Esther Vocab

Persian Empire

The Persians came into power under Cyrus the Great (560-530 B.C.E) and maintained their dominance until the Greeks came into power under Alexander the Great in 333 B.C.E. At one time, the Persian Empire was bound by Greece on the west and India on the east.

Adar

The last month of the Jewish calendar, which is based on the rotation of the earth on its axis (one day), the revolution of the moon around the earth (a month), and the revolution of the earth around the sun (a year).

Xerxes

(also known as King Ahasuerus). This Persian King in the story may be a reference to Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.E) or possibly Artaxerxes I or II (465-358 B.C.E.). Under the Persian Empire, the Jews once again were subjects of a foreign power, just as they had been in Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon, and later would be under Greece and Rome. Even those Israelites, who were allowed by the Persian authorities to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple and the city walls, did so under the authority of a foreign power. Scattered far and wide, Jews struggled to assimilate into the culture of the ruling powers, while at the same time maintain their separate identity as a people.

Mordecai

Esther's cousin and foster father served as a minor official at the king's court. He was descended from the tribe of Benjamin.

Haman

Haman the Agagite or Haman the evil is the main antagonist in the Book of Esther, who, according to the Hebrew Bible, was a high-ranking political advisor in the Persian Empire under King Xerxes.

Purim

The name for this Jewish festival comes from the word pur or puru, meaning "lots." This refers to Haman casting lots to decide on which day the Jews would be executed. Purim celebrates the story of how Esther saved the Jewish people from Haman's plot. It is a joyous celebration during which the Book of Esther is read, and children are encouraged to boo and make noise whenever Haman's name is mentioned.

Susa

The winter capital of the Persian Empire.

Esther

This name comes from the Persian word for star. Esther's Hebrew name was Hadassah, meaning myrtle, which is an evergreen bush with beautiful white flowers. Evergreens also were symbols of renewal and fertility. The name also is related to the word hester, meaning hidden.