Esther, a central figure in the biblical Book of Esther, is a profound example of an orphan who rose to a position of great influence and importance in the history of Israel. Her account is set during the reign of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) of Persia, and it unfolds in the capital city of Susa. Esther's narrative is a testament to divine providence and the impact one individual can have on the course of history.

Background and Early Life

Esther, originally named Hadassah, was a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai after the death of her parents. The Bible does not provide details about her parents or the circumstances of their deaths, but it emphasizes Mordecai's role in her upbringing. Esther 2:7 states, "Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, the daughter of his uncle, because she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely in form and features, and when her father and mother died, Mordecai took her in as his own daughter."

Rise to Queenship

Esther's life took a dramatic turn when King Xerxes sought a new queen after deposing Queen Vashti. Esther was among the young women brought to the king's palace as potential candidates. Despite her humble beginnings as an orphan, Esther found favor in the eyes of Hegai, the custodian of the women, and ultimately in the eyes of King Xerxes himself. Esther 2:17 records, "And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti."

Courage and Advocacy

Esther's position as queen placed her in a unique position to influence the king, which became crucial when Haman, an advisor to the king, plotted to annihilate the Jewish people. Mordecai urged Esther to intervene, reminding her of her heritage and the possibility that she had attained her royal position for such a time as this. Esther 4:14 captures Mordecai's exhortation: "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Demonstrating remarkable courage, Esther approached the king without being summoned, an act that could have resulted in her death. Her bravery and strategic planning led to the exposure of Haman's plot and the salvation of the Jewish people. Esther 8:7-8 describes the king's response: "King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, 'Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews. Now you may write in the king’s name as you please concerning the Jews, and seal it with the king’s signet ring.'"

Legacy

Esther's account is celebrated annually during the Jewish festival of Purim, commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman's plot. Her life exemplifies the themes of faith, courage, and divine providence. As an orphan who became a queen, Esther's legacy continues to inspire countless individuals to trust in God's plan and to act with courage and conviction in the face of adversity.Esther 2:7
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.
Nave's Topical Index

The Wall Rebuilt.
... Thus the young Benjamite orphan, Esther, whom her kinsman, Mordecai, had tenderly
trained in the right way, was taken away, never to see his face again, but to ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xiv the wall rebuilt.htm

At this Period of Time we Think Esther and Judith Lived...
... her place as the wife of the king, Esther was found to excel all others in beauty.
She being a Jewess of the tribe of Benjamin, and an orphan, without father ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter xii at this period.htm

The Net Broken
... I. The heroine of the whole book and of this chapter is Esther, one of the sweetest
and noblest of the women of Scripture. The orphan girl who had grown up ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the net broken.htm

On the Formation of the Character of Believers, and on Giving of ...
... those of silver, and of garments, and of all sort of possessions, to the orphan
and to ... in the days of David and of the kings, in the days of Esther and Mordecai ...
/.../various/constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii on the formation of.htm

Mothers, Daughters, and Wives in Israel
... that of her courage and devotion the groundwork of the Book of Esther: while her ...
An orphan was to receive a dowry of at least fifty sus from the parochial ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 9 mothers daughters and.htm

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
... if there were but one Esther at the South, she might save her country from ruin ... are
now loudly called upon by the cries of the widow and the orphan, to arise ...
/.../an appeal to the christian women of the south/appeal to the christian women.htm

The Old Testament and Comparative Religion
... a French excavator in the acropolis of Susa, the scene of the book of Esther. ... the
great should not oppress the weak; to counsel the widow and orphan, to render ...
/.../eiselen/the christian view of the old testament/chapter v the old testament.htm

The Letter of the Church of Rome
... learn to behave well, devote yourselves to justice, rescue the wronged, uphold the
rights of the orphan and grant ... 6To no less danger did Esther, that woman ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the letter of the church.htm

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