Jewish commentary on the book of esther in bible

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. Esther, adele berlin, 2001 character and ideology in the book of esther, michael v. It belongs to the third section of the judaic canon, known as the ketuvim, or writings. Matthew henry 18 october 1662 22 june 1714 was an english commentator on the bible, who published his works in 1706, sixvolume exposition of the old and new testaments 17081710 or complete commentary, provides an exhaustive verse by verse study of the bible, covering the whole of the old testament, and the gospels and acts in the new testament.

A megillah is one of the five scrolls of the bible ruth, song of solomon, lamentations, ecclesiastes, and esther. Ruth is a moabite woman who marries a judean immigrant named mahlon 1. The book of esther described part of the jewish diaspora that stayed behind in persia and did not return to jerusalem during the restoration. The jewish study bible esther introduction oxford biblical. Esther, purim and why it all still matters jews for jesus. According to schellekens interpretation, the book of esther is a fanciful family history of a rich and powerful jewish family in 4th century b. Queen esther, the central character in the biblical book named after her. There are many unique aspects to the biblical book that tells the purim story. Read esther commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible complete. Esther 2 commentary john gills exposition on the whole. This holiday, based on the biblical book of esther, is an appointed time to remember the victory of the jewish people in persia over the wicked haman during the babylonian captivity. The book of esther 6 powerful life lessons from the bible.

The author of the book of esther is unknown, though some attribute the work to mordecai. The commentary approaches the book of esther from a fresh literary pointofview. The israel bible is the worlds first tanakh bible centered around the land of israel, the people of israel, and the dynamic relationship between them. The hebrew bible, which is also called the tanakh t. The book of esther, the holy bible, complete audiobook. Tom constables expository notes on esther this is also available in the net. Jps tanakh commentary collection logos bible software. Shushan, a legendary account of how the familys ancestor mordechai gained power in court, and of the source of the familys wealth and authority.

This informative commentary part of jpss bible commentary series dissects the book of esther and, by extension, the jewish holiday of purim. Following tradition, the books explanation of purim as a historical event to be. The key personalities are esther, mordecai, king ahasuerus or xerxes, and haman. The book of esther belongs to ketuvim writings, which is the third division of the tanakh the hebrew bible. Adam clarke commentary on esther 17601832 clarke was methodist, wesleyan, arminian, e. Ruth s name provides the title for the book of ruth, probably a piece of historical fiction set in the time of the judges. By the advice of the ministers of king ahasuerus, fair virgins were sought for throughout his dominions, and brought to his chamberlain, the keeper of the women, among whom was esther, a jewish virgin, esther 2. The book of esther describes the jewish heroine esther, who saved the jewish people in persia from annihilation during the reign of king xerxes i ahasuerus of persia, who ruled from 486 to 465 bc. It relates the story of a hebrew woman in persia, born as hadassah but known as esther, who becomes queen of persia and thwarts a genocide.

Excerpted with permission from the jps bible commentary. Ahasuerusit is now generally agreed among learned men that the ahasuerus mentioned in this episode is the xerxes who figures in grecian history. True, it is the only biblical book not to be found in the dead sea scrolls, but. Esther with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. Classical sources such as josephus, the jewish commentary esther rabbah. The book of esther reflects the situation of the diaspora, and one of the reasons it was produced was certainly to address the needs of the jewish community living outside palestine. We might even think that he does not care about us. It is one of the five scrolls megillot in the hebrew bible. Upon his death she becomes a childless widow who chooses to accompany her motherinlaw, naomi, to judah. Esther published by the jewish publication society. Megillat esther, the book of esther in the form that we have it in the hebrew bible. Study the bible online using commentary on esther and more.

The book belongs to the socalled five scrolls hebr. He also gives us authority over the enemy in jesus name. God is always active in esther, even though it is behind the scenes. In the hebrew bible the book of esther is placed in the third main part, that is the writings hebr. In their commentary on the book of esther, the rabbis expand upon and add details. The book of esther in the bible is a dramatic account which can give us insight into gods special and purposeful plan for our lives. 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.

Esther still has not revealed that she is jewish to the king or anyone else. These texts are almost exclusively in biblical hebrew, with a few passages in biblical aramaic instead in the books of daniel and ezra, the verse jeremiah 10. Esther commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Hebrew, meaning scroll, it is usually used to refer to the scroll of esther megillat esther, also known as the book of esther, a book of the bible traditionally read twice during the holiday of purim. Most likely, the book of esther doesnt have the name of god because it shows how god works behind the scenes. Just as he saved esther and the jewish people, gave them an inheritance of hamans estate, and gave them authority over their enemies, god does the same for us. Listen to this description in the five megilloth, a jewish commentary published by the soncino press. The best explanation for their absence, especially the absence of gods name. The canonical book of esther undoubtedly presents the oldest extant form of the esther story. We will celebrate the feast of purim on march 14, 2006.

The message of the book of esther, a work of historical fiction written in the diaspora. Esther is, among the generality of jews, the best known of all the books of the bible p. Esther, apocryphal book of the jewish encyclopedia. Book of esther, book of the hebrew bible and the christian old testament. Explains the role of the megillah in the holiday and how women are viewed in the bible. The hebrew esther and the festival of purim bring us a uniquely irreverent and joyously optimistic celebration of jewish identity and jewish continuity. In jewish tradition, the book of esther, megillat ester, the scroll of.

In the jewish bible, esther follows ecclesiastes and lamentations and is read on the festival of purim, which commemorates the rescue of the jews from hamans plottings. The story gives us six powerful lessons about courage. Commentary on the book of esther by matthew henry old. The jewish community, and its areas of residence, outside ere z israel. The jewish people are rescued and delivered esther 8. We are shown a persian emperor, ahasuerus loosely based on xerxes, 485464 b. It is clear that the author was a jew, both from his emphasis on the origin of a jewish festival and from the jewish nationalism that permeates the story. Tracing the history of the book of esther and jewish festival purim. An introduction to the book of esther an argument of the book of esther selected bibliography of the book of esther. Berlin begins with a lengthy introduction, discussing esther as comedy and as diaspora literature. The book of esther does not mention the name of god. Although we do not know who wrote the book of esther, from internal evidence it is possible to make some inferences about the author and the date of composition. The book of esther tells a story of the deliverance of the jewish people.

Esther is read during the purim feast on 14th and 15th adar februarymarch. The genre of the book of esther is narrative history. After all, on purim we celebrate the story of queen esther and her. The jewish publication societys highly acclaimed bible commentary series provides a linebyline commentary of the original hebrew bible text, complete with vocalization and cantillation marks, alongside the jps english translation this commentary approaches the book of esther from a fresh literary pointofview. Designed for both jewish and nonjewish readers alike, the israel bible offers a unique commentary that seeks to explain gods focus on the land of israel alongside the original hebrew text, transliteration of select hebrew verses.

The writer of the book of esther probably wanted his readers to realise that god is always in control. He saved us through christ, and we may inherit eternal life. In times of oppression the jews found comfort in this narrative, for it presented an example of sudden divine salvation in the days of distress esth. Using the same format as the muchadmired jps torah commentary, berlin evaluates the language, plot, historical framework, and importance of esther to later tradition, seeing it as a comedy used in the festival of purim. He did not always interpret scripture l iterally and so was amillennial he interpreted revelation as a historicist which led. The heroine of the book named for her, esther is a young jewish woman living in exile in the persian lit. The story is set after the exile and is part of the postexilic period of israelite history, when many jews were living away from the homeland of judah. Recipient of the prize of the minister of science, culture, and sport of the state of israel for classical literature for the year 5762 2001.