Esther

Esther Chapter 2

Esther Chosen Queen

Esther 2:1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.
2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:
4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

Although this is something God uses to save the Jewish people from being wiped out, in our modern way of thinking, it seems so crazy to use women like this and just gather them together to choose the best looking one sort of like choosing Miss America. I don't know if they have that contest any longer but I use to watch that event years ago. However God warned Israel not to desire a king but they didn't listen.

I realize that this deviates away from the real reason Esther became queen, but I thought it important to add this warning Samuel gave to Israel. Because they wanted a king instead of judges, God granted them their request but it was the beginning of them falling away from God, going into idolatry and following the ways of the wicked kings that ruled over them. This went on for years until God allowed them to lose their nation and be under the power of Babylon, then Persia where this story takes place.

1Samuel 8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king.
11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.
12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.
13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.
17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.
18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

At this time when Esther lived, the Jewish people were ruled by the king of Persia. They were not as bad as some of the other kings like Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon but they still were under a king with authority over them.

Esther 2:5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

Mordecai was from the same tribe as the Saul the first king of Israel.

Esther 2:6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

He took Esther for his own daughter when her father and mother died. People are blessed when they have relatives like this.

Esther 2:8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.
9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.
10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

Esther was instructed not to reveal that she was Jewish but keep that to herself. The chamberlain who guarded and instructed these women preferred Esther to all others for her beauty and other things about her that pleased him.

Esther 2:12 Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)
13 Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.
14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name.

Imagine 12 months of purification before any woman could be presented to the king. Not just anybody could become queen. Vashti must have been more beautiful than any others when she was queen.

Esther 2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.
16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.
17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

Esther was chosen and obtained favor with the king who chose her above all others in the kingdom. However God uses this to save the lives of the Jewish people later.

Mordecai Discovers a Plot

Esther 2:19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king's gate.
20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.
23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out; therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

Looks like Queen Esther was able to save the life of the king. Mordecai overheard the plot to slay the king and revealed this to Esther. They didn't just take Mordecai's word for this but investigated and found out that an assassination plot was real. The two men were hanged. One thing about kings, they didn't put up with betrayal. I doubt that they had lawyers and fair defense like our country use to have but once they knew who was guilty, it was quick justice.

In the writings of Josephus, it is said they were crucified. Persians though were known for hanging a person though on a tree. They suffered a long time before death came similar to crucifixion though. Whatever it was, it was cruel.

The chronicles mentioned was a book the king had sort of like a journal which later was read by the king and thought to honor the one who discovered the plot against him. -DC

Esther Chapter 3