Harbour Lake Baptist Church
“Through The Bible In One Year”
Study Guide for “The Book of Esther”
1. Read the entire book of Esther by next Wednesday. (approx. 1-2 Chapters a day)
2. Answer the following Questions about the 2 major parts of Esther as you read:
a. Part One: The Threat to the Jews (Chapters 1 through 4):
1) Where was the royal throne of King Xerxes located? (Esther 1:2)
2) Looking back, where had Nehemiah been a cupbearer to the King of Persia? (Nehemiah 1:1)
3) How long was the banquet that Xerxes held in the enclosed garden of his palace? (Esther 1:5)
4) Who was the queen of Persia while this banquet was going on? (Esther 1:9)
5) Why did Xerxes send for his queen to appear before him? (Esther 1:10-11)
6) How did Xerxes queen respond to his request? (Esther 1:12a)
7) How did Xerxes respond to the queen’s disobedience? (Esther 1:12b)
8) Why did Xerxes “counselors” advise him to take harsh action against Queen Vashti? (Esth 1:1718)
9) What was the punishment of Queen Vashti for her disrespect of her husband? (Esther 1:19)
10) What did the “counselors” of Xerxes hope to accomplish by this punishment? (Esther 1:20)
11) What was the name of Esther in her native Jewish tongue? (Esther 2:7)
12) Who was the uncle of Esther that raised her as his own child? (Esther 2:7)
13) Who was the “eunuch” in charge of the king’s harem for this contest to replace Vashti?
(Esther 2:3, 8)
14) Why did Esther not tell anyone that she was Jewish? (Esther 2:10)
15) How long did it take for a girl to be prepared for the king’s presence? (Esther 2:12)
16) Who did Esther use as her chief advisor during her “preparation” phase? (Esther 2:15)
17) When was Esther taken into the king for his “review” of her? (Esther 2:16)
18) What did king Xerxes do when he saw Esther? (Esther 2:17-18)
19) Why was Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate when he heard about an assassination plot?
(Esther 2:21; see Esther 2:10-11)
20) Who was plotting to kill king Xerxes? What were there position’s in the palace? (Esther 2:21)
21) Who did Mordecai tell and what happened to the men plotting the assassination attempt?
(Esther 2:22-23)
22) Who was Haman a descendant of? Why would this make him a natural enemy of the Jews?
(Esther 3:1; see 1Samuel 15:8 and 1Samuel 30:1-2)
23) Why did Haman get angry at Mordecai? (Esther 3:1-5)
24) What did Haman decide to do when he found out Mordecai was a Jew? (Esther 3:6)
25) What does it mean to “cast the pur”? (Esther 3:7)
26) What month did the “lots” fall on after they were cast? What did Haman want done on this
month?
(Esther 3:7-14)
27) What did Haman promise Xerxes that he would pay the men who killed the Jews? (Esther 7:9)
27) What did Mordecai and the Jews do when they learned a decree had been signed to their
demise?
(Esther 4:1-3)
28) Who did Esther send to Mordecai to find out why he was so upset? (Esther 4:5-6)
29) What did Mordecai ask Esther to do on behalf of the Jewish people? (Esther 4:8)
30) What was the danger to Esther if she approached the king without being summoned to him?
(Esther 4:11)
31) What is the famous question that Mordecai sent back to Esther to encourage her to approach
Xerxes without being summoned? (Esther 4:14)
32) What did Esther want Mordecai and all the Jews in Susa to do before she went to the king?
(Esther 4:16)
b. Part Two: The Triumph of the Jews (Chapters 5 through 10):
1) What did king Xerxes hold out to Esther when she approached his throne? (Esther 5:2)
2) How do you know that God was behind Xerxes “kindness” toward Esther? (see Proverbs 21:1)
3) What did Esther ask the king when he offered her almost whatever she wanted? (Esther 5:3-4)
4) What did Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and his friends tell him to do with Mordecai? (Esther 5:14)
5) What did Xerxes find in his records when he had trouble sleeping? (Esther 6:1-2)
6) Who is the one who gave the king the “best way” to honor Mordecai? (Esther 6:6-10)
7) What did Haman have to proclaim throughout the city as he led Mordecai on horseback?
(Esther 6:11)
8) What was the petition of Esther that she made when the king asked for it? (Esther 7:3)
9) What did Haman do when the king left the presence of Esther in a rage? (Esther 7:7)
10) What did Xerxes think Haman was doing when he returned to the banquet hall? (Esther 7:8)
11) What happened to Haman? (Esther 7:10)
12) What does God’s Word promise happens to those who plot evil against the innocent?
(see Proverbs 1:10-18)
13) Who inherited the estate of Haman? Who became the proprietor of Haman’s estate? (Esther
8:1-2)
14) Why did Esther fall at Xerxes feet to beg him to do? (Esther 8:3-6)
15) Why could Xerxes not simply revoke his previous decree to have Jews killed? (Esther 8:8)
16) Why do you believe that Xerxes was led by God to supply everything Esther and Mordecai
requested from him? (see Philippians 4:19)
17) Who wrote the NEW decree of Xerxes giving the Jews permission to assemble and protect
themselves from any attacks based on the first decree? (Esther 8:10-12)
18) Why did many people of other nationalities become Jews after this NEW edict? (Esther 8:17)
19) What happened on the 13th day of Adar, when the two decrees were carried out? (Esther 9:5)
20) What additional requests did Queen Esther have for Xerxes to decree? (Esther 9:12-13)
21) How many enemies of the Jewish people were killed during the twelfth and thirteenth day of
Adar?
How much of the plunder of the enemies of the Jews did the Jewish people take? (Esther
9:14-17)
22) On what day of the 12th month (Adar) did the “rural” Jews rest with a day of feasting and joy?
(Esther 9:17)
23) On what day of the 12th month (Adar) did the Jews “in Susa” rest with a day of feasting and
joy?
(Esther 9:17)
24) Mordecai ordered the Jews to celebrate their “rescue” on the 14th and 15th days of Adar
annually by
doing what? (Esther 9:22)
25) What are these days of feasting and celebration called today amongst the Jewish people?
(Esther 9:26)
26) Who did Mordecai and Esther “decree” should remember and observe the feast of Purim
annually?
(Esther 9:28)
27) What position did Mordecai eventually have? (Esther 10:3a)
28) Why was Mordecai held in high esteem by many of his fellow Jews? (Esther 10:3b)
so
29) What is a basic principle of Scripture that summarizes why Esther and Mordecai were treated
well by the Persians who reigned over them? (Esther 10:3; see Proverbs 16:7)