The Book of Esther

Esther tells how a Jewish queen in the Persian court risked her life to save her people from destruction — a story of providence in which God works powerfully though never named.

Testament: Old (10 chapters)
Type: History
Date: Set in the reign of Xerxes I (Ahasuerus), 486-465 BC; composed shortly after.

Hidden providence

God is not named, and yet his fingerprints are on every page — the king's insomnia, the queen who refuses to come, the cousin who happens to overhear an assassination plot. The book teaches us to see God at work in coincidence.

Courage in unlikely places

Mordecai's challenge — 'who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?' (4:14) — is one of Scripture's great calls to courage. Esther's reply ('if I perish, I perish' — 4:16) is one of the great responses.

Key verses (KJV)

“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” — Esther 4:14 (KJV)

“And if I perish, I perish.” — Esther 4:16 (KJV)

“The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.” — Esther 8:16 (KJV)

How to read Esther

Read straight through — it's a tightly plotted ten-chapter novella. Notice how often someone 'just happens' to be in the right place. The Jewish festival of Purim (which the book establishes) commemorates this story.

Read Esther on your iPhone

Read the full book of Esther in Quiethaven — choose your translation, read offline, and pick up where you left off. Pair it with a daily verse and a prayer timer.

Read Esther free on iPhone.

Download on the App Store

More Old Testament books

From the blog

Frequently asked questions

What is the Book of Esther about?

Esther is a book of History, running to 10 chapters. Its main threads: Hidden providence; Courage in unlikely places.

Who wrote the Book of Esther?

Anonymous; traditionally Mordecai. The Hebrew text never mentions God by name — perhaps the boldest theological choice in Scripture.

Where does Esther come in the Bible?

Esther is one of the 39 books of the Old Testament in the Protestant canon, grouped with the History books. You can walk the canon in order using the previous and next links on this page.