Esther 4:1-17; 7:1-10; 9:20-22
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- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser. (Esther 7:1-10)
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser. (Esther 9:20-22)
- Hebrew Interlinear Bible, WLCv, WLC5, CHES, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc. (Esther 7:1-10)
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc. (Esther 9:20-22)
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries. Chapter 9.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons. Chapter 9.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- Chapter LV of The First Epistle to the Corinthians, Clement of Rome (ca. 96).
- Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
- From the Geneva Notes. Chapter 9.
- "He sets before our eyes the use of this feast which was for the remembrance of God's deliverance, the maintenance of mutual friendship and relief of the poor."
- From
Matthew Henry's
Commentary.
Chapter
9.
- "The festival was appointed by authority, yet under the direction of the Spirit of God. It was called the feast of Purim, from a Persian word, which signifies a lot. The name of this festival would remind them of the almighty power of the God of Israel, who served his own purposes by the superstitions of the heathen."
- From
Wesley's
Notes.
Chapter
9.
- "Whatever good motion is in our minds, we must acknowledge it to come from God. What is done by human prudence is to be ascribed to the direction of Divine Providence."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
Chapter 9.
- "Commentators are not agreed what is particularly meant by "these things"; whether the letters following, or an account of these marvellous events to be preserved in the families of the Jewish people, and transmitted from one generation to another."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
- Commentary, Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22, Kathryn M. Schifferdecker, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
- Story Divine, podcast telling of the book of Esther, Casey Fitzgerald, 2015.
- "Queen Esther: Unedited," Dan Clendenin, Journey with Jesus, 2015
- Commentary, Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22, Amy Oden, Preaching
This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
- "If you haven't ever read the book of Esther, read it now. It's not long, and you will need the whole story to preach this text. You will immediately notice that the book of Esther reads almost as a stand-alone text within the biblical canon. "
- "Xerxes, Esther, Haman, and Mordecai," sermon discussion from Frederick Buechner, Frederick Buechner Blog.
- "Not content with having saved their people and taken care of Haman, Esther and Mordecai used their new power to orchestrate the slaughter of seventy five thousand of their old enemies. The whole unpleasant account is contained in The Book of Esther, which has the distinction of being the only book in the Bible where the name of God isn't even mentioned. There seems every reason to believe that he considered himself well out of it."
- "Eating with the Enemy: Esther's Story," Lisa Nichols Hickman, ON Scripture, Odyssey Networks, 2012.
- "...we need to court new understanding by reaching out to the one with whom our nations and religions are at odds, pour a glass of wine and break a piece of bread, and thereby turn sorrow into gladness, mourning into a holiday. By sharing a meal, we might just save a life."
- "What the Bible Says - and Doesn't Say - about Women," David Lose, Huffington Post, 2012.
- "Esther and the Politics of Identity," Amy Merrill Willis, Political Theology, 2012.
- "The Book of Esther understands well the challenges of living in a world where one might have to juggle and negotiate different, even conflicting, identities and loyalties– one political, one ethnic and religious."
- "To Defend, to Destroy, or to Hope?" John C. Holbert, Patheos, 2012.
- "All of us, in whatever exiles we are in, are ever in need of such stories when the flame of freedom is guttering and the spark of hope is dim."
- Commentary, Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22, Brent A. Strawn, Preaching
This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
- "Esther is a strange and difficult book for several reasons, first and foremost because it is apparently non-theological."
- Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
-
Esther 7:1-10, 9:20-22, Pentecost 17,
Commentary, Background, Insights from Literary Structure, Theological
Message, Ways to Present the Text. Anna Grant-Henderson, Uniting Church in
Australia.
- "This story is part of a worldview of courts and court life, which is not part of our lives today. Most of the Western world doesn't have to contrive in the way that Esther did to get an audience with a ruler. The question I want to ask is: How does knowledge of Christ change the way we respond to danger?"
- Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22, Pentecost 17. The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Howard Wallace Audrey Schindler, Morag Logan, Paul Tonson, Lorraine Parkinson, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
- "Where God is Not: The Book of Esther and Song of Songs," by Dr. David R. Blumenthal, Professor of Judaic Studies, Emory University.
-
Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
- Fleishman,
Joseph,
"Why Was Haman Successful at Winning King Ahasuerus' Approval to Exterminate
the Jews in the Persian Empire?" Hebrew Union College Annual,
1997.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Frolov, Serge,
"Two Eunuchs, Two Conspiracies, and One Loyal Jew: The Narrative of Botched
Regicide in Esther as Text- and Redaction-Critical Test Case," Vetus
Testamentum, 2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Hallo, William W.,
"The First Purim," Biblical Archaeologist, 1983.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Humphreys, W. Lee,
"A Life-Style for Diaspora: A Study of the Tales of Esther and Daniel,"
Journal of Biblical Literature, 1973.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Jackowski, Karol,
"Holy Disobedience in Esther," Theology Today, 1989.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Levenson, Jon D., "Is There a
Counterpart in the Hebrew Bible to New Testament Antisemitism?"
Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 1985.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lewy, Immanuel,
"Is Purim a Jewish Festival?" Reconstructionist, 1952.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Lewy, Immaneul,
"The Meaning of Purim," Reconstructionist, 1951.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Loewenstamm, Samuel
E.,
"Esther 9:29-32: The Genesis of a Late Addition," Hebrew Union
College Annual, 1971.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Mills, Mary E.,
"Household and Table: Diasporic Boundaries in Daniel and Esther," The
Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Murphy, George L.,
"Providence and Passion in Esther," Currents in Theology and Mission,
2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wechsler, Michael G.,
"The Purim-Passover Connection: A Reflection of Jewish Exegetical Traditions
in the Peshitta Book of Esther," Journal of Biblical Literature,
1998.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Fleishman,
Joseph,
"Why Was Haman Successful at Winning King Ahasuerus' Approval to Exterminate
the Jews in the Persian Empire?" Hebrew Union College Annual,
1997.
- Sermons:
- "For Such a Time As This," Samuel Wells, Faith and Leadership, 2010.
- With Children:
- "Esther - the Girl Who Became a Queen," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
- "Haman's Evil Is Repaid," "Esther Saves Her People," "The Jews Rejoice & Declare a Feast," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
- Drama:
- "Honesty Plays," Warren Grieve, dramatix.
- "The Peasant Queen," Aruneshwar A. Singh and Mark Harris, dramatix.
- "Here She Is," Nina Wallestad, Dramatic License. Conditions of Use.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
- Clip Art: Esther, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
- Hymns and Music:
- "Perhaps You Have Been Chosen," Text: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. A hymn based on Esther and its implications for today. Tune: AURELIA 7.6.7.6 D ("The Church's One Foundation")
- "The Persian King Was Angry," Text: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. This hymn celebrates of story of Esther. Tune: LLANGLOFFAN 7.6.7.6 D ("Lead On, O King Eternal"; "Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers")
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Esther
