Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Esther.
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Basics
Esther and Ruth are the only books of the Bible centered around women. Esther is also the only book of Scripture that does not mention God, although clearly God’s protection of His people is evident.
Esther’s Hebrew name was Hadassah, “myrtle”. Her Persian name Ester is derived from the Persian word for “star” (stara). The Greek title for this book is Esther (Latin = Hester).
The events of the book of Esther take place between the events of Ezra 6 and Ezra 7, between the first return led by Zerubbabel and the second return led by Ezra, approximately 483-473BC.
Genre: Understanding Narrative
Background & Outlines
Introduction to the Exile & Return
Chart: Bible History at a glance
Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline
Biblehub: Esther Timeline
Biblehub: Esther Overview
Bible Atlas: Persia
Bible Atlas: Babylon
Bible Atlas: Jerusalem
Bible Atlas: Susa/Shushan
NetBible: Susa – Dictionary article
Kings of Persia in Biblical Times
Kings of Babylon in Biblical times
Kings of Assyria in Biblical times
Joshua to Job quotes in the New Testament
Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book
John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background
ESV: The Global Message of Esther
James Van Dine: Analysis of Esther
David Mallick: An Introduction to the Book of Esther
JVernon McGee: Esther & Job Introductory Notes
William Orr: Keys to Esther
Will Pounds: Chronology of History of Israel
Maps
Blue Letter Bible: Timeline from Creation to 4thC AD
Bible Diagrams: Timeline from 499-450BC (Esther written about 465BC)
NetBible: Map of Susa/Shushan
Kings & Events of Babylonian, Persian, Greek Dynasties
Brief History of Powers of Mesopotamia from 13554BC to 165BC
Maps from Holman Bible Atlas
The copyright for these maps is held by Holman Bible Atlas. Contact them for use.
Exile; Palestine in the Post-Exilic Period
World Powers of the 6th century BCE
The Conquests of Cyrus the Great
The Return of the Jewish Exiles to Judah
ESV Study Bible
Adversaries Hinder Work in Ezra
Kings of Persia in Ezra–Nehemiah
Maps from Bible-History Online
The copyright for these maps is held by Bible-History-Online.com. Contact them for use.
Assyrian Captivity of the 10 Tribes
Babylonian, Mede and Persian Empires
Key Words
Banquet/feast – Esther 1:3, 1:5, 1:9, 2:18, 5:4, 5:5, 5:6, 5:8, 5:12, 5:14, 6:14, 7:2, 8:17, 9:17, 9:18, 9:19,9:22
Jew/Jews – Esther 2:5; 3:4, 6, 10, 13; 4:3, 7, 13, 14, 16; 5:13; 6:10, 13; 8:1, 3, 5, 7,8,9, 11, 13, 16,17; 9:1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 10:3;
Edict/decree – Esther 1:19, 1:20, 2:1, 2:8, 3:9, 3:14, 3:15, 4:3, 4:8, 8:8, 8:13, 8:14, 8:17, 9:1, 9:13, 9:14
Fast – Esther 4:3, 16, 9:31
Destroy/destruction – Esther 3:6, 3:9, 3:13, 4:7, 4:8, 7:4 8:5 8:6 8:11 9:5 9:6 9:12 9:24
Day, Month, Year – Esther 1:3 2:16 3:7 1:1 1:2 1:4 1:5 1:10 1:18 2:11 2:12 2:16 2:21 3:7 3:12 3:13 3:14 4:11 4:16 5:1 5:4 5:9 7:2 8:1 8:9 8:12 8:13 9:1 9:11 9:15 9:17 9:18 9:19 9:21 9:22 9:26 9:27 9:28 9:31 (See Jewish Calendar)
Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
Esther
American Tract Society Esther
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Esther
Easton’s Bible Dictionary Esther
Fausset Bible Dictionary Esther
Holman Bible Dictionary Esther
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Esther
Hitchcock Bible Names Esther
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Esther
Morrish Bible Dictionary Esther
Whyte’s Bible Characters Esther
Book of Esther
American Tract Society Esther, the Book of
Easton’s Bible Dictionary Esther, Book of
Fausset Bible Dictionary Esther, the Book of
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Esther, Book of
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Esther
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Esther
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Esther book of
McClintock and Strong’s Bible Encyclopedia Esther
Pur/Purim
Judaism 101: Purim from a Jewish perspective
American Tract Society: Purim
Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Pur, Purim
Fausset Bible Dictionary: Purim
Holman Bible Dictionary: Purim
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Purim
Hastings’ Dictionary of the NT: Purim
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica: Purim
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia: Purim
McClintock and Strong: Purim
The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia: Purim
Wikipedia – Purim
Ahasuerus/Xerxes
American Tract Society: Ahasuerus
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus
Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus
Fausset Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus
Holman Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus
Hitchcock Bible Names: Ahasuerus
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Ahasuerus
Morrish Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus
Watson’s Theological Dictionary: Ahasuerus
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Ahasuerus
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia: Ahasuerus
1901 Jewish Encyclopedia: Ahasuerus
Mordecai
His name means – Little man; bitter bruising; bitterly reduced. Bitterness of my oppression. (The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names. Smith & Cornwall)
American Tract Society Mordecai
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Mordecai
Easton’s Bible Dictionary Mordecai
Fausset Bible Dictionary Mordecai
Holman Bible Dictionary Mordecai
Hitchcock Bible Names Mordecai
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Mordecai
Morrish Bible Dictionary Mordecai
Watson’s Theological Dictionary Mordecai
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Mordecai
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Mordecai
1901 Jewish Encyclopedia Mordecai
Haman
His name means Alone; solitar; well disposed. A rioter. The rager; their tumult. (Smith & Cornwall)
American Tract Society Haman
Easton’s Bible Dictionary Haman
Fausset Bible Dictionary Haman
Holman Bible Dictionary Haman
Hitchcock Bible Names Haman
Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Haman
Morrish Bible Dictionary Haman
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Haman
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Haman
McClintock and Strong Haman
The Nuttall Encyclopedia Haman
The Jewish Encyclopedia Haman the Agagite
Commentaries
Best Commentaries on Esther – Tim Challies
Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Esther by Keith Mathison
Best Commentary on Esther – Best Commentaries Reviews
Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: –
Matthew Henry: Esther
Albert Barnes Notes: Esther
Reformation Study Bible Notes: Esther
Geneva Study Bible: Esther
Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Esther
Articles
Karen Jobes – “For Such a Time as This”: A Defining Moment in Christian Ministry
William Shea – Esther and History – 16 page article
Edwin M. Yamauchi: The Archaeological Background of Esther
George Little – Addition To The Sum Of Revelation, Found In The Book Of Esther
Iain Duguid – But Did They Live Happily Ever After? The Eschatology of the Book of Esther
Bergey, Ronald Bergey – Post-Exilic Hebrew Linguistic Developments In Esther: A Diachronic Approach
Steven Mathewson – Guidelines for Understanding and Proclaiming Old Testament Narratives
M Dieulafoy: Book of Esther and the Palace of Ahasuerus
GotQuestions.org
Why doesn’t the book of Esther mention God?
Why did Queen Vashti refuse to appear before Xerxes?
Who was Mordecai in the Bible?
What should we learn from the life of Esther?
Did Esther have sex with Xerxes before they were married?
Next: Job
Previous: Nehemiah
Resources: by Book of the Bible
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