Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
After attempting to shy away from her responsibilities, Esther is persuaded by Mordecai to see King Ahasuerus and plead that the Jews be spared. She and the people of Shushan fast for three days as a preparation for the high-risk event.
II. Photo
Esther describes the riskiness of approaching the king unannounced: “All the king’s courtiers and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any person, man or woman, enters the king’s presence in the inner court without having been summoned, there is but one law for him — that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the golden scepter to him may he live…” (v. 11)
III. Important Verses
v. 3: Also, in every province that the king’s command and decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping, and wailing, and everybody lay in sackcloth and ashes.
vv. 13-14: Mordecai had this message delivered to Esther: “Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king’s palace. On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a crisis.”
IV. Outline
1-4. Mordecai and the Jews lament
5-11. Esther shies away her responsibility
12-14. Mordecai urges Esther to help
15-17. Esther agrees; The people of Shushan fast on her behalf
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Murphy, Wisdom Literature (Forms of Old Testament Literature)
Photo taken from http://www.velvetchokers.com/images/GOLDSCEPTER.gif
