The Great Reversal

Esther 8-10

            In Esther 1 and later in the book of Daniel, we learn that a law of the Persians, once made, cannot be repealed. So, too, the edict that Haman had issued in Xerxes’ name. But Esther convinces Xerxes to issue a counter order, allowing the Jewish people to defend themselves and even to go on the offensive a little. And they do. With a vengeance.

            Some commentators see Israel’s historical conflict with the Amalekites in the background of Esther. They point out, for example, that Mordecai was a descendant of Kish (2:3), famously the name of King Saul’s father. In 3:1, Haman is noted as a descendant of a man named Agag, the same name as the king of the Amalekites that Saul had ransomed instead of killing. In 9:7, the Jews in Susa kill the 10 sons of Haman, about which my study Bible notes, “The Jews attend to the unfinished business of blotting out the name and memory of the Amalekites (Ex 17:14-16; Dt 25:17-19). Significantly, and in marked contrast to Saul, these latter day Jews refuse to seize the plunder, even though this time it is allowed to them. Thus, the story of Esther is connected to the Exodus; Israel is finally proved faithful; and the violence is explained.

            One of our Wednesday Bible study participants pointed out to me that the book of Esther is built around three sets of feasts: the wild feasts of Xerxes which set up the choice of Esther; the banquets of Esther in which she sets up her plea for her people; and the feast of Purim which is a yearly celebration of God’s (unmentioned) deliverance of the Jewish people, a day of rejoicing, and a fitting capstone to Israel’s Old Testament history. An early rabbi makes the comment in the Talmud that on Purim one should drink until he can’t tell the difference between “Haman be cursed” and “Mordecai be blessed,” a statement that has led to certain excesses in the celebration. Later rabbis explain the statement to mean that one should celebrate until one realizes that the Lord blesses in two ways: 1) by destroying one’s enemies, and 2) by establishing an order such as Mordecai’s on behalf of his people. So, one is to see the hand of God both in the negative (the destruction of enemies) and in the positive (the delivering of blessing).