Esther, The Book of
ESTHER, THE BOOK OF
Has always been esteemed canonical, both by Jews and Christians, though certain additions to it, found in some versions and manuscripts, are apocryphal. Who was its writer is not certainly known. It has been ascribed to Ezra, to a high-priest name Jehoiakim, and to Mordecai. This last opinion is supported by the internal evidence; the book having been written in Persia, by an eye-witness of the scenes it describes, B. C. 509. It presents a graphic picture of the Persian court and customs, and is intensely Jewish in its spirit. The chief value of the book is to illustrate the wonder- working providence of God, his control of human passions, his righteous judgment of sinners, and his care for his covenant people- whom, even when captives in a strange land, he can exalt above all their foes.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Esther, The Book of
(See ESTHER.)
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Esther, The Book of
Es’ther, The Book of. The Book of Esther is one of the latest of the canonical books of Scripture, having been written late in the reign of Xerxes, or early in that of his son, Artaxerxes Longimanus, (B.C. 444, 434). The author is not known.
The book of Esther is placed among the hagiographa by the Jews, and in that first portion of them, which they call “the five rolls.” It is written on a single roll, in a dramatic style, and is read through by the Jews in their synagogues at the Feast of Purim, when it is said that the names of Haman’s sons are read rapidly all in one breath, to signify that they were all hanged at the same time; while at every mention of Haman, the audience stamp and shout and hiss, and the children spring rattles.
It has often been remarked as a peculiarity of this book that the name of God does not once occur in it. Schaff gives as the reason for this that it was to permit the reading of the book at the hilarious and noisy festival of Purim, without irreverence. The style of writing is remarkably chaste and simple. It does not in the least savor of romance. The Hebrew is very like that of Ezra and parts of the Chronicles; generally pure, but mixed with some words of Persian origin and some of the Chaldaic affinity. In short, it is just what one would expect to find in a work of the age to which the book of Esther professes to belong.