Esther Bible Study Resources — Wednesday in the Word

Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Esther.

Jump to: Background; Maps; Key Words; Encyclopedias; Commentaries; Articles; GotQuestions Next

Basics

Esther and Ruth are the only books of the Bible centered around women. Esther is also the only book of Scripture that does not mention God, although clearly God’s protection of His people is evident.

Esther’s Hebrew name was Hadassah, “myrtle”. Her Persian name Ester is derived from the Persian word for “star” (stara). The Greek title for this book is Esther (Latin = Hester).

The events of the book of Esther take place between the events of Ezra 6 and Ezra 7, between the first return led by Zerubbabel and the second return led by Ezra, approximately 483-473BC.

Genre: Understanding Narrative

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Section 1: Background

Background & Outlines

Introduction to the Exile & Return

Hebrew Calendar

Chart: Bible History at a glance

Chronology Ezra-Nehemiah

Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline

Biblehub: Esther Timeline

Biblehub: Esther Overview

Bible Atlas: Persia

Bible Atlas: Babylon

Bible Atlas: Jerusalem

Bible Atlas: Susa/Shushan

NetBible: Susa – Dictionary article

Kings of Persia in Biblical Times

Kings of Babylon in Biblical times

Kings of Assyria in Biblical times

Joshua to Job quotes in the New Testament

Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book

John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background

ESV: Introduction to Esther

ESV: The Global Message of Esther

James Van Dine: Analysis of Esther

David Mallick: An Introduction to the Book of Esther

JVernon McGee: Esther & Job Introductory Notes

William Orr: Keys to Esther

Will Pounds: Chronology of History of Israel

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Section 2: Maps

Maps

Blue Letter Bible: Timeline from Creation to 4thC AD

Bible Diagrams: Timeline from 499-450BC (Esther written about 465BC)

NetBible: Map of Susa/Shushan

Kings & Events of Babylonian, Persian, Greek Dynasties

Brief History of Powers of Mesopotamia from 13554BC to 165BC

Maps from Holman Bible Atlas

The copyright for these maps is held by Holman Bible Atlas. Contact them for use.

Judah during the Exile

The Kingdom of Judah

Exile; Palestine in the Post-Exilic Period

Jewish Exiles in Babylon

Jewish Refugees in Egypt

World Powers of the 6th century BCE

The Conquests of Cyrus the Great

The Persian Empire

The Return of the Jewish Exiles to Judah

Judah in the 5th century BCE

Palestine after the Exile

ESV Study Bible

Chronology of Ezra

Adversaries Hinder Work in Ezra

Kings of Persia in Ezra–Nehemiah

Chronology of Nehemiah

Chronology in Esther

Maps from Bible-History Online

The copyright for these maps is held by Bible-History-Online.com. Contact them for use.

Assyri an Captivity of the 10 Tribes

Assyrian Conquests

Assyrian Empire

Assyrian Deportations

Babylonian Empire

Judah under Babylon

Babylonian, Mede and Persian Empires

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Section 3: Key Words

Key Words

Banquet/feast – Esther 1:3, 1:5, 1:9, 2:18, 5:4, 5:5, 5:6, 5:8, 5:12, 5:14, 6:14, 7:2, 8:17, 9:17, 9:18, 9:19,9:22

Jew/Jews – Esther 2:5; 3:4, 6, 10, 13; 4:3, 7, 13, 14, 16; 5:13; 6:10, 13; 8:1, 3, 5, 7,8,9, 11, 13, 16,17; 9:1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 10:3;

Edict/decree – Esther 1:19, 1:20, 2:1, 2:8, 3:9, 3:14, 3:15, 4:3, 4:8, 8:8, 8:13, 8:14, 8:17, 9:1, 9:13, 9:14

Fast – Esther 4:3, 16, 9:31

Destroy/destruction – Esther 3:6, 3:9, 3:13, 4:7, 4:8, 7:4 8:5 8:6 8:11 9:5 9:6 9:12 9:24

Day, Month, Year – Esther 1:3 2:16 3:7 1:1 1:2 1:4 1:5 1:10 1:18 2:11 2:12 2:16 2:21 3:7 3:12 3:13 3:14 4:11 4:16 5:1 5:4 5:9 7:2 8:1 8:9 8:12 8:13 9:1 9:11 9:15 9:17 9:18 9:19 9:21 9:22 9:26 9:27 9:28 9:31 (See Jewish Calendar)

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Section 4: Encyclopedias

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Esther

American Tract Society Esther

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Esther

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Esther

Fausset Bible Dictionary Es t her

Holman Bible Dictionary Esther

Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Esther

Hitchcock Bible Names Esther

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Esther

Morrish Bible Dictionary Esther

Whyte’s Bible Characters Esther

Book of Esther

American Tract Society Esther, the Book of

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Esther, Book of

Fausset Bible Dictionary Esther, the Book of

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Esther, Book of

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Esther

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Esth er

Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Esther book of

McClintock and Strong’s Bible Encyclopedia Esther

Pur/Purim

Judaism 101: Purim from a Jewish perspective

American Tract Society: Purim

Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Pur, Purim

Fausset Bible Dictionary: Purim

Holman Bible Dictionary: Purim

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Purim

Hastings’ Dictionary of the NT: Pur i m

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica: Purim

Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia: Purim

McClintock and Strong: Purim

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia: Purim

Wikipedia – Purim

Ahasuerus/Xerxes

American Tract Society: Ahasuerus

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus

Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus

Fausset Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus

Holman Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus

Hitchcock Bible Names: Ahasuerus

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Ahasuerus

Morrish Bible Dictionary: Ahasuerus

Watson’s Theological Dictionary: Ahasuerus

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Ahasuerus

Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia: Ahasuerus

1901 Jewish Encyclopedia: Ahasuerus

Mordecai

His name means – Little man; bitter bruising; bitterly reduced. Bitterness of my oppression. (The Exhaustive Dictionary of Bible Names. Smith & Cornwall)

American Tract Society Mordecai

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Mord e cai

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Mordecai

Fausset Bible Dictionary Mordecai

Holman Bible Dictionary Mordecai

Hitchcock Bible Names Mordecai

Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Mor d ecai

Morrish Bible Dictionary Mordecai

Watson’s Theological Dictionary Mordecai

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Mordecai

Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Mordecai

1901 Jewish Encyclopedia Mordecai