5 Facts about Esther (2024)

“5 Facts about Esther,” Liahona, July 2022.

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Esther

5 Facts about Esther (1)

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Esther approaching the king

Esther Approaching the King, by RobertT. Barrett, may not be copied

1. Esther was an orphan.

Esther was a Jew, and when her parents died, she was raised by her cousin Mordecai, who was also a Jew (see Esther 2:7).

2. Esther lived in Persia.

Esther lived in Shushan, Persia (modern-day Iran), over 100 years after the Jews had been carried captive into Babylon.

3. Esther had to keep her Jewish identity a secret.

At Mordecai’s request, Esther did not reveal her Jewish heritage to anyone. She kept her identity a secret, even after she became queen. (See Esther 2:10, 20.)

4. Esther risked her life to save her people.

During Esther’s time, kings were frequently in danger of assassination. So, for the king’s protection, custom dictated that no one should approach the king without his invitation. That’s why Esther was risking her life when she went to the king to invite him to a banquet where she could reveal Haman’s plot to kill the Jews (see Esther 5; 7).

5. Esther had faith in God.

Esther asked that all the Jews in Shushan fast for three days before she approached the king (see Esther 4:16). Because of Esther’s courage and the Lord’s blessings, the Jews were spared.

5 Facts about Esther (2024)

FAQs

5 Facts about Esther? ›

Second, the Book of Esther differs from other biblical diaspora stories by the marked absence of God or any overt religious elements. Fasting is observed, though not accompanied by prayer, and Esther calls for a fast among the Jews at precisely the time they would have been observing Passover.

What makes Esther unique? ›

Second, the Book of Esther differs from other biblical diaspora stories by the marked absence of God or any overt religious elements. Fasting is observed, though not accompanied by prayer, and Esther calls for a fast among the Jews at precisely the time they would have been observing Passover.

What are 5 lessons from the Book of Esther? ›

5 Things Kids Can Learn from Esther
  • God's Plan for You Doesn't Surprise Him. ...
  • The People around You Matter. ...
  • God is Sovereign. ...
  • God is Always at Work Behind the Scenes. ...
  • God Has Placed Us Where We are for a Reason.
Apr 20, 2016

What are the main points of Esther? ›

The story invites us to see that God can and does work in the mess and moral ambiguity of human history, using the faithfulness of even morally compromised people to accomplish his purposes. The book of Esther asks us to trust in God's providence even when we can't see it working.

What is Esther remembered for? ›

Her bravery earns her a spot among the seven women prophets, and she is remembered as the one responsible for the deliverance of Israel. Queen Esther, the central character in the Biblical book named after her, is extensively and sympathetically portrayed in the Rabbinic sources.

What was Esther's weakness? ›

Weaknesses: 1. Fearful – Esther was slow to come around to the idea of going in to visit the king. Her first reaction was fear and concern for her own life.

What did Esther have strength to do? ›

Esther had a very fond relationship with Mordecai, and she deeply respected him. This led to her being extremely loyal and obedient. The overarching strength shown by Esther is her bravery. She willingly stands before the king to save her people even though it would be risking her life.

How old was Esther when she became queen? ›

The talmudic sages had some curious traditions regarding the age of Esther when she succeeded to the throne, with suggestions as varied as 40, 80 and 74. The fact that the latter was based on the numerical value of the letters of her Hebrew name, Hadassah, demonstrates just how few facts have survived.

Who wrote the book of Esther? ›

According to the Talmud, it was a redaction by the Great Assembly of an original text by Mordecai. It is usually dated to the 4th century BCE.

How do you explain Esther to a child? ›

Esther was a beautiful young Jewish girl who lived in Persia with her cousin Mordecai. God had a plan for Esther's life, even though she didn't know it from the beginning. The King of Persia wanted to marry a beautiful young woman and make her the queen of the kingdom.

Who did Esther marry? ›

"Ahasuerus" is given as the name of a king, the husband of Esther, in the Book of Esther. He is said to have “ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Nubia" — that is, over the Achaemenid Empire.

How did Esther become Queen? ›

16Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign. 17And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.

What does Esther mean in the Bible? ›

Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17–19, 25). The Old Persian language preserves the word stāra for "star," which is similar to the Greek word ἀστήρ (astēr), also meaning "star." Thus, Esther likely means "star," if not something related more directly to Ishtar or Venus.

What is an interesting fact about the book of Esther? ›

Esther had to keep her Jewish identity a secret.

At Mordecai's request, Esther did not reveal her Jewish heritage to anyone. She kept her identity a secret, even after she became queen. (See Esther 2:10, 20.)

What is the most curious fact about the book of Esther? ›

According to Scripture, Esther had no parents. She had lost both her father and her mother and was raised by her older cousin, Mordecai (Esther 2:7).

How does Esther relate to Jesus? ›

Jesus is revealed in the book of Esther in very specific ways. Esther had lost her parents coming from a place of family deficiency yet called to a place of royalty. Jesus grew up being known as the child conceived out of wedlock having come from place of family deficiency yet called to a place of royalty.

What does the book of Esther teach us today? ›

Esther's story invites us to cling to hope, however small, and to have confidence that whatever evil might currently reign, the story of God isn't finished.”

What is the book of Esther trying to teach us? ›

The moral of the Story of Esther, for children, is to always do the right thing, using the influence you possess to help others as Esther does in the story. Esther was a noble biblical figure, who when called by God, saved the Jewish people of Persia.

What is the moral of the book of Esther? ›

To seek God's favor and guidance, Esther instructed the Jews to beseech Him through fasting and prayer (Esther 4:15-16). Fasting in the Bible means abstaining from food and drink for a period of time in order to draw closer to God and seek His guidance and intervention.

How does the book of Esther point to Jesus? ›

Like many other stories in the Old Testament, Esther ultimately shows us a picture of Jesus. In this story, we see how God saves His people through Esther's intercession. She was the only one willing to approach the king, risking her own life. She stands in place of the rest of the Jews, and pleads for their salvation.

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