ESTHER

God’s Providential Queen

Daniel 2:46-49

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and paid humble respect to Daniel, and gave orders to present to him an offering and incense.

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47 The king responded to Daniel and said, “Your God truly is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets, since you have been able to reveal this secret.”

Daniel 2:46-49

48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon, and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

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49 And Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king’s court.

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Parallels of Daniel/Magi & Haman/Magi

• Daniel’s influence/legacy as Jew, “magi”, court official
• Haman –Magi or respected/used them
• Jewish influence on Magi traditions/God’s providence
• Preservation of the Jewish history/customs
• Esther’s influence and courage seal the deal
• Her risk & wits at court
• Hero of an oppressed people/Magi remember
• Oppressed people remember

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Tonight’s Goals

• Esther 3
• Haman, Mordecai, & Hatred
• Conspiracy to eradicate a people

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• “Pur”, superstitions, &Haman
• Magi/wise men connections

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• Manipulaton of Xerxes

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Esther is no fairy tale: It’s History

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4) The Inner Courtyard facing the Throne Room, where one prepared to enter the King’s presence.

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Audience between Xerxes & Haman likely:

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5) The Throne Room

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6) The Outer Courtyard

Mordecai’s Position at Susa

• Esther 2:19-23
• Mordecai at the “King’s Gate”
• Overhears plot
• Gains favor w/King via Esther
• Mordecai’s good deed recorded in “book of the annals of the king” (Esther 6)
• Herodotus confirms Xerxes’ insomnia

Mordecai’s Position at Susa

• Esther the Queen, not a Pawn
• Mordecai & Esther
• Family
• Team
• Mentor & Mentee
• Selfless motives & Self-preservation
• Not necessarily in conflict
• Luke 11:53-54
• Jesus & hostile Pharisees

Mordecai’s Position at Susa

• Esther 2:5
• “There was a Jew at the citadel in Susa whose name was Mordecai…”
• Already held position in palace
• Consistent with tradition of bringing men from conquered people into service
• Persian courts kept many formerly enslaved on as officials

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Mordecai’s Position at Susa

• Esther 2:11
• “Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem
• Access to this area “daily” confirms high rank
• Fortification tablets refer to a Mordecai in administrative role at Susa in Xerxes reign
• Logistic duties with payments to couriers, gatehouse connections

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Esther 3: Haman

Esther 3:1-6

• Haman vs. Mordecai
• Why the hate?
• Plots in motion, comeuppance

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Who was Haman?

• Haman (המן)
• Illustrious (Persian: ham-a-yun)
• Humban – king-maker god
• Haoma – drink of the gods “soma”
• Septuagint – an “alien to Persia”
• 3:1 “Haman…son of the Agagite

Who was Haman?

• Haman (המן)
• Fortification Tablets (again)
• Haman not specifically mentioned

• Admin records for his father and brothers

are mentioned, as well as 4 of the eunuchs and 3 of the “princely advisors”

• Esther 1:10; 1:14; 3:1; 9:7-9
• Mehuma, Carsis, Bigtha, Hathach
• Meres, Marcena, Memukan
• Hammedatha, Aridai, Aridatha

The Big Question of Mordecai’s Actions

Esther 3:2-4

• “Mordecai neither bowed down or paid homage”
• Reason given: he was a Jew (v. 5)

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Esther 3:1

• Haman uplifted by Xerxes to have “authority over all officials with him”

Why Doesn’t Mordecai Bow?

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The Big Question of Mordecai’s Actions

Esther 3:2-4

• “Mordecai neither bowed down or paid homage”
• Reason given: he was a Jew (v. 5)

Why Doesn’t Mordecai Bow?

Esther 3:1

• Haman uplifted by Xerxes to have “authority over all officials with him”

Parallels to Daniel? (Daniel 1 & 2)

Haman & Hatred

• V. 6 – Haman enraged after learning what?

• “...for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were”
• Seems be generational hatred at least
• Antisemitism
• Clearly has HATRED for not just Mordecai, but the Jews in general

Symmetry: Mordecai vs. Haman

• Mordecai vs. Haman
• Opposing figures at court, rivals
• Both involved in decrees regarding eradication
• I Samuel 15
• Why does this mirror the events of Esther?

• Saul commanded to slay King Agag/Amalekites
• Failed – Samuel kills Agag instead

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Symmetry: Mordecai vs. Haman

• I Samuel 30 – David fights Amalekite raiders
• 1 Chronicles 4:42-43 – Simeonites kill Amalekites
• Esther 3 – Haman a descendant of Agag/Amalekites
• Either of royal line or a commoner
• In Persia, would be an official or subject either way
• Many of these former conquered tribes assimilated their own beliefs into Eastern cult/religions
• I.e., the “Wise Men”/ hakameem חַכִּים / Magoi

Haman: Vizier & Magi Influence

• Mordecai could bow to a King or official, but not another god
• Haman’s garments/iconography?

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• Magi of Persia in 5th century vs. Magi in general
• Magi – white, plain robes
• Persian period – ornate, sigils of stars, arcane, Mithra

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Haman’s Plot: Genocide

Esther 3:7-11

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• “Pur”
• Court politics
• Xerxes’ Indifference?

Jewish Hatred: Does Xerxes Share It?

1. Haman’s generational hatred of Jews/Mordecai
1. 1 Samuel 15 – Haman’s vendetta
2. Psalm 83:5-7 – Amalekites/alliance against
1. Agag territory near Media

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2) Persian attitude toward satraps not like that

• Esther 3:8-11
• “There is a certain people…”
• Why word it this way?

Jewish Hatred, OR Xerxes is Deceived

1. Precedent for rebellions in Xerxes’ empire
2. Pogroms/genocide happened as consequence

• Historical evidence
• Darius & Xerxes rebellions in the satraps
• Rare – can’t tax the dead
• Xerxes was more liberal with these pogroms
• Herodotus, Ctesias
• Babylonian satrap/temple, Egypt

Haman’s Superstitions & the Magi

Who were these Magi?

• Zoroastrian priest caste
• “Mystery religions”
• Neutral faction
• Persian magi differ

Haman’s Superstitions & the Magi

Zoroastrianims/Zurvanism

• Zurvan
• Androgynous deity of time/primordial “Creator”
• Ahura Mazda
• Wisdom, Sky, Good
• Ahriman
• Chaos & Evil/Impurities
• Mithra –patron of magi
• Light (Sun/Moon)
• Knowledge/Truth

Haman’s Superstitions & the Magi

• Esther 3:7
• Casting Pur/lots
• Magi tradition used cleromancy (lots, random selection via items)
• Less “magic”, more “reading signs”
• Dice, Incantation bowls
• Herodotus 1.131-132

Haman’s Superstitions & the Magi

Haman’s Superstitions & the Magi

• Haman’s insistence on using pur implies an adherent or believer/member of the Magi
• Magi – scientist priests, wise men, scribes of knowledge of all kinds
• Important at court
• Connected to Zoroastrianism, but autonomous
• Priests for hire

Haman’s Superstitions & the Magi

• Astragali (bone dice) in particular, inscribed with names of months, gods, emotions used to divine

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• Persian Magi rituals and their support granted King legitimacy
• The will of Ahura Mazda
• Lent a divine asset to courtly intrigue

Haman’s Superstitions & the Magi

• Ironically, Haman’s superstition gives Mordecai & Esther time

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• Haman’s “divine” support from consulting the bones/stars – revenge on House of Benjamin

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• Haman attempts a bribe; Xerxes declines
• Esther 3:9 – 10,000 talents

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About 460 tons of silver, $135 to $450 million

Signet Rings, Seals, & Royal Protocol

Esther 3:10 – royal ring/seal given

Haman’s Decree is Made Official

Esther 3:12-15

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• Haman makes it legal via Xerxes
• Genocidal order across the empire
• Haman distracts the King
• Susa palace is confused/agitated

Xerxes relents

• Persia’s postal system
• Letters sent to all 127 satrapies to officials
• Haman distracts with drink
• Xerxes, defeated by war and women, relents easily
• 7th year marries Esther
• 479 B.C.
• Esther 3:7 – 12th year

Xerxes relents

Esther 3:15 – Susa agitated

Why?

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• Xerxes’ Empire showing cracks in his failures
• Can’t rule corpses
• Revolts & Paranoia
• Magi faction seeing history repeat?

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For such a time as this…

Read Esther 4

Comments/Questions?