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World English Bible: Esther

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This is the opening chapters (1–4) of the Book of Esther, a narrative from the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament belonging to the wisdom and court-tale tradition. The text recounts how the Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) banishes his queen Vashti for refusing a public command, then selects the Jewish woman Esther — raised by her cousin Mordecai — as his new queen, while Esther conceals her Jewish identity. The central conflict is set in motion when the king's minister Haman, enraged by Mordecai's refusal to bow to him, obtains royal authorization to exterminate all Jews throughout the empire. The excerpt ends as Mordecai urges Esther, through intermediaries, to intercede with the king — a dangerous act given the law against approaching the king uninvited. Distinctively, the Book of Esther never mentions God, making it notable among biblical texts for its secular framing of Jewish survival as a product of human courage, political cunning, and fortunate timing rather than divine intervention.

World English Bible: Esther

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