Is the Book of Esther real?

Answer 1

One can read The scroll of Esther (especially in Hebrew) and can find very strong symbolism in its writing, for instance:

Esther the name is quite interesting;

there was a Zarathustra (the ancient religion in Persia) goddess named Ishtar.

(there was also a Zarathustra god name Murdoch which resemble Mordecai).

Esther can also be read as "hide" in Hebrew - which is set with the role of god in the events of the scroll (a hidden intervention in history).

The scroll of Esther is special in that: it doesn't discusses god.

To conclude in Jewish studying of The Bible the tradition is that you read the text many times and can find new meanings in it, you start however, in reading it "pshat" - simplified - and only then you can research it more. The scroll is to be read as a regular story.

Answer 2

The Book of Esther is almost certainly not true, in part because it contains too many historical errors and inconsistencies. It seems to have been included in the Hebrew Bible because it appealed to the Jewish sense of pride. Now modern Christian defend its authenticity because to do otherwise would be to accept that the Bible is not absolutely true in its entirety.

Answer 3

A:

According to the Book of Esther, Esther was a young virgin chosen by King Xerxes to replace his first wife, Vashti, in the third year of his reign. There are enough historical errors in this book to demonstrate that the book was written centuries after the events portrayed and therefore cast doubt on the existence ot Esther herself. What we now know of Persian history confirms that Esther was only a literary creation and not an actual person.

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There is no historical record of Esther or of her predecessor, Vashti, and Queen Amestris is accepted by historians as Xerxes' only wife for the first several years of his reign. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scroll fragments now known as proto-Esther could indicate where the inspiration for Esther came from. There are enough parallels between the Book of Esther and the scroll to suggest, but not prove, that Esther was inspired by proto-Esther.

Jewish answer:

All names in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), unless traditionally allegorical, are names of real people.

According to Jewish tradition, Esther was queen for about 11 years.

The Book of Esther states that this was not in the early part of Xerxes's reign.

The name of Mordechai is considered identical to the name Marduka, which is attested as the name of officials in the Persian court in the Persepolis Texts from the period of Xerxes I. One of these officials might very well be the biblical Mordecai.

The grave of Mordecai and Esther still stands in Hamadan; and the Jews of Iran, to this day, are referred to as "the children of Esther."

Answer 4

Yes, Queen Esther was real. It is written in the Bible, so it is true.