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The '''Book of Esther''' is an historical account in the Bible, which is about 10 chapters long (about 181 verses) in the Hebrew Bible, and 16 chapters long and more complete in the Septuagint, the Old Testament of the ancient Christian Church, and in the [[Vulgate]], the Catholic Bible.<ref>[http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/OT-Statistics-NAB.htm Old Testament Statistics - New American Bible, compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.]</ref> The complete Book of Esther is accepted as inspired and canonical by the [[Orthodox Church]] in the ''Greek Orthodox Bible'', and is found in the books of the Old Testament of the ''[[Vulgate]]'' and included in the canon of inspired scripture by the [[Third Council of Carthage (397)]]. Since the [[Council of Trent]] the complete Book of Esther with all of its parts is [[Dogma|dogmatically]] accepted as inspired and canonical by the [[Catholic Church]] in the ''Catholic Bible''—books of the Bible accepted as divinely inspired by the majority of Christian believers in the United States and throughout the world.<ref>The '''Catholic Church''' is the world's largest [[Christianity|Christian]] body comprised of several distinct [https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm "Rites"]. The [[Catholic Church|Catholic Church (Latin Rite)]] is the largest religious body in the United States, with over 60 million adherents (4 times as large as the second largest church, the Orthodox).<br/>[http://www.pewforum.org/2013/02/13/the-global-catholic-population/ “The Global Catholic Population,” © 2011, Pew Research Center.]<br/>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html The Largest Catholic Communities]<br/>

The '''Book of Esther''' is an historical account in the Bible, which is about 10 chapters long (about 181 verses) in the Hebrew Bible, and 16 chapters long and more complete in the Septuagint, the Old Testament of the ancient Christian Church, and in the [[Vulgate]], the Catholic Bible.<ref>[http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/OT-Statistics-NAB.htm Old Testament Statistics - New American Bible, compiled by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.]</ref> The complete Book of Esther is accepted as inspired and canonical by the [[Orthodox Church]] in the ''Greek Orthodox Bible'', and is found in the books of the Old Testament of the ''[[Vulgate]]'' and included in the canon of inspired scripture by the [[Third Council of Carthage (397)]]. Since the [[Council of Trent]] the complete Book of Esther with all of its parts is [[dogma]]tically accepted as inspired and canonical by the [[Catholic Church]] in the ''Catholic Bible''—books of the Bible accepted as divinely inspired by the majority of Christian believers in the United States and throughout the world.<ref>The '''Catholic Church''' is the world's largest [[Christianity|Christian]] body comprised of several distinct [https://www.ewtn.com/expert/answers/catholic_rites_and_churches.htm "Rites"]. The [[Catholic Church|Catholic Church (Latin Rite)]] is the largest religious body in the United States, with over 60 million adherents (4 times as large as the second largest church, the Orthodox).<br/>[http://www.pewforum.org/2013/02/13/the-global-catholic-population/ “The Global Catholic Population,” © 2011, Pew Research Center.]<br/>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html The Largest Catholic Communities]<br/>

The '''Eastern Orthodox Church''', officially called the '''Orthodox Catholic Church''', and also referred to as the '''[[Orthodox Church]]''' and '''Orthodoxy''', is the second largest [[Christianity|Christian church]] in the world, with an estimated 225–300 million adherents, most of whom live in [[Eastern Europe]], the [[Middle East]], and [[Russia]].<br/>{{cite web |last1=Calivas |first1=Rev. Alciviadis C. |title=The Greek (Eastern) Orthodox Church |publisher=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of America |year=1983 |url=http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7061 |accessdate=7 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |last1=Fairchild |first1=Mary |title=Christianity:Basics:Eastern Orthodox Church Denomination |publisher=about.com |url=http://christianity.about.com/od/easternorthodoxy/p/orthodoxprofile.htm |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |title=Christianity |work=Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents |publisher=adherents.com |url=http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}</ref><ref name=Prot>See [http://www.888c.com/worldChristianDenominations.htm Percentage of Christians in Protestant Denominations (29.5%)].</ref>

The '''Eastern Orthodox Church''', officially called the '''Orthodox Catholic Church''', and also referred to as the '''[[Orthodox Church]]''' and '''Orthodoxy''', is the second largest [[Christianity|Christian church]] in the world, with an estimated 225–300 million adherents, most of whom live in [[Eastern Europe]], the [[Middle East]], and [[Russia]].<br/>{{cite web |last1=Calivas |first1=Rev. Alciviadis C. |title=The Greek (Eastern) Orthodox Church |publisher=Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Of America |year=1983 |url=http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith7061 |accessdate=7 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |last1=Fairchild |first1=Mary |title=Christianity:Basics:Eastern Orthodox Church Denomination |publisher=about.com |url=http://christianity.about.com/od/easternorthodoxy/p/orthodoxprofile.htm |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}<br/>{{cite web |title=Christianity |work=Major Branches of Religions Ranked by Number of Adherents |publisher=adherents.com |url=http://www.adherents.com/adh_branches.html#Christianity |accessdate=22 May 2014 |ref=none }}</ref><ref name=Prot>See [http://www.888c.com/worldChristianDenominations.htm Percentage of Christians in Protestant Denominations (29.5%)].</ref>

==Content, authorship and date==

==Content, authorship and date==

The Hebrew Book of Esther is more purely historical than any other book of Scripture, except the books of [[Maccabee|1 and 2 Maccabees]] which were removed from the Protestant Bible; and in the shorter Hebrew version is unusual in never mentioning [[God]], and it has this remarkable peculiarity that the name of God does not occur in it from first to last in any form.<ref name="e"/>; instead, the book conveys insights on topics of "knowledge, wisdom, holiness, and love."<ref>[http://www.trivia-library.com/a/bible-numbers-and-statistics.htm Trivia Library. Bible Numbers and Statistics]</ref>  It has, however, been well observed that, though the name of God be not in it, the shorter Hebrew version wonderfully exhibits the providential government of God, and the certain judgment that comes upon those who plot to destroy his people.<ref name="e"/> This fact may have finally persuaded rabbinical authorities in the 2nd century to continue to grant it a place in the Hebrew canon along with the Book of Ruth, the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. However, the actual historicity of a "Council of Jabneh/Jamnia/Yavneh" is debated. See [http://catholicdefense.blogspot.com/2011/07/can-protestants-rely-upon-council-of.html Council of Jamnia?]

The Hebrew Book of Esther is more purely historical than any other book of Scripture, except the books of [[Maccabee|1 and 2 Maccabees]] which were removed from the Protestant Bible; and in the shorter Hebrew version is unusual in never mentioning [[God]], and it has this remarkable peculiarity that the name of God does not occur in it from first to last in any form.;<ref name="e"/> instead, the book conveys insights on topics of "knowledge, wisdom, holiness, and love."<ref>[http://www.trivia-library.com/a/bible-numbers-and-statistics.htm Trivia Library. Bible Numbers and Statistics]</ref>  It has, however, been well observed that, though the name of God be not in it, the shorter Hebrew version wonderfully exhibits the providential government of God, and the certain judgment that comes upon those who plot to destroy his people.<ref name="e"/> This fact may have finally persuaded rabbinical authorities in the 2nd century to continue to grant it a place in the Hebrew canon along with the Book of Ruth, the Book of Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. However, the actual historicity of a "Council of Jabneh/Jamnia/Yavneh" is debated. See [http://catholicdefense.blogspot.com/2011/07/can-protestants-rely-upon-council-of.html Council of Jamnia?]

Written in the third or second century B.C., the authorship of the Book of Esther is unknown.<ref name="e">{{Easton|Esther}}</ref> It was evidently written after the death of Ahasuerus (the [[Xerxes]] of the Greeks), which took place 465 B.C..<ref name="e"/> The minute and particular account also given of many historical details makes it probable that the writer was contemporary with [[Mordecai]] and [[Esther]].<ref name="e"/> Hence we may conclude that the book was written probably about 444-434 B.C., and that the author was one of the Jews of the dispersion.<ref name="e"/> The prayers of Mordecai and Esther which the Hebrew writer omitted were included by the rabbinical Greek translators of the Septuagint, which was the Bible of the Greek-speaking Jews of the Dispersion and the original scriptures read by the apostles.

Written in the third or second century B.C., the authorship of the Book of Esther is unknown.<ref name="e">{{Easton|Esther}}</ref> It was evidently written after the death of Ahasuerus (the [[Xerxes]] of the Greeks), which took place 465 B.C.<ref name="e"/> The minute and particular account also given of many historical details makes it probable that the writer was contemporary with [[Mordecai]] and [[Esther]].<ref name="e"/> Hence we may conclude that the book was written probably about 444-434 B.C., and that the author was one of the Jews of the dispersion.<ref name="e"/> The prayers of Mordecai and Esther which the Hebrew writer omitted were included by the rabbinical Greek translators of the Septuagint, which was the Bible of the Greek-speaking Jews of the Dispersion and the original scriptures read by the apostles.

The last verse at the end of the longer Greek version of the Book of Esther (11:1) strongly indicates that the whole of the book in Greek ("''this epistle of Phurim''") as it appears in the Septuagint was a translation [interpreted] by "Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus" of the whole of a larger Hebrew text original, a text in content more extensive and inclusive than the version adopted by the Jews for their Palestinian Hebrew canon.<blockquote>"In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and Ptolemeus his son, brought this epistle of Phurim, which they said was the same, and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, that was in Jerusalem, had interpreted it." Greek Esther 11:1.</blockquote>

The last verse at the end of the longer Greek version of the Book of Esther (11:1) strongly indicates that the whole of the book in Greek ("''this epistle of Phurim''") as it appears in the Septuagint was a translation [interpreted] by "Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus" of the whole of a larger Hebrew text original, a text in content more extensive and inclusive than the version adopted by the Jews for their Palestinian Hebrew canon.<blockquote>"In the fourth year of the reign of Ptolemeus and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said he was a priest and Levite, and Ptolemeus his son, brought this epistle of Phurim, which they said was the same, and that Lysimachus the son of Ptolemeus, that was in Jerusalem, had interpreted it." Greek Esther 11:1.</blockquote>

==External links==

==External links==

[http://www.usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=esther&ch= Esther: Introduction] (usccb.org)

* [http://www.usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=esther&ch= Esther: Introduction] (usccb.org)

[https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&pg=PA758&lpg=PA758&dq=Commentaries+on+Greek+text+of+Esther&source=bl&ots=5SbLg__xNL&sig=gN7myfbFtmt3-1ivQWTz69BFYPk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XdyuVLq9GYWgyQSJyICABQ&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Commentaries%20on%20Greek%20text%20of%20Esther&f=false Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible, edited by James D. G. Dunn, John William Rogerson] page 758. Greek Esther, John Jarick (googlebooks.com)

[[Category:Bible]]  

 

[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/joeljmiller/2013/06/youre-reading-the-wrong-book-of-esther/ Patheos: Hosting the Conversation on Faith. Joel J. Miller: Where Christian Theology Meets Daily Life. '''You’re reading the wrong Book of Esther''', June 9, 2013 by Joel J. Miller]

 

 

 

[[category:Bible]]  

[[Category:Biblical Books| a7]]

[[Category:Biblical Books| a7]]

[[Category:Old Testament Books| a7]]

[[Category:Old Testament Books| a7]]

[[category:apocrypha]]

[[Category:Apocrypha]]