About Esther
Women of the Bible
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ESTHER (Heb. ester, perhaps from Akkad. Ishtar [Venus], Gr. aster, star). A Jewish orphan maiden in the city of Shushan who became queen of Persia. Her Hebrew name was Hadassah (myrtle). Her cousin Mordecai, who was a minor official of the palace, reared her as his own daughter. Xerxes (KJV Ahasuerus), the Persian king, had divorced his wife. When he sought a new queen from among the maidens of the realm he chose Esther. When the Jews in the empire were faced with destruction she was able to save them. In her honor the book that bears her name is read every year at the Feast of Purim.
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Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
ESTHER (Persian star, possibly [Babylonian goddess] Ishtar).
- Called also Hadassah (Est 2:7).
- The cousin of Mordecai (Est 2:7,15).
- Chosen to be queen (Est 2:17).
- Tells the king of the plot against his life (Est 2:22).
- Fasts on account of the decree to destroy the Israelites; accuses Haman to the king; intercedes for her people (Est 4-9).
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Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
