The Book of Esther

The Story of a Jewish Heroine

Esther did not write the book of Esther, but her entire story is found in the book. The story took place during a time when many Jews were in Persia (approximately 460–430 B.C.) and tells how Esther’s courageous actions saved her people from destruction. The Jewish people still celebrate this wonderful event with a happy holiday they call Purim. The Jews reread this story; some of the people clap and cheer for the heroes and curse the villains. Because the book of Esther is a story, the “Understanding the Scriptures” and “Studying the Scriptures” sections cover the entire book. For further information on the book of Esther, see the Bible Dictionary, “Esther, book of” (p. 667).

Getting Ready to Study Esther

Cyrus was the first king of the Persian Empire. He was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who ruled for a short time. After Cambyses’ death, a man named Darius was king for many years. After Darius died, his son Xerxes ruled as the fourth king of the Persian Empire. Xerxes, which was his Greek name, is known in the book of Esther by his Persian name, Ahasuerus.

Although Esther comes after Nehemiah in your Bible, the events in Esther actually occurred about thirty years before the events in Nehemiah. Xerxes, or Ahasuerus, was the king in Nehemiah’s time who seemed to be so friendly to Nehemiah and the Jews. Perhaps this is because of what happened in the book of Esther. If not for the events in Esther, there may not have been a book of Nehemiah!