Why reception?
An irredeemable book?
Jewish tradition
Christian tradition
Godless scripture
Allegory
Providence, chosenness, nationhood
Providence
Exile and diaspora
Nationalism
Patriotism
Political application
Esther as literature
Esther 1:1-9
1:1 the king and empire
1:3 the king's feast
1:4 display of wealth
1:8 there was no compulsion to drink
Women's feast
Vashti
Esther 1:10-12
1:12 disobedience
1:13-22 the empire strikes back
1:19 Vashti's punishment
1:22 the decree
Esther 2:1-7
2:1 the king remembers Vashti
2:2-4 to the Harem
2:5-6 Mordecai
2:7 Hadassah-Esther
Esther 2:8-23
2:8-14 Esther in the Harem
2:15 Esther's beauty
2:16-18 Esther becomes queen
Esther 3
3:1 Haman
3:2 But Mordecai did not bow down?
3:7 casting lots
3:8 (mis) representing Jews : a people set apart
3:8 evil counsellors
3:12-15 genocidal edicts
3:15 the king and Haman sat down to drink?
Esther 4:1-14
4:1-3 great mourning among the Jews?
4:4-14 Esther and Mordecai confer
4:14 from another quarter
Esther 4:15-17
4:15 fast ye for me
4:16 if I perish, I perish
Esther as exemplar of resolve
4:17 mordecai [...] did everything as Esther had ordered him
Esther 5
5:4-8 Esther's first banquet
5:9-14 Haman's wrath
Esther 6
The king's sleeplessness
6:11 the triumph of Mordecai
Esther 7 and 8
7:1-6 Esther's second banquet
7:7-8 Haman's fate
8:1-6 how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
8:7-14 the irreversible decree
8:15-17 the Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour
Esther 9 and 10
9:2 scenes of slaughter
9:7-10 ten sons of Haman
9:26 Purim
9:29 & 32 then Esther the queen ... wrote with all authority
The greatness of Mordecai.
OBNB doesn't sell books, but you may be able to find a copy at one of these websites:
Esther through the centuries by Jo Carruthers. ISBN 9781405132138. Published by Blackwell publishing in 2008. Publication and catalogue information, links to buy online and reader comments.
