Esther 1
What is the name of the king in Esther?
King Ahasuerus/Xerxes
Esther 1:1 "Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces"
What is the name of Esther's cousin who raised her?
Mordecai
Esther 2:7 "And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter."
Who was reverenced by all the king's servants and Mordecai refused to bow to him or reverence him?
Haman the Agagite
Esther 3:2 "And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence."
What was Mordecai's immediate response when he heard about the decree that went out against the Jews?
He tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes (both signs of grieving and repentance), and he went in the midst of the city and cried a loud bitter cry.
Esther 4:1 "When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;"
How many banquets did Esther invite the king and Haman to?
Two banquets
Esther 5:4 "And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him."
vs 8 "If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said."
What is the name of the queen that was banished? (King Ahasuerus' wife before Esther)
Vashti
Esther 1:9 "Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus."
What is Esther's Hebrew name?
Hadassah
Esther 2:7 "And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter."
What was the reaction of the city of Shushan after the decree was published about what should happen to the Jews?
The city was perplexed
Esther 3:15 "The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed."
If someone goes before the king uninvited, what must the king do to prevent this person from dying/being killed?
Hold out the golden sceptre
Esther 4:11 "All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days."
Who are the people that attended the banquet that Esther held? (name them all)
Esther, Haman, King Ahasuerus
In what year of his reign did King Ahasuerus hold the feast?
His third year
Esther 1:3 "In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:"
How long were the "days" of purification for the women that were to come before king Ahasuerus?
**Bonus points for details of the purification**
12 months -- 6 months with oil of myrrh and 6 months with sweet odors
Esther 2:12 "Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)"
How much money did Haman offer to pay into the king's treasury?
10,000 talents of silver
About $226,291,702.50 today
Esther 3:9 "If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries."
What was Esther's first reaction after Mordecai prompted her to petition the king on behalf of the Jews?
She expressed fear
Esther 4:10-11 "Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days."
What is the name of Haman's wife?
Zeresh
Esther 5:10 "Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife."
How long does the Bible tell us that King Ahasuerus held a feast for showing off his "glorious kingdom and honour"? This is the feast before the 7 day long feast.
180 days
Esther 1:4-5 "When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;"
During the reign of which king of Judah was Mordecai taken to Babylon?
King Jeconiah
Esther 2:6 "Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away."
Haman cast Pur (lot) to decide the day and the month that he intended to have the Jews destroyed, what month and day did the Pur land on?
13th of Adar
Esther 3:7 "In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar."
What was Esther's second reaction to Mordecai prompting her to petition the king on behalf of the Jews?
Requested that all Jews in Shushan fast for 3 days and nights (neither eat nor drink). She and her handmaids also would fast before going before the king.
Esther 4:16 "Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish."
Despite planning to destroy all the Jews, Haman had a special hate in his heart of Mordecai, what advice did his wife give him to destroy Mordecai?
Build a gallow 50 cubits high and have Mordecai be hanged on it
Esther 5:14 "Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made."
Who advised the king to let "Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus" and why did he advise the king so?
Memucan; because he said Vashti's defiance would set a bad example to the other women of Ahasuerus' territories causing them to contempt their husbands.
Esther 1:16-17 "And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not."
Who is Mordecai possibly related to based on the geneology that was given of him?
King Saul
Esther 2:5 "Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;"
1 Chronicles 8:33 "And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal."
How did Haman convince the king to turn on the Jews? **Be as detailed as possible
He claimed that their laws were different, and despite them living in the king's provinces, they did not obey the king's laws, and because of that it was not for the king's profit to "suffer them". He sweetened the deal by offering to pay 10,000 talents of silver into the king's treasuries.
Google says 10,000 talents of silver is about $226,291,702.50 today.
Esther 3:8-9 "And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries."
What is the name of the king's chamberlain that Esther used to communicate with Mordecai while he was grieving the decree against the Jews?
Hatach
Esther 4:5-6 "Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city"
Despite all the prosperity that Haman had (he was rich, a nobility and trusted by the king), he said it all availeth him nothing so long as what? (What/who was preventing Haman from enjoying his reaches and his position?)
Esther 5:13 "Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate."
vs 9 "Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai."