Esther

A Jewish woman, also called Hadassah, cousin and ward of Mordecai, chosen by Ahasuerus (Xerxes) as queen in the seventh year of his reign (Esther 2:7,16-17). At Mordecai’s urging she approached the king at the risk of her life, saying, ‘If I perish, I perish’ (Esther 4:15-16), and exposed Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews (Esther 7:1-6). Her birth and death are not stated in the text; the bar reflects the period of the events recorded in the book.

Historical dating — generally accepted

Scripture