Esther

Esther*

David Dorsey points out that the Book of Esther is a grand chiasm centred on the honouring of Mordecai by the King. He also points out that each arm of this chiasm is itself a chiasm, the first centering on Haman’s plot and the second on the foiling of the plot.

A. King’s feast (1:1-22)
B. Esther becomes queen (2:1-18)
C. King’s life is saved (2:19-23)
D. Haman’s plot (3:1-4:3)
E. Mordecai learns of Haman’s plot and asks Esther to risk her life (4:4-17)
F. Esther’s first banquet (5:1-14)
G. The King’s insomnia and Haman honours Mordecai (6:1-14)
F’. Esther’s second banquet (7:1-10)
E’. Mordecai and Esther given Haman’s estate (8:1-2)
D’. Haman’s plot foiled (8:3-17)
C’. Jews’ lives are saved (9:1-10)
B’. Esther gains second day of deliverance for the Jews (9:11-19)
A’.  Jews’ feast of Purim (9:20-10:3)

Ths proposal is similar to that of Grossman who says that his is similar to to the one presented by Radday and Berg, who likewise argue for a concentric structure, but with different details: Y. T. Radday, “Chiasm in Joshua, Judges, and Other,” LB 27-28 (1973), 9-10

  1. Introduction – Achashverosh’s kingdom
  2. Two private feasts – one for the princes of the provinces (180 days), and the other, a special feast for the inhabitants of Shushan (seven days)
  3. Esther appears before the king and is chosen as queen
  4. Description of Haman’s stature: “…King Achashverosh promoted (gidal) Haman, son of Hamedata, the Agagite, and advanced him (va–yenaseihu)”
  5. Casting of the lot: War on the 13thof Adar
  6. Giving the ring to Haman; Haman’s letters; Mordekhai rending his clothes; fasting of the Jews
  7. Esther’s first feast
  8. Haman’s consultation with his associates
  9. THE KING CANNOT SLEEP;
  10. Haman’s consultation with his associates
  11. Esther’s second feast
  12. Giving the ring to Mordekhai; Mordekhai’s letters; dressing of Mordekhai in royal garments; feast for the Jews
  13. War on the 13thof Adar
  14. Description of the stature of the Jews and of Mordekhai: “All the princes of the provinces… were favoring(menase’im) the Jews… for the man Mordekhai was becoming increasingly powerful (gadol)”
  15. Esther comes before the king to request an additional day of battle in Shushan
  16. Two feasts for the Jews: one for the Jews of all the provinces (14thof Adar), and the other, a special feast for the Jews of Shushan (15thof Adar)
  17. Conclusion – Achashverosh’s kingdom