Esther. The Outer Narrative and the Hidden Reading

Description

Front Cover......Page 1 Front Matter......Page 2 Series Page......Page 3 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright Page......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 On the Hidden Reading of Biblical Narratives......Page 10 The Artistic Structure of the Book of Esther......Page 21 Historical Setting......Page 25 Where Should the Narrative Begin?......Page 34 Who Is the Protagonist of Esther?......Page 36 The Kingdom of Ahasuerus (1:1)......Page 47 Ahasuerus’s Feasts: Generous King or Arrogant King? (1:2–8)......Page 48 “In Addition, Queen Vashti Gave a Banquet for Women” (1:9–12)......Page 54 The King’s Judgment: Responsible or Ridiculous Rule? (1:13–22)......Page 57 The Treatment of Women (2:1–20)......Page 66 Presentation of Mordecai and Esther......Page 76 “When the Virgins Were Assembled a Second Time” (2:19–20)......Page 84 The Attempted Rebellion against the King (Esther 2:21–23)......Page 86 Chapter 5: “Some Time Afterward”: The Promotion of Haman (Esther 3:1–6......Page 90 Haman, Son of Hamedatha, the Agagite (3:1)......Page 91 “And Placed His Seat above All the Officers Who Were with Him” (3:1)......Page 92 “Mordecai Would Not Kneel or Bow Low” (3:2)......Page 94 Mordecai as Vashti (and Haman as Ahasuerus)......Page 100 Chapter 6: The Casting of the Lot......Page 102 Chapter 7: Did the King Know of Haman's Decree? (Esther 3:8–11......Page 107 Mordecai Tells Esther (4:7–8)......Page 110 Esther Tells Ahasuerus (7:3–4)......Page 111 The King, Haman, and the “City of Shushan” (3:15)......Page 118 Without Clothes (4:1)......Page 120 Hathach’s Disappearance (4:1–15)......Page 124 Chapter 9: Esther’s Plan (Esther 5:1–8)......Page 133 Chapter 10: The Gallows (Esther 5:9–14)......Page 141 In the Morning......Page 150 In the Street......Page 153 Haman’s Return Home (6:12)......Page 158 Haman at Home with His Advisers (6:13)......Page 161 Chapter 13: Esther’s Second Party (Esther 6:14–7:10)......Page 165 “Haman’s Face Was Covered” (7:8)......Page 173 “Also Harbonah Is Remembered for Good”......Page 175 Mordecai’s True Reward......Page 179 Haman’s Estate......Page 181 Esther’s Plea to the King......Page 182 Chapter 15: Mordecai’s Letters (Esther 8:9–16)......Page 188 Chapter 16: “Not One Good Thing Was Lacking”......Page 194 Indiscriminate Slaughter?......Page 197 Martin Luther Adopts an Extreme Manner of Speaking......Page 198 Chapter 17: Stages of the Festival’s Acceptance (Esther 9:15–32)......Page 203 Chapter 18: The Greatness of the King and the Greatness of Mordecai (Esther 10)......Page 217 The Joseph Narratives and the Book of Esther......Page 219 “All His Mighty and Powerful Acts Are Recorded” (10:2)......Page 222 “Dynamic Analogies” in the Book of Esther......Page 227 Changeover and Reversal......Page 241 From “Literary Carnivalesque” Genre to “Theological Carnivalesque” Genre......Page 242 Attitude toward Women......Page 249 Attitude toward Honor......Page 250 Attitude toward Exile......Page 251 Attitude toward God......Page 252 The Uniqueness of the Book of Esther......Page 253 Index of Authors......Page 256 Index of Scripture......Page 260