Additions to Esther

Question 1

Summary of Esther from OT

Answer 1

• Set in Persia under King Xerxes (486-465BC, ruling the Jews)
• Mordecai: Esther’s uncle
• Haman: King’s right-hand man
• God uses bravery

Question 2

6 Additions to Esther

Answer 2

A) Mordecai’s dream
B) King Artaxerxes writes a letter
C) Mordecai’s and Esther’s Prayers
D) Gives emotion to King’s response to Esther
E) King explains the reasons of his decree in great detail
F) Mordecai remembers his dream and explains its fulfillment
⇒ Mordecai explains dream

Question 3

Addition A

Answer 3

A) Was originally placed at the beginning (before 1:1) of the BOE

• Mordecai’s dream of great confusion and tribulation on the earth caused by King Nebuchadnezzar

Question 4

Addition B

Answer 4

B) King Artaxerxes writes a letter to those who act hostile toward the government declaring that they would be destroyed by their enemies the “14th day of the 12th month of that present year” – AKA the day after the decree was sent out

Question 5

Addition C

Answer 5

C) Mordecai’s Prayer to God begging for God to hear his prayer for the believers that God them in this position and owes it to them in this position and owes it to them.

• Esther’s Prayer: one of mourning: asking the Lord to be her helper and enemies plans would turn against themselves

⇒ 2 prayers; Esther’s and Mordecai’s

Question 6

Addition D

Answer 6

D) Esther ends her prayer and goes to speak to the king. The king is angered by her arrival. Esther is fearful. God changes the king’s heart. The king comforts Esther

⇒ Gives emotion to King’s response to Esther going to his

Question 7

Addition E

Answer 7

E) King explains the reasons of his decree in great detail

• > a copy of the king’s decree
• > Those who receive great kindness may become greedy

Question 8

Addition F

Answer 8

F) Mordecai remembers his dream and explains its fulfillment

• > Esther 10.8: Addition F: …”The Lord has saved his people; the Lord has rescued us from all these evils; God has done great signs and wonders…”
• > Postscript: Dositheus and his son brought the letter about Purim to Egypt

⇒ Mordecai explains dream

Question 9

Author of Additions

Answer 9

Anonymous Jewish author

Question 10

Date of Additions

Answer 10

1st or 2nd century BC

Question 11

Audience of Additions

Answer 11

Written to the Jewish people as encouragement

Question 12

Theological Significance of Additions

Answer 12

• Compensate for the religious deficiencies of the original Hebrew text
• Encouraging example of divine salvation
  => While the Jewish people were scattered
• Offers a contradictory, negative female stereotype
  => Add a weak version of Esther
  => She has fainting spells
  => To make the king have more compassion for her

Question 13

Reasons for Exclusion from the Canon

of Additions

Answer 13

• Found in the Greek Translation and are not found in the original Hebrew Bible
  => Jerome did not include them in his Latin translation of the Bible and put them at the end in the appendix
• Contradict the whole lesson of the book – “God” or “Lord” is used often and has clearly put them in this position and is now choosing to hide himself
  => “Do not neglect your portion, which you redeemed for yourself out of the land of Egypt: 13:16 (part of Mordecai’s prayer from additions to BOE)
• Written too late

Question 14

Biblical Genre of Additions

Answer 14

• Multiple Genres
  => Prayer: Mordecai and Esther
  => Historical Narrative: King Artaxerxes’ Decree
  ==> Purim: Jewish Festival

=> Prophecy: Mordecai’s dream