- description
- # Esther and Ahasuerus
## Overview
This entity is a chapter titled "Esther and Ahasuerus," extracted from a larger text document. It exists as a structured digital unit within the archival system, spanning lines 784 to 818 of its source file (arke:01KFXVA454RTKCJEQJMP0QKNKY). The chapter was processed on January 26, 2026, by an automated extraction service and later manually edited. It is part of the collection [More Classics](arke:01KFXT0KM64XT6K8W52TDEE0YS), which includes works from the Western literary canon.
## Context
The chapter forms part of a publication that recounts biblical stories, likely aimed at a general or educational audience. It is divided into three smaller textual segments—[Chunk 1](arke:01KFXVBR3VZMDCANVF0908J8FH), [Chunk 2](arke:01KFXVBR2W23NHPCEG26E6S2WV), and [Chunk 3](arke:01KFXVBR40WA0VEBEB5ERNNSJB)—each representing a portion of the full chapter. These chunks preserve the narrative flow and were derived during a structured text extraction process. The chapter also references several page images, including [Page 120](arke:01KFXV1NGXEKEWPZ7E2YN1MZDQ), [Page 121](arke:01KFXV1NGZNEBT17ZDVXK3SCZ3), [Page 122](arke:01KFXV1NHDK6Z5PAMEA3VSWPYT), [Page 123](arke:01KFXV1NGXDAB7FDZBABZ3NAP4), [Page 124](arke:01KFXV1NJ6987EYW6R1CXMYT0K), and [Page 125](arke:01KFXV1NJ6F5R2AK3QT2CHK4ED), indicating its origin in a scanned or digitized printed volume that included both text and illustrations, such as the image [img-0.jpeg](arke:01KFXV8BNR4ZNV1ARYK1N0MNM7).
## Contents
The chapter narrates the biblical story of Queen Esther, focusing on her rise to queenship and the early stages of the crisis facing the Jewish people in the Persian Empire. It begins with King Ahasuerus deposing Queen Vashti for refusing to appear before him, praising her moral courage. A search for a new queen leads to Hadassah, a Jewish woman raised by her cousin Mordecai, who is chosen for her beauty and becomes Queen Esther—her name possibly linked to the star Venus or the Persian word for "star." The narrative introduces Haman the Agagite, the king’s prime minister, who demands reverence that Mordecai the Jew refuses on religious grounds. Enraged, Haman convinces the king to issue a decree to exterminate all Jews, including Esther, though her identity remains unknown to the king. The chapter ends with Mordecai urging Esther to intervene, despite the risk to her life, as unsummoned approach to the king could mean death unless he extends the golden scepter.
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- description_title
- Esther and Ahasuerus
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- 547
548 
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550 HE story of Esther, as given in the biblical book which bears her name, is interesting to young and old alike. Its literature fills no small place in various languages and in widely separated centuries. It is impossible to read the story without being to a greater or less degree under its spell. The name of Esther, the heroine of the story, has become immortal, and whatever is connected therewith shares to some degree in the interest and fame attaching to herself.
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552 After Ahasuerus was settled in peaceable possession of the whole Persian Empire, he appointed a time of great rejoicing because of his prosperity. In the city of Shushan feastings were to continue for one hundred and eighty days. At the expiration of this time a still great-
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555 er feast was held for seven days, and Vashti, the Queen, made a similar feast in the apartment for the women. On the last day of this great feast, the King, being merry with wine, commanded the seven Chamberlains to bring Vashti into his presence wearing the royal crown and otherwise displaying her great beauty. With a modesty which is as becoming as it was surprising she positively refused to comply with his improper request, although she knew that her refusal would cost her her crown, and perhaps her life. All honor to the noble resolution of this brave woman in that far-off time and land! After taking the advice of his seven counsellors, the King determined to put her away forever, lest her example should lead the women throughout the empire to disobey their husbands. Vashti never afterwards came into the King’s presence. The decree which removed her was registered among the unchangeable laws of the Medes and Persians. Orders were then given that the whole
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558 empire should be searched, and all the fairest virgins should be brought to the palace at Shushan, that from the number one should be chosen to be queen in the place of Vashti. There lived then at Shushan a Jew named Mordecai, who had an office in the court of the Persian monarch. Having no children of his own, he brought up Hadassah—in Hebrew, *myrtle*—his cousin, whose parents were dead, as his own daughter. She was the daughter of Abihail, of the tribe of Benjamin, and was born during the exile beyond the Tigris, probably about the year 500 B.C. She was beautiful beyond comparison. When committed to the care of Hege, the King’s chamberlain, she greatly pleased him, and he took special pains that she should be the object of the royal favor. She gained the affections of the King beyond all others, and on the tenth day of the tenth month the royal diadem was put upon her head, and she was made queen in the place of Vashti.
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561 According to Oriental usage, when introduced into the royal household she received the new and probably Persian name of Esther, and by it she was henceforth to be known. This name is derived from the name of the star Venus, which in Greek is Aster. It was, perhaps, connected with the Persian word *satarah*, a star. Her ancestor Kish was among the captives led away from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. The family evidently remained after the edict of Cyrus gave permission to return to Palestine. The Persian King does not seem to have been aware of her race. At this time Haman the Agagite was prime-minister; he was probably a descendant of that Agag, King of the Amalekites, whom Saul spared; he was now a favorite in the household of the King. All the King’s servants were commanded to pay him reverence, and all of them rendered that reverence with the exception of Mordecai the Jew. He was willing to render him civil obeisance—this he could
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564 do under the Jewish law—but divine adoration he could not give him; and this the Persian kings in some sense expected; but this in no sense, as a true Jew, could Mordecai render. Haman therefore resolved to seek revenge for this affront by destroying the entire race.
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566 He represented them to the King as being a pernicious people, and he secured full power to kill them all, young and old, women and children, and to take possession of their property in the name of his government. There may have been a lingering hatred towards the Jews because of the ancient enmity between them and the people from whom he descended. It is altogether probable that Esther herself, though queen, was included in this terrible decree. The laws of the empire were such that the decree once issued should not be recalled. Eleven months, however, were given after the issuance of the decree before its execution. By his superstition in the casting of lots Haman chose this time, but God’s providence was
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569 seen in allowing time for Esther and Mordecai to lay plans for the protection of their people. Soon Mordecai heard of this decree. There was great lamentation on the part of all the Jews in Shushan and throughout the land. Putting on sackcloth, Mordecai sat without the King's gate. This circumstance was reported to Esther. Soon Mordecai was able to inform her of the whole state of the case. He sent her a copy of the decree, that she might see that the intention was to destroy her people from off the face of the earth, and he urged her to go unto the King and make supplication on their behalf. At the first she excused herself, knowing well that whoever came unto the King in the inner court, who was not summoned by him, should be put to death, except the King might possibly hold out the golden sceptre. She feared to hazard her life even in this noble cause; but Mordecai assured her that her life would be forfeited with the lives of her people if the decree was executed.
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- title
- Esther and Ahasuerus