"Bible Characters" is now called "Bible Characters" and has moved from Teaching the Bible to Bible Overview, where you will also find the overview of the Bible books in which these characters appear.

This month, Bible scholar Mary Jane Chapin Chaignot focuses on Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther.

Ezra

Bible Characters...

• Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron, brother of Moses.
• "Ezra" is a shortened form of Azariah, which means "Yahweh has helped."
• Ezra was well-versed in the law and the OT.
• He was a teacher by trade.
• Because the hand of God was upon him, the king (Artaxerxes) gave Ezra everything he wanted.
• Ezra arrived in Palestine in 458B.C.E.
• The journey took 119 days. He probably traveled approximately 900 miles, going northwest along the Euphrates River, then south.
• 1496 men accompanied Ezra to Jerusalem (women and children were not counted).
• He fasted before the journey, trusting God would keep them safe.
• They traveled with a great amount of money; robbers were plentiful.
• 650 talents of silver would have weighed 49,000 pounds; 100 talents of gold would have weighed 7,500 pounds. These enormous sums amounted to millions of dollars.
• All the money transactions were recorded in writing.
• Ezra and his entourage did have a safe journey, and when the treasures were counted out, not a penny was missing.
• Ezra devoted himself to the study of the law - not just intellectually, but in his heart as well.
• His goal was to unite Judah when he arrived.
• Ezra had been in Jerusalem for 4 ½ months when the problem of intermarriage was brought to his attention.
• He immediately tore his clothes, which was a sign of distress and grief.
• He also pulled out his hair (there's no precedent for that action) and repeatedly threw himself down on the ground.
• He also prayed and fasted.
• The people watched his response and trembled in fear.
• Ezra reacted so strongly because he wanted them to understand the seriousness of this offense.
• In Ezra's eyes, this was a national failure.
• He never spoke about the issue, but waited for the people to draw their own conclusion.
• A local leader spoke up, renouncing the practice.
• Only then did Ezra get up and help them do what had already been suggested.
• All the people gathered and agreed to separate themselves from foreign wives (and their resulting children), but because of the rain, there were practical difficulties and it took some time to put it into effect.
• The work was completed within three months and involved about 100 couples.
• Ezra is mentioned once in Nehemiah, but scholars aren't sure if this is accurate.

Nehemiah

Bible Characters...

• The name Nehemiah means "the comfort of Yahweh."
• The city walls of Jerusalem had been in disrepair for over 140 years before Nehemiah came on the scene.
• Not having a city wall meant that the people were defenseless against enemies.
• Nehemiah heard about the pathetic situation in Jerusalem from his brother.
• Upon hearing the news, he mourned, fasted, and prayed.
• He prayed for a successful mission.
• Nehemiah was the cupbearer for the king.
• As cupbearer, Nehemiah had great influence with the king.
• Cupbearer means "one who gives something to drink."
• The king would have had complete confidence and faith in Nehemiah.
• Four months after hearing the news about Jerusalem, Nehemiah could hide his feelings no longer. (Or maybe he just bided his time, waiting for the right moment to bring up his idea before the king.)
• Attendants to the king were expected to be cheerful at all times; Nehemiah was "gloomy" and the king wanted to know why.
• Though the question made Nehemiah "fearful in his heart," he answered honestly (knowing full well that previous kings had stopped Jewish efforts to rebuild the wall [See Ezra 4:17-23]).
• The king was sympathetic and asked how long he would be gone (it turned out to be 12 years).
• The king appointed Nehemiah governor of Judah.
• The king gave Nehemiah letters of approval for safe conduct and for timber from the King's forest to be used for reconstruction of the wall.
• Accompanied by a court escort, Nehemiah went straight to Sanballat and Tobiah, governors of Trans-Euphrates.
• Both individuals were "upset" by Nehemiah's arrival and the work he was about to undertake.
• Nehemiah toured the wall late at night with a few men, no doubt to determine the extent of the damage and what would be needed for repairs.
• The people had accepted their plight; Nehemiah's main job was to motivate and inspire them.
• He provided the vision and the leadership to get the job done.
• Scholars' estimate the size of the wall to have ranged from 2 ½ miles to just under 2 miles, enclosing between 90 and 220 acres.
• Everyone pitched in to help - from the high priests to perfume makers (even women). God's people were all working together.
• Sanballat and Tobiah taunted the Jews, hoping to discourage them.
• Rather than take action against their insults, Nehemiah called on God to wreak vengeance on them.
• When the wall was half done, word came that Sanballat was about to attack. Nehemiah posted guards throughout the night.
• Knowing that he had lost the element of surprise, Sanballat's attack never materialized.
• Workers spent the night in Jerusalem, ½ working on the wall, ½ guarding it.
• This caused great economic hardship for the really poor Jews.
• They had to borrow money from their wealthier counterparts, who were charging them interest, taking their properties, and selling their children into slavery.
• When Nehemiah heard what was going on, he was furious.
• He made the officials, priests, and nobles give everything back to the poor.
• Just to make sure they understood the gravity of the situation, Nehemiah personally refused to assess any taxes for his own support.
• When Sanballat tried to entice Nehemiah to a meeting that would have the effect of delaying his work, Nehemiah rebuffed him.
• He had greater matters to attend to and did not mince his words.
• His clear sense of purpose enabled him to avoid a trap involving the use of a prophet.
• Because he never wavered in his goal, his leadership was not discredited.
• The people worked for him night and day, and completed the wall in 52 days.
• This had a remarkable effect upon their enemies who realized that God was behind the work. (The walls had been destroyed for 140 years, and rebuilt in less than 2 months, once a true leader inspired the people.)
• Tobiah had strong connections to Jewish leaders and kept getting information from them. He tried to use it to intimidate Nehemiah.
• Once the wall was completed, the festivities began - first a reading of the law, then fasting and praying, finally a celebration of Feasts that had not been celebrated for many years.
• Because most people lived in the countryside, lots were cast to have 1 out of 10 families move back to the city.
• Scholars estimate the population of Jerusalem to be between 4,800 and 8,000 people, a far cry from the 20,000 before the exile.
• After being in Judah for 12 years, Nehemiah returned to the king for an unspecified period of time. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
• When he returned, he discovered Tobiah had been given a chamber in the temple.
• He threw out all of Tobiah's belongings and ordered the temple to be purified.
• He also discovered that the portions assigned to the Levites had not been given to them. In order to survive, many had gone back to farming and were not taking care of the temple. Needless to say, this situation was immediately rectified.
• People were also abusing the Sabbath day of rest by continuing to do business with their neighbors. Nehemiah quickly put an end to such activity and made the people purify themselves.
• Last but not least, he tackled the problem of mixed marriages, by attacking some of the men and pulling out their hair.
• Then all the priests and Levites were purified and assigned specific duties.
• Nehemiah's last word is a prayer that God would remember him with favor.

Esther

Bible Characters...

• The events in the Book of Esther were purported to take place during the reign of the Persian monarch, Xerxes who reigned from 486-465BCE.
• Esther's ancestors had been among those taken into exile in 587BCE.
• Her lineage went back to the tribe of Benjamin.
• Esther had a Hebrew name, Hadassah, which meant "myrtle."
• "Esther" is a Persian name, meaning "Star."
• Her Persian name sounds suspiciously like the goddess, Ishtar. (That would describe Esther as both a grand goddess and a humble "flower.")
• Esther was an orphan, raised by her cousin, Mordecai.
• Mordecai told Esther to keep her Jewish identity secret. (Generally, Jews did not marry Gentiles. In this case, it was attributed to the providence of God at work.)
• Esther found favor in the King's eunuch who took special interest in preparing her for her audience with the King.
• She did not request any unusual ornamentation for her presentation to the King, but relied upon her natural beauty.
• The King immediately loved Esther, and the search for a new Queen ended that night.
• A great wedding feast ensued for all the nobles and officials.
• Esther passed along information from Mordecai that averted an assassination attempt against the King.
• When Esther was told that Mordecai was in mourning (wearing sackcloth), she sent new clothes for him to wear.
• When he refused, she sent one of the King's eunuchs to find out what was wrong.
• Mordecai gave Esther a copy of the decree that was circulating in Susa.
• Esther hadn't been called to see the King for a month. She might have thought the King had tired of her.
• If someone approached the King uninvited, they were likely to be killed - unless the King pardoned them by extending his scepter.
• Esther did not know if the King would pardon her, or have her killed.
• In preparation for her going to the King, Esther asked Mordecai to have all the Jews fast for three days. She and her maids would also fast. (Notice the absence of any mention of prayer.)
• She was willing to risk her life to save her people. (Scholars think Esther could have made an appointment to see the King, but perhaps going through channels would have taken too long.)
• On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood before the King.
• He was happy to see her, and held out the royal scepter to her (thereby pardoning her).
• She invited the King and Haman to a banquet later that day.
• The King asked Esther several times what she wanted from him. He offered up to half his kingdom, though this might not have been meant literally.
• Rather than respond to his question, Esther invited them to another banquet the following day.
• During the second banquet, the King asked Esther again what she wanted. This time she did not hold back.
• She asked that the King spare her life and the lives of her people - thereby revealing her true identity.
• She accused Haman of being an adversary and an enemy.
• She told the King she would never have bothered him if it had been a trivial matter.
• The King stormed out of the room, and Haman immediately started "falling on Esther's couch to beg for mercy."
• Unfortunately, just then the King reappeared and accused Haman of attempting to molest the Queen.
• The King's angry words were a virtual death sentence for Haman, and he was hanged.
• Upon Haman's death, the King gave his estate to Esther.
• Only then did Esther reveal her relationship to Mordecai. The King also honored him, so Esther appointed Mordecai over Haman's estate.
• Because the decree remained in force, Esther once again pleaded with the King. She asked him to "overturn" the order, placing the blame squarely on Haman's evil intentions and not on the King.
• The King gave her and Mordecai permission to write a new order, which they did. The new order gave the Jews permission to "defend themselves." It was almost a word-for-word rendition of Haman's decree - with a different focus.
• After the initial slaughter, the King asked Esther if she wanted anything else. He reported to her the success of the mission in Susa.
• Esther asked for a one-day extension in Susa, and that Haman's 10 dead sons would be hanged on his 75-foot gallows. (The King seemed to have little regard for the fact that a minority people were killing his subjects; he only wanted to please his Queen.)
• Esther and Mordecai wrote an order authorizing Jews to celebrate these two days as the Feast of Purim in commemoration of the day when Jews got relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned to joy, and when their mourning turned into celebrating.

Bibliography

Allen, L, and T. Laniak, "Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther." New International Biblical     Commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Press. 2003.

Alter, Robert and Frank Kermode. The Literary Guide to the Bible. Cambridge, MA:      Belknap Press. 1987.

Bechtel, Carol. "Esther." Interpretation. Atlanta: John Knox Press,1989.

Fensham, F. Charles. "The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah." The New International      Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans. 1982.

Holmgren, Fredrick Carlson. "Israel Alive Again." International Theological      Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans. 1987.

Huey, F.B. "Esther". The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI:      Zondervan Publishing, 1988. Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor.

Mills, Watson and Richard Wilson. Mercer Commentary on the Bible. Macon, GA:      Mercer University Press, 1995.

McConville, J.G. "Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther." The Daily Study Bible Series.      Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1985.

Throntveit, Mark. "Ezra-Nehemiah." Interpretation. Atlanta: John Knox Press. 1989.