Some scholars have contended that given the striking resemblance between the names Esther and Mordecai to the Babylonian deities Marduk and Ishtar, the story was rooted in Babylonian worship practices, which the Jews would have adapted and transformed into the story of Esther. The Septuagint (Greek version of the Hebrew Bible) and Josephus (Jewish scholar and historian who lived 37-100 CE), maintained that the king in the story was actually Artaxerxes I (465-424 BCE).Īccording to recent research, the Book of Esther was written in the middle of the 4th century BCE during the reign of Artaxerxes III (359-338 BCE), however the absence in Persian sources of any references to a king that had a Jewish consort created a new problem. There have been chronological difficulties with King Ahasuerus, even though some researchers have claimed that he was in fact the Persian king Xerxes I, who ruled 485 - 465 BCE. The historic origin of the Book of Esther and its authenticity have been the subject of much debate and conjecture over the years. The King punished Haman and rewarded Mordecai who sent letters throughout the kingdom, urging Jews to observe Purim every year with merrymaking and gift offerings. Esther, the King’s Jewish consort, was warned in time by Mordecai, and they both managed to thwart the annihilation of their people. Lots (in Hebrew purim) were cast to determine the date when the Jews would be exterminated, hence the festival’s appellation. Haman, the conniving chief minister at Ahasuerus’ court, decreed to kill all the Jews in the king’s vast empire that stretched from India to Ethiopia and included 127 provinces. The Book of Esther belongs to Ketuvim (Writings), which is the third division of the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible). Exotic animals in an illustrated Esther Scroll. The moving and dramatic story of Esther and her uncle Mordecai is told in the Book of Esther, known in Hebrew as Megilat Ester (Scroll of Esther).
Purim celebrates the salvation of the Jews of Persia during the reign of King Ahasuerus. It takes place in early spring on 14th of Adar, which this year starts at sundown on March 11. Purim is undoubtedly one of the most boisterous, cheerful and joyous festivals in the Jewish calendar.
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