Esther: A Commentary

by Jon D. Levenson

Publisher:

Westminster John Knox

, 1997

Overview

The book of Esther has been preserved in ancient texts that diverge greatly from each other. As a result, Jews and Protestants usually read a version which is shorter than that of most Catholic or Orthodox Bibles. In this volume, Levenson capably guides readers through both versions, demonstrating their coherence and their differences.

Contents

Top Highlights

“In a world in which arrogant and fickle regimes seek a control of events that they have not been granted, and in which the differentness of the Jews provokes murderous hostility, the Jews can, through their own wisdom and courage and with lucky happenstances ordained by a sovereign and favoring providence, defeat their would-be murderers, secure their position, rise to eminence, and even benefit Gentile kings in the process.” (Pages 21–22)

“It is more reasonable to assume that the author endorsed the old saw that ‘a coincidence is a miracle in which God prefers to remain anonymous.’” (Page 19)

“Part of the message of the book of Esther is that Jewish survival requires not only active identification of Jewish individuals with the well-being of their people, but also constant vigilance, political wisdom, and extraordinary courage.” (Pages 16–17)

“Whereas Saul lost his throne for sparing Agag, the king of the Amalekites, the archetypical enemy of the Israelites and their God (1 Samuel 15), Mordecai gains the premiership by defeating Haman the Agagite (3:1). It is not that the narrator has simply reused two traditional Benjaminite names, Kish and Shimei, nor that he wishes us to think Saul was Mordecai’s ancestor. Rather, he uses names from the story of Saul to highlight the significance of Mordecai and Esther’s deeds within the larger history of redemption. Mordecai rises on the very point on which Saul fell.” (Pages 56–57)

“If, influenced by the scriptural status that Esther has attained, we call that ‘hidden causality’ God, we must be all the more careful to differentiate God as he appears in this narrative from the God of so much of biblical tradition, whose presence is visible, audible, and dramatic. Esther’s God is one who works behind the scenes, carefully arranging events so that a justice based on the principle of ‘measure for measure’ will triumph and the Jews will survive and flourish.” (Page 21)

Product Details

• Title: Esther: A Commentary
• Author: Jon D. Levenson
• Edition: First edition
• Series: The Old Testament Library
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox
• Print Publication Date: 1997
• Logos Release Date: 2017
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. O.T. Esther › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 0664220932, 9780664220938
• Resource ID: LLS:OTL17ES
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:33:20Z

About Jon D. Levenson

Jon D. Levenson, Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies, began teaching at Harvard in 1988, having previously taught at the University of Chicago and at Wellesley College. His work concentrates on the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, including its reinterpretations in the “rewritten Bible” of Second Temple Judaism and rabbinic midrash. He also teaches a seminar in the use of medieval Jewish commentaries for purposes of modern biblical exegesis. He has a strong interest in the philosophical and theological issues involved in biblical studies, especially the relationship of premodern modes of interpretation to modern historical criticism. Much of Professor Levenson’s work centers on the relationship of Judaism and Christianity, both in antiquity and in modernity, and he has long been active in Jewish-Christian dialogue. His interests and courses in Jewish theology include the modern period. His book Resurrection and the Restoration of Israel: The Ultimate Victory of the God of Life (Yale University Press, 2006) won a National Jewish Book Award and the Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award in the category of Best Book Relating to the Hebrew Bible published in 2005 or 2006. His most recent book is Resurrection: The Power of God for Christians and Jews (Yale University Press, 2008), which he wrote with Kevin Madigan of HDS. In all his work, Professor Levenson’s emphasis falls on the close reading of texts for purposes of literary and theological understanding.