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An interesting counterpoint to the apocalyptic literature and the apocalyptic reliance on
God's cataclysmic consummation of history in order to dole out justice to the righteous
and the wicked, is found in the Book of Esther. And this is a short novella. It's set in fifth-century
Persia, it was probably written in the fourth century, we think, but it's set during the
reign of Xerxes (and there's no x in the Hebrew alphabet--this is Ahasuerus, which is Xerxes),
and he was a fifth-century Persian emperor from about 486 to 465 [BCE]. It's another
heroic fiction that features a Jew in the court of a gentile king, so it's like Daniel.
The Jews of Persia are threatened with genocide, and they are saved not by divine intervention
but entirely through their own efforts. Indeed, the Book of Esther does not mention God once.
The story revolves around Mordechai. Now, Mordechai is a pious Jew. He sits at the gate
of the Persian king, Ahasuerus or Xerxes, and his beautiful niece is also central to
the story of course--that's Esther--and he has adopted her as his own. There's a lot
of comic irony in this story. It really is a fun read. Time is not going to permit me
to go into the various subplots and the dramatic reversals, the ironies and twists, but I will
just highlight a few of the most salient points that are relevant to the conversation we've
been having. When the Persian king divorces his wife, Vashti, because she refuses to appear
in the royal diadem before his male courtiers--presumably in nothing but the royal diadem--Esther's
great beauty commends her to the king and she becomes queen. Now, her uncle Mordechai
advises her to be discreet about her Jewish identity for safety's sake.
In 2:10 and 11 it says, Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred,
for Mordechai had told her not to reveal it. Every single day Mordechai would walk about
in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was faring and what was happening
to her.
So, a little while later the king promotes a certain Haman, Haman the Agagite, to the
post of chief administrator. And everyone in the palace gate kneels down to Haman as
the king has ordered, everyone that is except for Mordechai. Day after day he refuses, and
finally the matter is told to Haman. This is chapter 3:4-6, and "When they spoke to
him day after day and he would not listen to them," speaking to Mordechai and he won't
listen to them, …they told Haman, in order to see whether
Mordechai's resolve would prevail; for he had explained to them that he was a Jew. When
Haman saw that Mordechai would not kneel or bow low to him, Haman was filled with rage.
But he disdained to lay hands on Mordechai alone; having been told who Mordechai's people
were, Haman plotted to do away with all the Jews, Mordechai's people, throughout the kingdom
of Ahasuerus.
So Haman casts lots. The word for lots is purim; so he casts lots in order to determine
the date of the massacre and then he offers the king a handsome bribe in return for permission
to kill the Jews of the kingdom.