The Book of Esther begins by portraying Esther as beautiful and obedient, though a relatively passive figure. [citation needed] Throughout the story, she evolves into a character who takes a decisive role in her own future and that of her people. [22]
The Greek additions to Esther have many explicit references to God, as well as explicit descriptions of the beliefs and emotional states of Esther and Mordecai. They also elaborate on the content of the edicts from Ahasuerus as illustrations of Gentile attitudes toward Jews.
The story of Esther is often considered a narrative of deliverance, as she played a crucial role in saving the Jewish people from a plot to annihilate them. The Book of Esther describes how Esther, originally named Hadassah, becomes queen after winning a beauty contest.
Esther is one of only two books of the Bible named after a woman. Through Esther’s resolve to trust in God, she influenced the king and saved her people.
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Esther is the heroine and central figure in the Book of Esther of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. The wife of the Persian king Xerxes I, she (with her cousin Mordecai) persuaded the king to cancel an order for the extermination of Jews in his realm.