Who was the king of persia in the book of esther

Esther, according to the book of esther, was a hebrew woman from persia, who became the queen of king ahasuerus, also known as xerxes i. It is up to mordecais niece esther to win the affection of the king, unmask hamans treachery and save the jewish people. Esther, the beautiful jewish wife of the persian king ahasuerus, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general annihilation of jews throughout the empire. Esther can represent us, the followers and disciples of our beloved lord jesus, who desperately need all the help we can get in this troublesome life. We need to put the book of esther into an historical context to better understand esthers choice. Kennedy archaeology and the book of esther carey a. When jewish girl esther is chosen as the new queen. Now when the time came for esther to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what hegai, the kings eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested.

Esther bible study chapter 1 the invitation of the king. Esther, the beautiful jewish wife of the persian king ahasuerus xerxes i, and her. Secular history knows him better by his greek name, king xerxes i who ruled persia from 486 to 465 b. Esther 1 isv the wealth of king ahasuerus bible gateway. It is one of the five scrolls megillot in the hebrew bible. For such a time as this the story of ahasuerus and esther. When, several years later, nehemiah asked the persian king for permission to return to zion and rebuild jerusalem, the queen is seating by him nehemia 2. King ahasuerus, the son of darius hystaspes, the husband of queen esther and recorded in the book of esther.

When xerxes, king of persia, issues a call for beautiful young women, hadassah, a jewish orphan living in susa, is forcibly taken to the palace of the pagan ruler. His powerful empire spread from india to ethiopia esth. The events in the book of esther probably took place around 521495 bc. Queen vashti deposed this is what happened during the time of xerxes, the xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from india to cush. The book is unique in the hebrew canon for several reasons, not in. Find the answer to this and thousands of other questions on. This map highlights achashveiroshs vast empire as described in the book of esther 1. Jewish girl esther is chosen as the new queen consort to king xerxes of persia. In the court of ahasuerus, king of persia and media, who ruled over 127 provinces, a big feast is held, and queen. One woman s crusade to prevent the genocide of her people.

In esther 910 it tells us that the ahasuerus of esther still had 127 provinces in his th year of reign. The book of esther was written during a time when the persian empire ruled the world and ahasuerus probably xerxes i was the king of persia. The book of esther begins with the queen of king ahasuerusvashtisnubbing the kings request to meet with her. The kingdom of persia the book of esther the israel bible.

Now he needs to pick a new queen and eventually manages to select esthera comely, young secretly jewish woman who is a part of his harem. The man of the house was none other than the king of the greatest empire in the world of his day. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third section ketuvim, writings of the jewish tanakh the hebrew bible and in the christian old testament. Achashveirosh, king of persia, ruled a vast empire from india 1 to ethiopia 2. He is said to have ruled from india even unto ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces that is, over the achaemenid empire. He ruled over the kingdoms of persia, media, and babylonia, from india to ethiopia. Esther is described in the book of esther as a jewish queen of the persian king ahasuerus. In it, esther asturya, the daughter of mordecai, marries xerxes called ahasuerus, in order to foil a plot by the wicked haman who seeks to organize a pogrom against the jews. Shushan, located in modernday iran, was the capitol of the persian empire. Who was the king of persia in the book of esther answers. The book of esther describes the jewish heroine esther, who saved the jewish people in persia from annihilation during the reign of king xerxes i ahasuerus of persia, who ruled from 486 to 465 bc.

The story of esther happened after cyrus, the first persian king, called for all deported jews to return to jerusalem to build the house of god 538 b. It is helpful to read ezra, esther, and nehemiah as a unit to get the feel for the unfolding of momentous historical events during this period of time. Are cyrus the great of persia, and king ahasuerus, of the. After months of preparation, the girl known to the persians as esther wins the kings heart and a queens crown. The book of esther is also rich in types and patterns which expound for us, the purpose of god in redeeming mankind from the power of sin. He was the son and successor of darius the great r. Ahasuerus is given as the name of a king, the husband of esther, in the book of esther. Esther, purim and why it all still matters jews for jesus. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll megillah, is a book in the third. Esther and mordecai under xerxes of persia amazing bible. The book of esther, which may be a work of fiction, is set in xerxes rule and was written about 400 bce. Ernest wright early christians and the anchor, by charles a. In art the book of esther is represented in the cycle of paintings from the.

It relates the story of a hebrew woman in persia, born as hadassah but known as esther, who becomes queen of persia and. But it is also a wonderful story of courage and faith. The book of esther describes the jewish heroine esther, who saved the jewish people in persia from annihilation during the reign of king xerxes i ahasuerus. He was the son of the former persian king darius i he is traditionally considered to be the persian king ahasuerus referred to in the biblical story of esther. Many scholars believe that king xerxes is the same as king ahasuerus who appears in the book of esther. How many children did queen esther and king xerxes have. Naturally, being a rather unstable fellow, ahasuerus firesslashdivorces her. The story of esther takes place during the reign of king xerxes i of persia, primarily in the kings palace in susa, the capital of the persian empire. The book of esther clearly demonstrates gods love for his. Book of esther overview insight for living ministries. The book purports to explain how the feast of purim came to be celebrated by the jews. The queen described in the book of nehemiah is queen esther. Moore archaeology at the albrigh institutet by phili, p j. When, several years later, nehemiah asked the persian king for permission to return to zion and rebuild jerusalem, the queen is sitting by him nehemiah 2.

This was in all probability the xerxes of secular history, who succeeded his father darius b. In the book of esther, hegai the kings eunuch can symbolize the guidance of the holy spirit, who prepares us to meet with our king, our lord jesus, in his second coming. King ahasuerus, ruler of the persian empire, holds a lavish 180day banquet, initially for his court and. But because her situation is uncertain, she keeps her ethnic identity.

The unknown author of the book of esther was most likely a jew very familiar with. Esther is one of the five scrolls in the hebrew bible. King xerxes of persia was the worlds most powerful monarch who ruled the persian empire around 486 b. Timeline archaeological study bible, esther, p 714. At the conclusion of esthers plea, haman is exposed and is struck with terrornot only. It narrates the account of a hebrew woman in persia, born as hadassah but identified as esther, who becomes queen of persia and prevents a massacre of her people.

At that time king xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of susa, and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his. Bible studies in the book of esther esther chapter 1. The massacre had been plotted by the king s chief minister, haman, and the date decided by casting lots purim. During the second banquet, queen esther revealed her origin to the king, begged for her. King domestic architecture and the new testament, by h. Esther 1 international standard version isv the wealth of king ahasuerus. The story of esther, mordecai, haman and king ahasuerus, is a drama which.

There is no reference to known historical events in the story. Book of esther, in the hebrew bible and the christian old testament. The book of esther, also known in hebrew as the scroll, is a book in the third section of the christian old testament. Persian king ahasuerus jewish queen esther the jewish queen of persia. When i wrote my study on the book of ruth 1, i started by saying that it was a fantastic book that had it all well, apart from a nasty villain, but we cant ask for everything. The book of esther confirms that darius i is the most likely candidate for esthers king in another way as well. The book says that the first wife of xerxes, queen vashti, was. It relates the story of a hebrew woman in persia, born as hadassah but known as esther, who becomes queen of persia and thwarts a genocide. The jews called him ahasuerus, the hebrew form of his persian name. Esther in the picture study bible the book of esther. When haman falls before esthers couch to beg for his life, the king can condemn him for something other than the murderous scheme, which the king himself had endorsed. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, achievements, and timeline. The book of esther says that esther married xerxes, who was king of persia from 486 to 465 bce, thus becoming queen of persia. The book of esther opens with the description of a grand banquet in the opulent courts of susa called shushan in v.

Subsequent to esther, ezra leads a second return to the land of israel about 20 to 30 years later in 458 bc under artaxerxes ezra 7. Did queen esthers beauty or bravery foil a massacre. In the narrative, ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his queen, vashti, refuses to obey him, and esther is chosen for her beauty. The book of esther described part of the jewish diaspora that stayed behind in persia and did not return to jerusalem during the restoration. It further tells us that this was the persian king who laid. According to recent research the book of esther was written in the. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise from another place, but you and your fathers family will perish. This was during a time just before the wall of jerusalem was rebuilt. Vashti wikipedia book of esther, wikipedia read the book of esther. Bible name for the king of persia during the story of esther. The book of esther says that vashti was the wife of king xerxes when he first became king of persia, followed three years later by queen esther. See more ideas about esther, queen esther, bible pictures. The king s chief adviser, haman, is offended by esther s cousin and guardian, mordecai, and gets permission from the king to have all the jews in the kingdom killed. Will she be able to stop the evil lord hamans plot to exterminate the jews.