Esther

For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14

Introduction

Imagine a story that feels like a game of hide and seek. It is a narrative featuring a deposed queen, a vast empire, a genocidal plot, and an orphaned girl who rises to the throne just in time to save her people. This is the Book of Esther, a record so unique that it is the only book in the Bible where God is never mentioned by name.

Set in the opulent Persian capital of Susa, the story follows Hadassah, a Jewish exile who takes the name Esther—a name that means “star” in Persian but phonetically echoes the Hebrew word for “hidden”. Her life is built on a series of “lucky coincidences”: she just happens to win a royal beauty contest, her cousin Mordecai just happens to overhear an assassination plot, and the King just happens to suffer from insomnia on the very night a villain finishes building a gallows.

While the Divine appears to be incognito, those who look closely can find Him lurking between the lines, orchestrating a hidden miracle through human courage and faith. Whether you are feeling small in a large world or wondering where God is in the silence of your own life, Esther’s journey from a “nobody” to a savior proves that no detail is too small for a loving Heavenly Father’s plan.

Esther’s Names

Though Hadassah and Esther have different meanings in their original languages, they are linked by plant imagery and the book’s theme of hiddenness.

Hadassah: The Myrtle Tree

Hadassah (הדסה) is Esther’s original Hebrew name.

Literal Meaning: It means “myrtle tree” or simply “myrtle”.
Symbolism: In Jewish tradition, the myrtle is associated with love, marriage, and bridal themes. Prophetically, the myrtle represents the Lord’s forgiveness and acceptance of His people, replacing the thorns of the desert.
Character Traits: Some Rabbinic sources suggest she was called Hadassah because she was righteous, as the righteous are often compared to myrtles, or because her deeds were as pleasing as the fragrance of the myrtle tree.

Esther: The Star

Esther (אסתר) was the Persian name given to her, likely when she entered the royal court.

Literal Meaning: In Persian, the name means “star”. Specifically, it is often linked to the “morning star”.
Etymological Roots: Many scholars believe the name is etymologically related to Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love and beauty, or the Old Persian word stara.

The Hidden Meaning of “Esther”

While “star” is the Persian meaning, the name takes on a powerful double meaning for a Hebrew-speaking audience based on its sound.

Phonetic Meaning: The word “Esther” (אסתר) is related to the Hebrew root סתר (s-t-r), meaning “to hide.”
Thematic Significance: This wordplay highlights how Esther kept her Jewish identity hidden while in the palace.
Divine Connection: Scholars often link the name to Deuteronomy 31:18, where God says, “I will surely hide (haster astir) My face”. This acknowledges that God’s presence is subtly “hidden” throughout the narrative.

The Connection Between the Two Names

The names are not merely random aliases; they share a poetic link. The flower of the myrtle tree (Hadassah) is famously star-shaped (Esther). This serves as a literary device to show that while she took on a Persian exterior to assimilate, she never lost her essential Jewish roots.

Why Is God’s Name Not Mentioned?

The absence of God’s name in the Book of Esther is unique in the Bible and carries profound theological, literary, and historical significance. Rather than being a sign of secularism, this “hiddenness” is central to the book’s message about how the Divine operates in the world.

Unlike books like Exodus, which feature “open miracles” such as the ten plagues or the splitting of the sea, Esther represents a “hidden miracle”. The story is built on a series of “lucky coincidences”—the deposition of Vashti, Mordecai overhearing an assassination plot, and the King’s timely insomnia—that only make sense as a single “intricate puzzle” guided by an invisible hand. This teaches that God is present even when He is not obvious, acting “between the lines” of human history.

While the name of God is not explicitly stated, some scholars believe it is “buried” in the text. The word for “Jews” (y’hudim) is spelled with an unusual extra yod six times in the book. Since a double yod is a traditional abbreviation for God’s name, some interpret this as the “Hand of God” intervening in six distinct moments of rescue.

The Book of Esther is the only book in the Hebrew Bible set entirely in the Jewish Diaspora. The silence of God mirrors the experience of exiles who feel abandoned or cut off from the manifest miracles of the past. It serves as a bridge for every generation, proving that even in “divine silence,” God remains a “God of miracles” working to bring about redemption through those willing to act “for such a time as this”.

Dead Sea Scrolls and the Book of Esther

The relationship between the Book of Esther and the Dead Sea Scrolls is a subject of significant scholarly debate because Esther is famously the only book of the Hebrew Bible not found among the scrolls discovered at Qumran.

While fragments of every other Old Testament book were identified in the library at Qumran, Esther is missing entirely. Scholars offer several theories for this absence:

Theological Objections: The Qumran community may have excluded it because it is not a particularly religious book, lacks interest in Judah or its ritual institutions, and portrays a sympathetic view of a gentile king. Furthermore, it is the only book that never mentions the name of God.
Calendar and Ritual: The festival of Purim, which is a primary reason the Book of Esther exists, was not part of the religious calendar observed by the Jews at Qumran.
Happenstance: Some suggest it is simply a matter of bad luck; copies may have existed but did not survive the elements.

Esther as Scripture

Both Martin Luther and John Calvin had significant reservations about the Book of Esther, primarily because of its lack of explicit religious content and the questionable moral conduct of its main characters. Luther and other critics found the morality of Esther and Mordecai to be “questionable”. Unlike biblical figures like Daniel or Joseph, who were bold in their faith, Esther and Mordecai made the “questionable choice” to hide their Jewish identity and faith from the Persian authorities for years.

However, during Joseph Smith’s process of revising the Bible, known as the Joseph Smith Translation, he did not make a single change to the Book of Esther. It is one of only a small handful of books—along with the Book of Ruth—where the JST contains no additions, subtractions, or revisions.

Purim

The relationship between Purim and the Book of Esther is fundamental; the book serves as the historical and religious basis for the holiday, which commemorates the Jewish people’s narrow escape from annihilation in the Persian Empire.

1. Meaning and Etymology

The name of the festival, Purim (the plural of the Hebrew word pur), literally translates to “lots”. This refers to the method used by the villain Haman, who cast lots (pur/puru) to randomly determine the most “propitious” day to execute his plan to slaughter the Jews. Ironically, the very instrument used to schedule their destruction became the name for the holiday celebrating their deliverance.

2. The Narrative Connection

The Book of Esther details the specific events that led to the establishment of the holiday:

Haman’s Lottery: Haman cast lots in the first month (Nisan) and the lot fell on the 13th day of the 12th month (Adar).
Providential Delay: The “hidden hand” of God was at work even in the lottery, as the chosen date was 11 months away, providing Esther and Mordecai ample time to intervene with the King.
Reversal and Victory: After Esther’s successful intervention, the Jews were granted the right to defend themselves. On the very day intended for their massacre, they instead defeated their enemies.
The Decree: Following the victory, Mordecai and Queen Esther officially decreed that these days be commemorated annually as a festival of joy and relief.

3. Traditions and Rituals

The celebration of Purim incorporates several rituals directly derived from the book’s text:

Reading the Megillah: The entire Scroll of Esther (the Megillah) is read aloud in synagogues. It is often called a “children’s night,” where kids use noisemakers (groggers) to “blot out” Haman’s name by booing and hissing whenever it is mentioned.
Masquerading: Traditionally, people wear masks and “fancy dress” (lehitchapess). This imitates the “hiddenness”central to the book: Esther’s hidden identity, the hidden hand of God (who is never named), and the way the “miracle” was masked within natural coincidences.
Gifts and Feasting: To reflect the “sorrow turned into gladness,” observers send gifts of food to friends (mishloach manot) and give to the poor. Traditional foods like hamantaschen (poppy-filled pastries) are eaten; some suggest these symbolize the seeds Esther ate to keep kosher in the palace.
The Fast of Esther: The day before Purim is a day of fasting (Taanit Esther), commemorating the three-day fast Esther and the Jews of Susa undertook before she approached the King.

Esther is a beautiful example of letting God prevail. Rather than sticking with a cautious narrative of self-preservation, she exercised faith, turning herself completely over to the Lord.
President Camille N. Johnson

Conclusion

As we close the final pages of the Book of Esther, we are left with a powerful reminder that divine silence is not divine absence. Though God’s name is never explicitly spoken, His “fingerprints” are found in every fortuitous coincidence and timely turn of events that saved a people from annihilation.

The story of Esther challenges us to look past the surface of our own lives. Just as Esther had to set aside her comfortable “mask” and step into her true identity, we are invited to recognize that we are not random products of “biological roulette”. Instead, we are individuals intricately woven into a larger, sovereign plan. Whether you are facing a moment of personal crisis or navigating a world that feels increasingly alien to your faith, Esther’s journey proves that no detail is too small, and no person is a “nobody” for Heavenly Father’s purposes.

Ultimately, the Book of Esther serves as a mirror. It asks us to consider the “hidden miracles” in our own days—the “tender mercies” that do not occur by happenstance but by design. As we move forward, hopefully we carry the courage of Esther and the conviction of Mordecai, trusting that even when the Heavens seem quiet, the King of Kings is actively orchestrating our path. We, too, have been brought to the kingdom “for such a time as this”.