1. Israel’s failure in the Scroll of Esther to observe Pesach
2. Pesach: the Banquet of Redemption and Reconciliation
3. On the 7th day the King ordered his Queen to appear before him
4. Queen Vashti’s Refusal
5. Vashti’s Successor Sought
6. Hadassah-Esther finds favor with the King
7. Hadassah-Esther becomes Queen of 7 and 120 Provinces

Israel’s failure in the Scroll of Esther to observe Pesach:

The  people of Israel chose of their own free-will to attend the Lion-King’s banquet—to join themselves to the secular and pagan world—instead of faithfully observing the Pesach of the God of Israel. This means our people got in trouble in the first place by failing to observe Pesach. Fidelity in the Torah is measured by obedience:

“If you love Me you will keep My commandments.”

Israel’s love language to Adonai (the LORD) is obedience. Israel’s language of infidelity to Adonai is disobedience. Messiah taught us that the Spirit of the Holy One convicts us of sin (chametz):

וְהָיָה כִּי־יָבֹא וְהוֹכִיחַ אֶת־הָעוֹלָם עַל־דְּבַר הַחֵטְא וְהַצֶּדֶק וְהַמִּשְׁפָּט׃ עַל־הַחֵטְא כִּי לֹא־הֶאֱמִינוּ בִי׃ וְעַל־הַצֶּדֶק כִּי אֵלֵךְ אֶל־אָבִי וְלֹא תוֹסִיפוּ לִרְאוֹת אֹתִי׃ וְעַל־הַמִּשְׁפָּט כִּי נִדּוֹן שַׂר הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה׃

“When He [the Spirt of the Holy One] comes, He will rebuke (convict) the world regarding sin, righteousness, and justice: regarding righteousness, for I will go to the Father and you will no longer see me; and regarding justice, for the ruler of this world is judged.”

What sin is it that the Messiah is referring to here? It is the sin of our nation and our people’s unbelief. We have sinned because we have thus far failed to believe as a nation and a people in the true Korban Pesach of God (the Lamb of God). As was the case in the time of righteous Mordecai and Esther:

Israel has failed to attend (in full faith) the Pesach and Chag HaMatzot of the LORD our God.

By our rejecting the sacrifice of the true Korban Pesach of God we have failed to observe the true meaning of Pesach, Chag HaMatzot, HaBikkurim, and Shavuot. However, there continues to be opportunity to rectify this mistake. For according to the Torah there still remains to the people and nation of Israel:

The blessed promise of the second Passover (Pesach Sheni) of Messiah.

Therefore, our heavenly Father will never stop holding out his arms open wide to us that we might do teshuvah and be reconciled to Him. For the reason of God’s promise of His “second chance” in the good news of the Pesach Sheni we Jewish followers of Rabbi Yeshua believe in the near future all of our nation and our people of Israel will come to believe in the Messiah Yeshua and be forever reconciled to our Father in heaven.

Then will the Messiah of God return to Israel.

For it is written [prophesied]:

ירושלים, ירושלים, ההורגת את הנביאים וסוקלת את השלוחים אליה, כמה פעמים חפצתי לקבץ את בניך כתרנגלת המקבצת את אפרוחיה תחת כנפיה ולא רציתם. הנה ביתכם ינטש לכם, ואני אומר לכם: מעתה לא תראוני עד אשר תאמרו ‘ברוך הבא בשם ה’! פ

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones the shlichim (emissaries) who are sent to her! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a mother bird draws her children under her wings and you were unwilling (lit. never wanted this). Behold your House is being left desolate to you! For I say to you, from now on you will not see me *until you say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

*This statement is God’s (provisional) promise to Israel of His giving us a  second chance to (spiritually: in Spirit and truth) observe His festival of Pesach.

Thereafter, the Messiah of God will remove the chametz not only from Israel’s own house but he shall also begin to remove all of the chametz from all of the other houses of all the nations, peoples, and families of the earth. So in the near future Messiah and Israel will remove the sin of all the world through our zealously offering to all of the Gentiles our heavenly Father’s generous invitation to attend His Banquet of Pesach—-God’s Banquet of Redemption, Reconciliation, and Unity.

Once cleansed from all of their sins (the Gentiles) by exercising sincere faith in the redemptive sacrifice of God’s true Messiah and his sovereign rule over all the earth, all of the nations and peoples of the world will observe Shavuot. Then through the restitution of all things Jew and Gentile will dwell together (Sukkot) in international peace, wholeness, wellness, and happiness (Shelamim and Shalom) throughout the (1,000 year) messianic era of Israel and the Commonwealth of Israel.

This means: our (Israel’s) present enmity with the Gentile world will come to an end and be replaced with universal cooperation and friendship. The Messiah will replace the world’s present Banquet of Unbelief with God’s Banquet of Redemption, Reconciliation and Unity.

Pesach: the Banquet of Redemption and Reconciliation:

Attendance at Pesach is mandatory. Refusal to believe in the Lamb of Elohim who takes away the sin of the world results in one’s sins remaining upon him or her. Now both Jew and Gentile must exercise true faith in the Korban Pesach if their/our sins are to be forgiven. All humankind can now receive forgiveness of sin by spiritually attending Pesach; and the gift of the *Indwelling Presence of the Holy Spirit by attending Shavuot.

*Living Torah.

On the 7th day the King ordered his Queen to appear before him:

At the banquet, on the seventh day, the king desired to have his Queen present. He sent for Vashti who publicly insulted the king by refusing to appear before him as he had commanded. At the counsel of his wise men, Ahasuerus had Vashti banished from his kingdom and three and one half years later, on the 10th month, Tevet (479/478 BCE) there appeared before him the beautiful Jewess virgin Hadassah, whom the Lion-King made his Queen.

Queen Vashti’s Refusal:

בַּיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי כְּטֹוב לֵב־הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּיָּיִן אָמַר לִמְהוּמָן בִּזְּתָא חַרְבֹונָא בִּגְתָא וַאֲבַגְתָא זֵתַר וְכַרְכַּס שִׁבְעַת הַסָּרִיסִים הַמְשָׁרְתִים אֶת־פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹֽושׁ׃ לְהָבִיא אֶת־וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּכֶתֶר מַלְכוּת לְהַרְאֹות הָֽעַמִּים וְהַשָּׂרִים אֶת־יָפְיָהּ כִּֽי־טֹובַת מַרְאֶה הִֽיא׃ וַתְּמָאֵן הַמַּלְכָּה וַשְׁתִּי לָבֹוא בִּדְבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּיַד הַסָּרִיסִים וַיִּקְצֹף הַמֶּלֶךְ מְאֹד וַחֲמָתֹו בָּעֲרָה בֹֽו׃

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ לַחֲכָמִים יֹדְעֵי הָֽעִתִּים כִּי־כֵן דְּבַר הַמֶּלֶךְ לִפְנֵי כָּל־יֹדְעֵי דָּת וָדִֽין׃ וְהַקָּרֹב אֵלָיו כַּרְשְׁנָא שֵׁתָר אַדְמָתָא תַרְשִׁישׁ מֶרֶס מַרְסְנָא מְמוּכָן שִׁבְעַת שָׂרֵי פָּרַס וּמָדַי רֹאֵי פְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ הַיֹּשְׁבִים רִאשֹׁנָה בַּמַּלְכֽוּת׃ כְּדָת מַֽה־לַּעֲשֹׂות בַּמַּלְכָּה וַשְׁתִּי עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־עָשְׂתָה אֶֽת־מַאֲמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹושׁ בְּיַד הַסָּרִיסִֽים׃

Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times—for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king’s presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom— “According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 

וַיֹּאמֶר מומכן לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים לֹא עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לְבַדֹּו עָוְתָה וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה כִּי עַל־כָּל־הַשָּׂרִים וְעַל־כָּל־הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּכָל־מְדִינֹות הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹֽושׁ׃ כִּֽי־יֵצֵא דְבַר־הַמַּלְכָּה עַל־כָּל־הַנָּשִׁים לְהַבְזֹות בַּעְלֵיהֶן בְּעֵינֵיהֶן בְּאָמְרָם הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹושׁ אָמַר לְהָבִיא אֶת־וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה לְפָנָיו וְלֹא־בָֽאָה׃ וְֽהַיֹּום הַזֶּה תֹּאמַרְנָה שָׂרֹות פָּֽרַס־וּמָדַי אֲשֶׁר שָֽׁמְעוּ אֶת־דְּבַר הַמַּלְכָּה לְכֹל שָׂרֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וּכְדַי בִּזָּיֹון וָקָֽצֶף׃ אִם־עַל־הַמֶּלֶךְ טֹוב יֵצֵא דְבַר־מַלְכוּת מִלְּפָנָיו וְיִכָּתֵב בְּדָתֵי פָֽרַס־וּמָדַי וְלֹא יַעֲבֹור אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־תָבֹוא וַשְׁתִּי לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹושׁ וּמַלְכוּתָהּ יִתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ לִרְעוּתָהּ הַטֹּובָה מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ וְנִשְׁמַע פִּתְגָם הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲשֶֽׁר־יַעֲשֶׂה בְּכָל־מַלְכוּתֹו כִּי רַבָּה הִיא וְכָל־הַנָּשִׁים יִתְּנוּ יְקָר לְבַעְלֵיהֶן לְמִגָּדֹול וְעַד־קָטָֽן׃

In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. For the queen’s conduct will become known to all the women causing them to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.’ This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s conduct will speak in the same way to all the king’s princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. If it pleases the king, let a royal edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another who is more worthy than she. When the king’s edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great as it is, then all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small.”

וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהַשָּׂרִים וַיַּעַשׂ הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּדְבַר מְמוּכָֽן׃ וַיִּשְׁלַח סְפָרִים אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינֹות הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה כִּכְתָבָהּ וְאֶל־עַם וָעָם כִּלְשֹׁונֹו לִהְיֹות כָּל־אִישׁ שֹׂרֵר בְּבֵיתֹו וּמְדַבֵּר כִּלְשֹׁון עַמֹּֽו׃

This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. So he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.

Vashti’s Successor Sought:

אַחַר הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה כְּשֹׁךְ חֲמַת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹושׁ זָכַר אֶת־וַשְׁתִּי וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂתָה וְאֵת אֲשֶׁר־נִגְזַר עָלֶֽיהָ׃ וַיֹּאמְרוּ נַעֲרֵֽי־הַמֶּלֶךְ מְשָׁרְתָיו יְבַקְשׁוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ נְעָרֹות בְּתוּלֹות טֹובֹות מַרְאֶֽה׃ וְיַפְקֵד הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּקִידִים בְּכָל־מְדִינֹות מַלְכוּתֹו וְיִקְבְּצוּ אֶת־כָּל־נַעֲרָֽה־בְתוּלָה טֹובַת מַרְאֶה אֶל־שׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה אֶל־בֵּית הַנָּשִׁים אֶל־יַד הֵגֶא סְרִיס הַמֶּלֶךְ שֹׁמֵר הַנָּשִׁים וְנָתֹון תַּמְרוּקֵיהֶֽן׃ וְהַֽנַּעֲרָה אֲשֶׁר תִּיטַב בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ תִּמְלֹךְ תַּחַת וַשְׁתִּי וַיִּיטַב הַדָּבָר בְּעֵינֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיַּעַשׂ כֵּֽן׃

After these things when the anger of King Ahasuerus had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. Then the king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king. Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Shushan, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them. Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti.” And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

אִישׁ יְהוּדִי הָיָה בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה וּשְׁמֹו מָרְדֳּכַי בֶּן יָאִיר בֶּן־שִׁמְעִי בֶּן־קִישׁ אִישׁ יְמִינִֽי׃ אֲשֶׁר הָגְלָה מִירוּשָׁלַיִם עִם־הַגֹּלָה אֲשֶׁר הָגְלְתָה עִם יְכָנְיָה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה אֲשֶׁר הֶגְלָה נְבוּכַדְנֶאצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶֽל׃ וַיְהִי אֹמֵן אֶת־הֲדַסָּה הִיא אֶסְתֵּר בַּת־דֹּדֹו כִּי אֵין לָהּ אָב וָאֵם וְהַנַּעֲרָה יְפַת־תֹּאַר וְטֹובַת מַרְאֶה וּבְמֹות אָבִיהָ וְאִמָּהּ לְקָחָהּ מָרְדֳּכַי לֹו לְבַֽת׃

Now there was at the citadel in Shushan a Yehudi whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite (lit. ‘man of the right’), who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled. He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

Hadassah-Esther finds favor with the King:

וַיְהִי בְּהִשָּׁמַע דְּבַר־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְדָתֹו וּֽבְהִקָּבֵץ נְעָרֹות רַבֹּות אֶל־שׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה אֶל־יַד הֵגָי וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל־בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־יַד הֵגַי שֹׁמֵר הַנָּשִֽׁים׃ וַתִּיטַב הַנַּעֲרָה בְעֵינָיו וַתִּשָּׂא חֶסֶד לְפָנָיו וַיְבַהֵל אֶת־תַּמְרוּקֶיהָ וְאֶת־מָנֹותֶהָ לָתֵת לָהּ וְאֵת שֶׁבַע הַנְּעָרֹות הָרְאֻיֹות לָֽתֶת־לָהּ מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיְשַׁנֶּהָ וְאֶת־נַעֲרֹותֶיהָ לְטֹוב בֵּית הַנָּשִֽׁים׃ לֹא־הִגִּידָה אֶסְתֵּר אֶת־עַמָּהּ וְאֶת־מֹֽולַדְתָּהּ כִּי מָרְדֳּכַי צִוָּה עָלֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תַגִּֽיד׃ וּבְכָל־יֹום וָיֹום מָרְדֳּכַי מִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי חֲצַר בֵּית־הַנָּשִׁים לָדַעַת אֶת־שְׁלֹום אֶסְתֵּר וּמַה־יֵּעָשֶׂה בָּֽהּ׃

So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Shushan into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and food, gave her seven choice maids from the king’s palace and transferred her and her maids to the best place in the harem. Esther did not make known her people or her kindred, for Mordecai had instructed her that she should not make them known. Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

וּבְהַגִּיעַ תֹּר נַעֲרָה וְנַעֲרָה לָבֹוא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹושׁ מִקֵּץ הֱיֹות לָהּ כְּדָת הַנָּשִׁים שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ כִּי כֵּן יִמְלְאוּ יְמֵי מְרוּקֵיהֶן שִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים בְּשֶׁמֶן הַמֹּר וְשִׁשָּׁה חֳדָשִׁים בַּבְּשָׂמִים וּבְתַמְרוּקֵי הַנָּשִֽׁים׃ וּבָזֶה הַֽנַּעֲרָה בָּאָה אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר יִנָּתֵֽן לָהּ לָבֹוא עִמָּהּ מִבֵּית הַנָּשִׁים עַד־בֵּית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ בָּעֶרֶב הִיא בָאָה וּבַבֹּקֶר הִיא שָׁבָה אֶל־בֵּית הַנָּשִׁים שֵׁנִי אֶל־יַד שַֽׁעֲשְׁגַז סְרִיס הַמֶּלֶךְ שֹׁמֵר הַפִּֽילַגְשִׁים לֹא־תָבֹוא עֹוד אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי אִם־חָפֵץ בָּהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ וְנִקְרְאָה בְשֵֽׁם׃

Now when the turn of each lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months (שניים עשר חודשים) under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months (שישה חודשים) with oil of myrrh and six months (שישה חודשים) with spices and the cosmetics for women—the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. In the evening she would go in and in the morning she would return to the second harem, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the concubines. She would not again go in to the king unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

וּבְהַגִּיעַ תֹּר־אֶסְתֵּר בַּת־אֲבִיחַיִל דֹּד מָרְדֳּכַי אֲשֶׁר לָקַֽח־לֹו לְבַת לָבֹוא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לֹא בִקְשָׁה דָּבָר כִּי אִם אֶת־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר הֵגַי סְרִיס־הַמֶּלֶךְ שֹׁמֵר הַנָּשִׁים וַתְּהִי אֶסְתֵּר נֹשֵׂאת חֵן בְּעֵינֵי כָּל־רֹאֶֽיהָ׃ וַתִּלָּקַח אֶסְתֵּר אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹושׁ אֶל־בֵּית מַלְכוּתֹו בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִי הוּא־חֹדֶשׁ טֵבֵת בִּשְׁנַת־שֶׁבַע לְמַלְכוּתֹֽו׃

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Avihail (בַּת־אֲבִיחַיִל-חַיִל-daughter of the Powerful Father) the uncle of Mordecai (מָרְדֳּכַי-Persian: Little Man; i.e. the Humble Man) who had taken her as his daughter, came to go in to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the women, advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus to his royal palace in the tenth month which is the month Teveth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Hadassah-Esther becomes Queen of 7 and 120 Provinces:

וַיֶּאֱהַב הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־אֶסְתֵּר מִכָּל־הַנָּשִׁים וַתִּשָּׂא־חֵן וָחֶסֶד לְפָנָיו מִכָּל־הַבְּתוּלֹת וַיָּשֶׂם כֶּֽתֶר־מַלְכוּת בְּרֹאשָׁהּ וַיַּמְלִיכֶהָ תַּחַת וַשְׁתִּֽי׃ וַיַּעַשׂ הַמֶּלֶךְ מִשְׁתֶּה גָדֹול לְכָל־שָׂרָיו וַעֲבָדָיו אֵת מִשְׁתֵּה אֶסְתֵּר וַהֲנָחָה לַמְּדִינֹות עָשָׂה וַיִּתֵּן מַשְׂאֵת כְּיַד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

The king loved (אָהַב-ahav) Esther more than all the women, and she found favor (חֵן-chen) and kindness (חֶסֶד-chesed) with him more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king gave a Great Banquet (מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה ), Esther’s banquet (המשתה של אסתר), for all his princes and his servants; he also made a holiday (הֲנָחָה-a day of rest) for the provinces and gave gifts (מַשְׂאֵת) according to the king’s bounty.

וּבְהִקָּבֵץ בְּתוּלֹות שֵׁנִית וּמָרְדֳּכַי יֹשֵׁב בְּשַֽׁעַר־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ אֵין אֶסְתֵּר מַגֶּדֶת מֹֽולַדְתָּהּ וְאֶת־עַמָּהּ כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה עָלֶיהָ מָרְדֳּכָי וְאֶת־מַאֲמַר מָרְדֳּכַי אֶסְתֵּר עֹשָׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר הָיְתָה בְאָמְנָה אִתֹּֽו׃

When the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.

Hadassah, whose Jewish name means both “compassion [of God]” and “myrtle tree” (double meaning) was given a second Gentile name—Esther; whose name means “Star.” Hadassah was a descendant of *King Shaul ben Benyamin and his son Prince Yehonatan. Shaul was king of the ‘first’ royal administration of Israel. Jonathan was King David’s very best friend; ‘closer than a brother.’

*Hadassah’s ancestor King Shaul was previously ordered by God to annihilate all the Amalekites and he failed. He disobeyed God. Now, the Amalakite Haman was returning the favor by attempting to annihilate (genocide) all of the Yehudim (Jews).

Messiah in Purim Chapter 7 >>