Historical Perspective on the book of Esther

In one of the most horrible years in Jewish history, Nebuchadnezzer's armies destroyed the magnificent Temple built by Solomon.  The year was 3338 (or 423 BCE).  The Jewish people of that time felt as though Hashem had turned His back on them - the sense of despair was enormous.

The destruction of the Temple was the last in a series of difficult events.  A hundred years earlier, Sennacherib had exiled the Ten Tribes so that only a small remnant of the Hebrew nation remained, their one hope the Great Temple that still stood in their midst.  Now that also was gone.

Only one glimmer of hope remained.  The prophet, Jeremiah, had prophesied the destruction of the Temple, for which he had been severely criticized and rejected at the time.  Only after its destruction was he acknowledged as a man of greatness. 

Along with the prophecy of destruction, he had also given a prophecy of hope.  "This whole land shall be a desolation and waste, and the nation shall serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.  But when the seventy years are over, I shall punish the king of Babylon, and that nation for its iniquities."   Jeremiah 25:11-12  In addition, Hashem promised through His prophet, "After seventy years are completed, I will consider you and keep My good promise to you and I will bring you back to this place."  Jeremiah 29:10  But when exactly did the seventy years end?

In 3319, Nebuchadnezzar had assumed the throne of Babylon and defeated the king of Judah, Yehoiakim.  The Jewish state became a vassal of Babylon.  (2 Kings 24:1)

In 3321, Jeremiah first predicted the destruction of the Temple.

In 3327, Nebuchadnezzar exiled the cream of the Jewish people, including Mordechai.  (2 Kings 24: 14-15, Esther 2:6)

The Jews were confused as to the meaning of the 70 years prophesied by Jeremiah.  Were they to be counted from the defeat of the king of Judah?  From the date of the first prophecy of Jeremiah? Or from the actual exile to Babylon in 3327?

It was not only the Jews who were concerned.  The gentile nations knew about Israel's G-d and about this prophecy.  They feared this unseen G-d because they knew of the wonders He had accomplished in history.  This prophecy hung like a sword over their own heads.  Would they truly be punished?  How? When?  And most importantly, was there any way to prevent it?  To outsmart the Hebrews' G-d?

Nebuchadnezzar reigned for 26 years after the destruction of the Temple.  His degradation in the last years of his reign were seen by many as divine punishment, yet no Babylonian king could be safe until the 70 years had passed.

Another 23 years went by and in 3387 (374 BCE) Belshazzar became king of Babylon.  In the third year of his reign, his advisors made an important calculation.  It was exactly 70 years from the time that Nebuchadnezzar had risen to the throne of Babylon.  Hadn't Jeremiah said "...for 70 years this nation shall serve the king of Babylon?"  The time was obviously over.

In defiance of Israel's G-d and the prophecy, Belshazaar threw a big banquet and specifically called for the vessels from the Temple to be brought in and used as serving pieces for all manner of unclean foods.  It was at this very banquet that the famous "handwriting on the wall" (Daniel 5) was seen.  Belshazzar was assassinated that night and that same night, Darius attacked Babylon and conquered it.  In a sense Jeremiah's first prophecy was fulfilled but the Jews were discouraged because they were still in exile.  They looked to the second prophecy for hope.

Cyrus succeeded his father in law, Darius, to the throne in 3390 and the next year, 3391, was suggested by his advisors as the completion of Jeremiah's 70 years for he had first prophesied in 3321.  Cyrus was eager to escape Divine Wrath and immediately ordered the rebuilding of the Temple but before much could be done to implement his order, Cyrus died.

His successor was none other than Achashverosh (Ahaseurus) in 3392.  In the third year of his reign, his advisors came up with another calculation, still fearing the divine wrath promised by Jeremiah, as well as the departure of the Jewish population which by this time was contributing much to Babylonian society. 

Jeremiah had said the Jews would return after 70 years, but since there was no outward sign of that happening, Achashverosh concluded that in fact, the Jews had been abandoned by their G-d.  Therefore his empire was no longer in danger from the Hebrews' G-d and so "in the third year of his reign, Achashverosh made a great banquet."  (Esther 1:3)

And so it was during the last years of the exile, that Esther married Achashverosh and gave birth to Darius II.  Achashverosh died six years later and the child Darius assumed the throne.  Though only six years old, he was quite the prodigy, extremely brilliant and could out-debate any adult of his time.  Though he was king of the pagan empire, he knew his mother was Jewish and that therefore he also was Jewish.

The prophet Daniel realized at this time that now Jeremiah's prophecy would be fulfilled.  As he himself describes it, "In the first year of Darius' reign, I, Daniel, meditated on the books, over the number of years which Hashem's word had described to the prophet, Jeremiah, that He would end the desolation of Jerusalem after seventy years."  Daniel 9:2  Daniel prayed that Darius would end the exile of the Jews and his prayers were answered.

In the year 3408, Darius II ordered the rebuilding of the Temple.  The Jews were allowed to return to Israel and rebuild their lives.  A new era for the Jewish people had begun.

Against this historical overview, let us begin our study of the book of Esther.  We shall employ historical sources as well as biblical studies going back generations and based on in-depth study of the Hebrew words and their nuances of meaning.

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