# Overview Esther Chapter 2 introduces us to the selection of #Esther as queen, following the removal of #QueenVashti by #KingAhasuerus. After the king's anger subsides, his attendants suggest that he find a new queen by gathering all the beautiful young virgins in the kingdom and bringing them to the royal harem. Among these is #Hadassah, known as Esther, a young Jewish woman raised by her cousin #Mordecai. Esther is described as lovely in form and features, and she quickly gains favor in the eyes of #Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the harem. Hegai provides her with special treatment, including beauty treatments and the best place in the harem. Esther keeps her Jewish identity secret, as Mordecai had instructed her. The chapter continues with the royal selection process, where each young woman would spend one night with the king and then return to a different part of the harem, under the care of #Shaashgaz, another eunuch. When Esther's turn arrives, she pleases the king and wins his favor more than any of the other women. As a result, King Ahasuerus places a royal crown on her head and makes her queen in place of Vashti. A great banquet, Esther’s banquet, is held, and the king declares a holiday throughout the provinces, distributing gifts with royal liberality. The chapter closes with Mordecai uncovering a conspiracy against the king by two of his officers, Bigthana and Teresh, which he reports to Esther. She, in turn, informs the king, crediting Mordecai. The plot is investigated, found to be true, and the conspirators are executed, with the event being recorded in the book of the annals in the king’s presence. ## Theological Insights Esther Chapter 2 presents a pivotal moment in the narrative of #Esther, showcasing the divine providence and sovereignty of #God working through ordinary circumstances to accomplish His purposes for the #Jewish people. The chapter details the selection of #Esther as queen, a key development in God's plan to save His people from impending danger. 1. **Divine Providence and Sovereignty**: Esther is chosen as queen, not by chance, but as part of God's providential plan. This mirrors the biblical theme that God works through human history and events to achieve His divine purposes, as seen in [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 50]] where Joseph recognizes God's hand in his journey to Egypt for the preservation of many lives. 2. **Faithfulness Amidst Exile**: Esther, a Jew living in #Persia, represents the dispersed Jewish community and their faithfulness to God even when they are far from their homeland. Her eventual rise to power resonates with the story of #Daniel and his companions in Babylon, who remained faithful and were elevated to positions of influence (see [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 1]]). 3. **God's Use of Imperfect Situations**: The beauty contest organized by #King Ahasuerus, though morally ambiguous, becomes the means through which Esther is positioned to save her people. This reflects the biblical narrative that God can use even flawed and imperfect situations to accomplish His will, as seen in the story of #Rahab in [[Joshua/Joshua Chapter 2]]. 4. **The Role of #Mordecai**: Mordecai's guidance and counsel to Esther underscore the importance of wise and godly counsel. His role parallels #Moses' leadership in guiding the Israelites, as seen in his relationship with Joshua in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 17]]. 5. **Preparation for Deliverance**: Esther's preparation period before meeting the king can be seen as a time of divine preparation for her role in God's deliverance plan, akin to the preparation of #Moses before leading the Israelites out of Egypt (see [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 3]]). Overall, Esther Chapter 2 highlights the unseen hand of God orchestrating events for the protection of His covenant people, reinforcing the biblical truth that God remains faithful to His promises and His people, even in exile and adversity. ## Thematic Connections ### Divine Providence and Favor In Esther Chapter 2, there is a clear theme of #DivineProvidence as #Esther, a Jewish orphan, finds favor in the eyes of #KingAhasuerus and the royal officials, leading to her selection as queen. This echoes the divine orchestration seen in the stories of [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 39|Joseph]], who found favor in Potiphar's house and prison, and [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 1|Daniel]], who gained favor in Babylon. In each case, God is at work behind the scenes, directing events according to His purposes. ### Identity and Purpose Esther's concealment of her Jewish identity upon the advice of #Mordecai highlights the theme of hidden identity and divine purpose. This theme is reminiscent of #Joseph in [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 42|Genesis 42]], who revealed his identity at the right time to save his family, and #Moses in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 2|Exodus 2]], who was raised as an Egyptian but later embraced his Hebrew identity. Esther’s story suggests that God can use hidden identities to position individuals for His purposes. ### Preparation and Timing The extensive preparation process Esther undergoes before meeting the king underscores the theme of preparation and timing. This theme echoes the preparation seen in [[1 Samuel/1 Samuel Chapter 16|David]], who was anointed long before he became king, and in [[Luke/Luke Chapter 2|Jesus]], whose early life prepared Him for His ministry. These examples show that God often prepares His servants over time, aligning them with His divine timing. ### The Role of Beauty and Favor Esther's physical beauty and the favor she receives underscore the theme of beauty as a gift used for God's purposes. This can be connected to [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 12|Sarah]], whose beauty led to important interactions with rulers, and [[1 Samuel/1 Samuel Chapter 25|Abigail]], whose beauty and wisdom prevented bloodshed. In these narratives, God uses beauty as a conduit to bring about His will, demonstrating His sovereignty over human affairs. ### Obedience and Wisdom Mordecai’s wisdom in advising Esther to conceal her heritage reflects the theme of obedience and wisdom in navigating complex situations. Similar wisdom is seen in [[Proverbs/Proverbs Chapter 1|Proverbs]], where wisdom is portrayed as essential for living rightly. Obedience to godly counsel, as shown in Esther’s adherence to Mordecai's advice, aligns with the biblical principle that wisdom is a key component of God's guidance and protection. ## Prophetic Fulfillments ### Preservation of the Jewish People While the Book of #Esther does not explicitly mention #God or direct prophecies, the events in Esther Chapter 2 can be seen as part of God's providential plan for the preservation of the #Jewish people. The selection of #Esther as queen can be viewed as a fulfillment of God's promise to protect His people, echoing His assurance found in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 54|Isaiah 54:17]] that no weapon formed against His people shall prosper. Esther's position places her in a significant role to influence events that lead to the deliverance of the Jews, aligning with God's overarching plan to ensure the survival and continuation of His covenant people. ### The Role of Divine Providence Esther's rise to prominence is reflective of the themes of divine providence present throughout scripture, similar to how God orchestrated circumstances for #Joseph in [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 50|Genesis 50:20]] to save many lives during a famine. Although Esther's story does not directly cite prophecies, her narrative illustrates God's unseen hand at work, ensuring the fulfillment of His promises to His people as seen through His covenantal assurances in books like [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 29|Jeremiah 29:11]], where God declares His plans to prosper and not harm His people, giving them hope and a future. ## Verses - **Esther 2:1** - "But after Xerxes' anger had subsided, he began thinking about Vashti and what she had done and the decree he had made." - #Xerxes #Vashti #decree - **Esther 2:2** - "So his personal attendants suggested, 'Let us search the empire to find beautiful young virgins for the king.'" - #attendants #search #virgins - **Esther 2:3** - "Let the king appoint agents in each province to bring these beautiful young women into the royal harem at the fortress of Susa. Hegai, the king's eunuch in charge of the harem, will see that they are all given beauty treatments." - #Susa #Hegai #harem #eunuch - **Esther 2:4** - "After that, the young woman who most pleases the king will be made queen instead of Vashti.' This advice was very appealing to the king, so he put the plan into effect." - #queen #Vashti - **Esther 2:5** - "At that time there was a Jewish man in the fortress of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair. He was from the tribe of Benjamin and was a descendant of Kish and Shimei." - #Mordecai #Jair #Benjamin #Kish #Shimei - **Esther 2:6** - "His family had been among those who, with King Jehoiachin of Judah, had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar." - #Jehoiachin #Judah #Jerusalem #Babylon #Nebuchadnezzar - **Esther 2:7** - "This man had a very beautiful and lovely young cousin, Hadassah, who was also called Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her into his family and raised her as his own daughter." - #Hadassah #Esther #Mordecai - **Esther 2:8** - "As a result of the king's decree, Esther, along with many other young women, was brought to the king's harem at the fortress of Susa and placed in Hegai's care." - #decree #Esther #Hegai #Susa - **Esther 2:9** - "Hegai was very impressed with Esther and treated her kindly. He quickly ordered a special menu for her and provided her with beauty treatments. He also assigned her seven maids specially chosen from the king's palace, and he moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem." - #Hegai #Esther #beauty #maids - **Esther 2:10** - "Esther had not told anyone of her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had directed her not to do so." - #Esther #Mordecai #nationality - **Esther 2:11** - "Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her." - #Mordecai #Esther #harem - **Esther 2:12** - "Before each young woman was taken to the king's bed, she was given the prescribed twelve months of beauty treatments—six months with oil of myrrh, followed by six months with special perfumes and ointments." - #beauty #treatments #myrrh - **Esther 2:13** - "When it was time for her to go to the king's palace, she was given her choice of whatever clothing or jewelry she wanted to take from the harem." - #palace #clothing #jewelry - **Esther 2:14** - "That evening she was taken to the king's private rooms, and the next morning she was brought to the second harem, where the king's wives lived. There she would be under the care of Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. She would never go to the king again unless he had especially enjoyed her and requested her by name." - #Shaashgaz #eunuch #concubines - **Esther 2:15** - "Esther was the daughter of Abihail, who was Mordecai's uncle. When it was her turn to go to the king, she accepted the advice of Hegai, the eunuch in charge of the harem. She asked for nothing except what he suggested, and she was admired by everyone who saw her." - #Abihail #Esther #Hegai - **Esther 2:16** - "Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign." - #Esther #Xerxes #palace - **Esther 2:17** - "And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti." - #Esther #queen #Vashti - **Esther 2:18** - "To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther's honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone." - #banquet #Esther #holiday - **Esther 2:19** - "Even after all the young women had been transferred to the second harem and Mordecai had become a palace official," - #Mordecai #official - **Esther 2:20** - "Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai's directions, just as she did when she lived in his home." - #Esther #Mordecai - **Esther 2:21** - "One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh, who were guards at the door of the king's private quarters, became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him." - #Mordecai #eunuchs #Bigthana #Teresh #plot - **Esther 2:22** - "But Mordecai heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report." - #Mordecai #Esther #plot - **Esther 2:23** - "When an investigation was made and Mordecai's story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes' Reign." - #investigation #Mordecai #Book #Xerxes