to rejoicing. Haman's plot which would have resulted in Esther being killed, changes form being hidden from the king to being revealed. And finally, instead of Haman being feared among the Jews, Mordecai is now second in charge to the king and is feared throughout the land.

(A) At the Gate/ Haman Honoured/ Mordecai's "Jewishness" revealed: EST 3:1 - 6
  (B) Date/ Decree/ Signet Ring/ Bewilderment in Susa: EST 3:7 - 15a
    (C) Haman with the king/ Mordecai mourning in the city: EST 3:15b - 4:6
      (D) Haman Uncovered: EST 4:7 - 17
        (E) Esther's Request: EST 5:1 - 5a
          (F) At the Banquet/ Esther's Petition: Est 5:5b - 8
            (G) Haman and his advisors/ Haman Boasting: EST 5:9 - 13
              (H) Haman to go to the king about hanging Mordecai: EST 5:14
                (X) The King Remembers: EST 6:1 - 3
              (H') Haman goes to the king about hanging Mordecai: EST 6:4 - 5
            (G') Mordecai Honoured/ Haman and his advisors: EST 6:6 -13
          (F') At the Banquet: EST 6:14 - 7:1
        (E') Esther's Request: EST 7:2 - 4
      (D') Haman Uncovered/ Covered: EST 7:5 - 8
    (C') Haman hanged/ Mordecai in the kings presence: EST 7:9 - 8:1
  (B') Date/ Decree/ Signet Ring/ Rejoicing: EST 8:2 - 14
(A') Mordecai leaving the king's presense/ Jews Celebrate: EST 8:15 -17

Back to the start of Esther...

The Jews Rule: Throughout the Land, in Susa, and in the Palace

Mordecai is now feared rather than Haman and the Jews celebrate that Mordecai is now in the seat of power rather than Haman. they also then celebrate Purim. Throughtout the whole land, the Jews defeat their enemies- twice. In the citadel of Susa- many are killed, including Haman's sons but no plunder is taken. Then a second time, the Jews in Susa hang the 10 (presumably already dead) sons of Haman, kill more people and still resist taking plunder. In the middle, the king looks at all that has happended and asks: "What next?".

(A) Date/ Mordecai in charge: EST 9:1 - 3

  (B) Throughout the Land the Jews on a rampage: EST 9:4 - 5

    (C) In Susa 500 Killed/ Haman's Sons killed/ No Plunder: EST 9:6 - 11

      (X) At the Palace the Kings Asks- "Anything else?": EST 9:12 - 13

    (C') In Susa 10 Sons Hanged/ 300 Killed/ No Plunder: EST 9:14 - 15

  (B') Throughout the Land the Jews on a rampage: EST 9:16

(A') Date/ Feasting: EST 9:17

Back to the start of Esther...

The Festival of Purim

Mordecai records the events and sends out letters to the Jews to celebrate that their sorrow turned into joy. The Jews took it upon themselves to make this festival part of their custom. And the story behind the festival: Haman plotted to kill all the Jews but was punsished- as were his sons, once the king found out what was happening.

(A) Mordecai's Letter/ Purim: EST 9:20 - 23

    (B) Haman plotting: EST 9:24

      (X) The king finds out: EST 9:25a

    (B') Haman punished: EST 9:25b - 26

(A') Mordecai's Letter/ Purim: EST 9: 26b - 32

Back to the start of Esther...

The End

In the end, Mordecai is the king's man. Instead of Haman scheming to kill the Jews, Mordecai is there working for the good of his people.

Back to the start of Esther...

Last modified on Wednesday, July 01, 1998