Ahasuerus exalts haman the agagite, and commands all his officers to do him reverence, which mordecai refuses. Esther 3 is the third chapter of the book of esther in the hebrew bible or the old testament of. A very black and mournful scene here opens, and which threatens the ruin of all the people of god. The events that the first chapter of the book of esther describes happened about 483 bc before christ.
Poetic justice happens in literature when good wins andor evil is punished. Esther chapter 3 verse by verse bible commentary matthew. The events that the first chapter of the book of esther describes happened. The book of esther relates the last recorded battle in that war see also 1sam 15.
It also opened the way for the establishment of later holidays that, like purim, could be instituted without divine command if they commemorated an important event or served an important function in the life of the jewish people. Esther 3, new international version niv the bible app. Esther free bible commentary in easy english easyenglish bible. After these things, when the wrath of king ahasuerus subsided, he remembered vashti. Since purim is not a holiday ordained by moses in the first five books of the bible, scholars have wondered if jews of ancient time indeed observed it annually. After these things, when the wrath of king ahasuerus subsided, he remembered vashti, what she had done, and what had been decreed against her. 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. It may be the result of a form of jewish piety that refuses to offer such homage to any mortal. Esther chapter 3 judaica press translation with rashis commentary at. Esther 3 new international version niv hamans plot to destroy the jews. Background in chapter three we are introduced to haman, a man whose hatred and abusive use of power throws the empire into confusion and brings the jewish people to the brink of disaster. Therefore they told haman about it to see whether mordecais behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a. God had a special plan to save the jews from hamans plot esther 3. Esther this is a hebrew name from the term myrtle bdb 2, from the targums, cf.
Surveying the chapter with two of gods people strategically placed in influential positions within the palace walls, life for the jewish people appeared to be peaceful and secure. After these things king ahasuerus promoted haman, the son of hammedatha the agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. The jewish historian josephus names mordecai as author of the book. Encyclopedia of jewish and israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from antisemitism to zionism. Introduction chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6. He overcame the jews and he took many jews to babylon. This quiz has been designed to test your knowledge about the characters and events from chapter 3 and 4. In esther chapter 3 we read where haman, as the chief of the princes with him, because of his pride, reports to the king in verse 8, that there is a people that is scattered throughout the kingdom who do not keep the. Esther is, among the generality of jews, the best known of all the books of the bible p. The best explanation for their absence, especially the absence of gods name. Other sources ascribe the book of esther to ezra or nehemiah. The book of esther consists of an introduction or exposition in chapters 1 and 2. The problem with haman exposed his basic hatred for all jewish people. It is one of the five scrolls megillot in the hebrew bible.
Book of esther bible study chapter 3 haman the madman book of esther bible study chapter 4 if i perish, i perish book of esther bible study chapter 5 prayer and the power of the third day book of esther bible study chapter 6 the sleepless king and the providence of god book of esther bible study chapter 7 the downfall of haman the wicked. Esther wrote with all authority esther and mordecai had the kings license so to do. David guzik commentary on esther 3, where haman makes a proposal ahasuerus to. This name of a remote ancestor of haman should not be viewed as, a mere epithet to indicate contempt and abhorrence. In jewish tradition, the book of esther, megillat ester, the scroll of. Haman, for his sake, vows to be revenged upon all the jews, esther 3. Apr 10, 2019 book of esther, a book of the hebrew bible and the christian old testament which is one of the five scrolls in the hebrew bible. Commentary on the book of esther, new york, i908, pp.
Esther in her joys, smiled upon by the king and honoured with his company at her banquet of wine, esther 5. Esther 3 niv hamans plot to destroy the jews bible gateway. Mordecai refuses to give him the honour he demands, esther 3. Over 100 years earlier, nebuchadnezzar the king of babylon had attacked jerusalem. While it is always important to understand the context of a particular scripture text, it is especially critical with this one. The last news we had of haman left him in his cups, esther 3. See our introduction to esther for comment on this. The book of esther is a story, and these brief passages from chapters 7 and 9 deal only with the climax and the ending. Listen to this description in the five megilloth, a jewish commentary published by the soncino press. First, lets take a look at the after these things phrase at the beginning of this verse.
He, upon a malicious suggestion, obtains an order from the king to have the all massacred upon a certain day, esther 3. In fact, the book of esther, more than anything else, is responsible for the continued celebration of purim. The book of esther 6 powerful life lessons from the bible. The first lesson we did an overview of the entire book. As expected, gods prophecy to extinguish the amalekites ex. Ahasuerus exalts haman the agagite, and commands all his officers to do him reverence, which mordecai refuses, 1 3. The heroine of the storyesthersat on the throne as queen. Now in chapter 3, he acts on the sole counsel of haman. Were there not some such dark nights, the light of the morning would not be so welcome. To this day, when the feast of purim is celebrated and the book of esther is read, the very mention of hamans name elicits a strong response. 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 jewish study bible esther introduction oxford biblical.
In chapter 2, he acted on the advice of his valets. Chapters 3 to 8 contain the nine scenes that form the complication in the book. And of that which they had seen the first letter to which this second refers, must be that sent by mordecai himself. The book of esther begins with the queen of king ahasuerusvashtisnubbing the kings request to meet with her. Esther 3 commentary matthew henry commentary on the. The author of the book of esther is unknown, though some attribute the work to mordecai. Megillah with indepth commentaryside by side version. They seemed to believe that god would protect his jewish people esther 6. Esther 3 is the third chapter of the book of esther in the hebrew bible or the old testament of the christian bible. Esther with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Esther 3 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Commentaries for esther chapter 3 haman seeks to destroy the jews. This morning we continue in our study of esther, with chapter two. Esthers story is retold by josephus in book 11, chapter 6 of the jewish antiquities.
It relates the story of a hebrew woman in persia, born as hadassah but known as esther, who becomes queen of. Esther 3 commentary james burton coffman commentaries on. Esther 3 commentary commentary critical and explanatory on. The believers bible commentary says haman was an agagite, a descendant of the kings of the amalekites agag was a royal title. This quiz has been designed to test your knowledge about the characters and events. In chapter 1, the king heeded the wise counsel of his noble princes. Book of esther, a book of the hebrew bible and the christian old testament which is one of the five scrolls in the hebrew bible. Esther 3 commentary commentary critical and explanatory. They slay five hundred in shushan, and kill the ten sons of haman, but take no spoil, 610. The king is informed of the slaughter in shushan, 11. In this esther 3 sermon were going to see the two protagonists in this story esther and mordecai live by faith in the unseen god.
Without some acquaintance with the human heart, and the history of mankind, we should not think that any prince could consent to a dreadful proposal, so hurtful to himself. After these things did king ahasuerus promote haman. Therefore they told haman about it to see whether mordecais behavior would be. The voyeurism of ch 1 drunken nobles hoping to ogle the queenis made. The author of the book is unknown and modern scholars have established that the final stage of the hebrew text would have been formed by the second century bce.
A series of fatal failures brought matters to the low point of chapter 3 of esther. It is possible that esther was hadassahs throne name, but this is unsubstantiated. Haman accuses the jews to ahasuerus, counsels him to destroy them, and offers ten thousand talents of silver. On the thirteenth of the month adar the jews destroy their enemies, and the governors of the provinces assist them, 15. Our last news of queen esther left her in tears, fasting and praying.
Ill give this message the title gods providential poetic justice. Naturally, being a rather unstable fellow, ahasuerus firesslashdivorces her. Lets open our bibles to the 5th chapter in the book of esther for this esther 5 sermon. This order is dispersed through the kingdom, esther 3. First, the king had failed by showing the same wisdom and discernment found in chapter 1. Mordecai refuses to give him the honour he demands v. The original text of the megillah book of esther with a running commentary culled from the talmud and midrash, the great torah commentators and the chassidic masters. The gathering together of a harem for king ahasuerus.