THE STORY of Esther, a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia, is the origin of the Purim holiday, celebrating the salvation of the Jewish people from Haman, a key advisor to Xerxes, the king.
In today’s #MeToo culture, however, the story has been hijacked by our 21st century Western worldview. We discuss the differences between Esther and the deposed queen Vashti; obvious changes to the Book of Esther in the Septuagint translation; and why Esther wouldn’t have been in a position to help her people if she hadn’t been subservient to Xerxes and her cousin and guardian, Mordecai.