Introduction

The book of Esther is named after its protagonist, a Jewish woman named Esther, who became a Persian queen—the wife of King Artaxerxes—and who rendered an immortal service to her people in that position by saving them from the plot of the courtier Haman to exterminate them. This remarkable event in the history of the Jewish people provided the occasion for the establishment of a special Jewish festival (Purim), and so the history of Esther is also the history of the origin of the festival of “Purim” (Purim, a lot or portion). According to the Second Book of Maccabees, this festival was already celebrated by the Jews in 160 BC (in the time of Nicanor); Josephus also mentions it, and to this day the festival is solemnly celebrated by Jews in synagogues on the 13th and 14th of the month of Adar. All this serves as proof—on the other hand—of the reality of the event related in the Book of Esther, particularly when one considers the internal marks of historical trustworthiness of the narrative, that is, the complete agreement of the description of Persian customs and practices with all that we know of Persian customs during the period being described.

The author of the book is not precisely known. Clement of Alexandria and some rabbis attribute it to Mordecai; the Talmud attributes it to the Great Synagogue. The attribution to Mordecai seems to be confirmed in Esth 9:20, though from the same chapter Esth 9 it might be concluded that the very end of the book apparently does not belong to Mordecai. In any case, the majority of the book probably belongs to Mordecai. Many indications of this can be found in the book itself: the narrator undoubtedly lived at court, because he knows Persian customs, manners, and the court thoroughly; he speaks of contemporary events of the Persian empire (which existed from 536–330 BC), and he refers to the chronicles of the Medes and Persians (Esth 10:2); the account was written, by all indications, in Persia, in Susa itself, which is confirmed by the absence of references to Judea and Jerusalem; the attribution to Mordecai can also be indicated by other detailed circumstances, for example, in the description of Ahasuerus’s feast, as well as the mention of the names of great officials and eunuchs, the wives and children of Haman, and so on.

The Book of Esther, though counted among the canonical books, has, however, considerable later insertions or additions, which constitute its non-canonical portion (in the LXX and Vulgate) and have no place in the original (Hebrew) text. There are seven such insertions:

1) Mordecai’s dream and the revelation of a plot against the king (LXX before Esth 1:1; Vulgate: XI-XII);

2) Haman’s decree (mentioned in Esth 3:12) against the Jews (LXX after Esth 3:13; Vulgate. XIII, 1–7);

3) Mordecai’s appeal to Esther (LXX: after Esth 4:8; Vulgate: XV, 13);

4) The prayers of Mordecai and Esther (LXX after Esth 4:17; Vulgate: XIII, 8-XIV);

5) The details of Esther’s visit to King Ahasuerus (LXX: Esth 5:1-2; Vulgate: XV, 4–19);

6) Mordecai’s decree, mentioned in Esth 8:9 (LXX, after Esth 8:12; Vulgate: XVI);

7) The explanation of Mordecai’s dream (LXX: after Esth 10 with mention of the introduction of the festival of Purim in Egypt; Vulgate: X, 4–13).