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Who Was Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther?
Sometimes comparing Bible translations raises interesting questions. Consider how the NIV and ESV introduce the king in Esther 1:1: Translation Esther 1:1 NIV “This is what happened during the time of Xerxes…” ESV “Now in the days of Ahasuerus…” At first glance, these translations seem to identify two different kings. Was Esther married to Xerxes or Ahasuerus? Ahasuerus, Xerxes, or Artaxerxes? The Hebrew text calls the king אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ (ʾAḥašwērōš), traditionally rendered Ahasuerus in English. This Hebrew form corresponds to the Old Persian name Xšayāršā, which Greek writers rendered as Xerxes. The ESV therefore preserves the form found in the Hebrew text, while the NIV uses the king’s more familiar historical name. It is not that the king possessed two unrelated names. Rather, the same Persian name took different forms as it passed into Hebrew and Greek: Thus, both translations identify the same ruler: Xerxes I, the son and successor of…
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Who was Haman the Agagite?
The story of Esther takes place during the reign of King Xerxes. In Esther 3:1 we are introduced to Haman the Agagite, who is promoted within King Xerxes’ retinue to second in command. Immediately following the introduction of Haman into the narrative, we find out that since Mordecai does not bow before him, Haman wants to destroy not only Mordecai, but Mordecai’s entire race—the Jews! This desire to destroy the Jews is not a passing fancy for Haman. He follows through with his desire and pays off the king to make a decree that all the Jews be destroyed (Esther 3:8-11). The Family Lineage of Haman the Agagite Haman is clearly portrayed as a violent individual, and yet, it seems there may be more to the story. Some scholars have noted that the term “Agagite” is rare, and it is likely related to the king of the Amalekites. This connection…