Esther 2
Chapter 2 tells us how Esther became the queen and sets the stage for the next part of the drama.
2:1-4
The Search Begins
When the king finally got over being angry, it seems he may have had regrets over getting rid of Queen Vashti. His aids jumped in to help, suggesting a remedy. There would be a national search for a beautiful young virgin to be the next queen.
The king would appoint officers in all 127 of the provinces he ruled. They were charged with finding beautify young virgins and sending them to the capital city, Susa, to participate in a beauty pageant. They would be housed in the king’s harem and tended by the king’s eunuch, who would supply them with cosmetics and groom them to be beautiful and charming.
2:5-11
Introducing Mordecai and Esther
Mordecai, the second major character in the story, is introduced to us as a Jew living in the capital city whose ancestor was one of the survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. His ancestors had been carried into exile like Daniel and his friends. Mordecai was born in the empire and did not know his homeland of Israel.
We are told of Mordecai’s lineage, ending with the fact that we was a son, or descendant, of Kish, a Benjamite (one who is of the tribe of Benjamin). You might wonder why we are told that. Well, Kish might have been named after another man named Kish, the father of Saul, the first king of Israel We will see why that is important later in the story.
Mordecai is portrayed to us as a good man, as he has taken in his cousin Hadassah, who was an orphan. He was older than her as seen by his treating her as his own daughter. (7)
Hadassah’s Persian name was Esther. She is the third major character in the story, but, ultimately, the most important. She was young and beautiful. Because of that, she was taken to the palace under the charge of the king’s eunuch. She was now a contestant in the beauty contest.
It appears at this point that it was not known that she was Jewish and Mordecai advises her to keep quiet about it. (10) From this we can ascertain that there was some anti-semitism among the Persians.
Esther’s story resembles Daniel’s in some respects. She was part of a select groomed to be a possible queen. Daniel was groomed to serve the king as one of his officials. She was given special food and cosmetics. Daniel was offered special food, although he declined it. God gave Daniel favor in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs. (Daniel 1:9) Esther won the favor of Hegai, the king’s eunuch. He even provided her with seven women attendants and a special place to live in the harem. As a result of this favor, she is advanced to the next round, becoming one of women in competition to go before the king.
The biggest difference between Daniel and Esther, however, is that Daniel maintained his Jewishness, separating himself from the culture of the Babylonians where it conflicted with his religion and culture. Esther, on the other hand, hid her ethnicity and compliant with the officials who told her what to do.
Yet, God used both to accomplish his purposes.
The Final Round
2:12-14
The women finalists evidently spent 12 months being groomed with special oils and spices. After that time, each of the seven women would appear before the king and spend the night in the castle before returning to the harem, not the special place they had been kept previously, but to the regular harem for the concubines under the supervision Shaashgaz, another of the king’s eunuchs. She would not go back to the castle unless the king liked her and summoned her by name.
Esther Wins
2:15-18
The time finally came for Esther to appear before the king. She received advice from Hegai and she took his advice. She continued to win favor with those around her. And, as you by now expect, she won favor with the king and was made queen of Persia. She wore the crown that Vashti refused to wear. The king gave a great feast in her honor with gifts and even tax relief.
The Plot Thickens
2:19-23
The story now shifts back to Mordecai. He was sitting in the king’s gate, meaning he had some importance. He may have gained a position as a result of Esther’s actions.
The writer reminds us that Esther did not reveal her Jewishness on the instruction of Mordecai, which infers Mordecai had not revealed his nationality either. This is our second indication that there was some anti-semitism in Persia.
So, while Mordecai was siting in the king’s gate, which was evidently the place where the guards punished those who had offended the king. He became aware that two of the king’s guards were angry at the king and sought to lay hands on him, meaning to kill him.
Mordecai reported this plot to Esther, who reported it to the king, mentioning that the news came from Mordecai. The king investigated the matter and found it to be true. He had the men hung on the gallows and the matter recorded in the chronicles of the king.
In this part of the story, we see God working behind the scenes. He has the orphan Esther placed in the care of a kind and wise cousin. He gives her beauty and winsomeness. He gives Esther the wisdom to accept advice from Mordecai and from Hegai. He gives her favor with Hegai and, ultimately with the king. He places her in a position that will allow her to protect her people, who are God’s people.
We see that God then places Mordecai in a place where he can discover the plot against the king, and thus win favor for himself and more favor for Esther with the king.
But we will also see that it becomes more difficult for Mordecai to navigate the politics of the citadel while trying to hold on to his beliefs.
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