The Jewish Queen of Persia

Bow_Down_EarThis week is Purim, a celebration that honors YHWH, the living God of the Bible and a young Jewish maiden who changed the course of history. The maiden’s Hebrew name was Hadassah which means myrtle, but most of us know her by her Persian name of Esther or star.

 It’s the story of a young girl with a courageous heart who answered the call when others would or could not, a story of one who was willing to sacrifice her place amongst the people she loved in order to protect them. You know, we often focus on Hadassah’s bravery as queen when approaching the king unannounced, but seldom do we appreciate the sacrifice she made for her people long before that day arrived.

 You see, Hadassah, in order to be considered a potential future queen of Persia, had to be willing to sacrifice her virtue and her place amongst her own people. This was not just a beauty pageant where the losers got to go home with a consolation prize. The best she could hope for in a second place finish was concubine to the king, forever an outcast without respect and place amongst her own people.

 But that is not how it turned out. Hadassah’s bravery and her love for her people changed the history of the Jewish people and those efforts even reached across the ages to touch the lives of you and me. Can you imagine what the history of the Jewish people might have been had Hadassah not acted? To be sure, YHWH could have raised up another brave soul to take her place in order to fulfill His redemptive plan for mankind, but surely the historical landscape would have changed.

 Today I’d like to give you a unique glimpse of how YHWH used Hadassah to change the history of the Jewish and Persian people. The history we will explore in this article is a little known aspect of that Jewish / Persian history which finds roots in the superstitions surrounding the number 13 and the celebration of April Fool’s day.

Hadassah-by-PoussinOf Superstitions, Heroines, and April Fools

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.”—Acts 17:22–23


Most of us are probably familiar with the fear and “bad luck” associated with the number 13. But have you ever wondered about it origins? It may surprise you to learn that there is historical evidence to suggest that the superstitions related to the number 13 find their origins in the Biblcial story of Esther. Even superstitions have a kernel of truth to be found if one digs deep enough so let’s look and see if we can find the truth behind the ill omens and bad luck surrounding the number 13. I think the history may surprise you.

Back in Time
Let’s go back in history to one of the first associations between the number 13 and bad luck. Back before Mary Kay become engrossed with the number 13; before Napoleon Bonaparte, J. Paul Getty, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt became superstitious; before 13 became associated with American Masonic lore; before Jacques de Molay was murdered on Friday the 13th; before the Knights Templar; before Yeshua and His 12 apostles—back five hundred years to a biblical story of revenge, betrayal, heroism, and the number 13.

Casting Pur
This is the story of our young Jewish heroine who risked her life to save her people from certain destruction, a story that began in the first month of the twelfth year of the Persian King Ahasuerus, when a villain named Haman started casting pur (lots) to find a good day to kill all the Jews in the kingdom of Persia. Twelve months later, Haman approached King Ahasuerus with a story that a certain people group in his kingdom were subversives. If it pleased the king, Haman would solve the Jewish problem in the kingdom of Persia once and for all.

In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar. (Esther 3:7)

And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring. (Esther 3:11–12)

King Ahasuerus listened to Haman’s advice, and the following month, in the 13th year of King Ahasuerus’s reign, on the 13th day of the 13th month from when the first lot was cast, Ahasuerus granted Haman permission to destroy the Jewish people. So the decree was sent out and the date of destruction was set for the 13th day of Adar in the 13th year of Ahasuerus.

We know from the biblical account that Hadassah (Esther) intervened, Haman was hanged, and the king issued another decree that allowed the Jewish people to defend themselves from their enemies. So instead of a day of sorrow and loss, the 13th day of Adar became a day of deliverance and joy. But the story doesn’t end there. Hadassah petitioned the king to allow the Jewish people who lived in the Persian capital of Shushan to pursue their enemies on the 14th day as well.

Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar. (Esther 8:11–12)

But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof. (Esther 9:18)

So 2500 years ago, the 13th and 14th days of Adar in the 13th year of a Persian king became one of the most celebrated events in Jewish history. In the festival of Purim, these days commemorate the deliverance of the Jewish people by the hand of YHWH through the efforts of a young Jewish queen of Persia.

On the thirteenth day of the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting and gladness. (Esther 9:17–18)

And Now for the Rest of the Story . . .
About the same time this biblical story was unfolding, a Persian tradition records the commemoration of a day of ill omen and bad luck. The Persian New Year celebration of Nowruz, literally “new light,” begins in the spring about the time of the spring equinox. This New Year’s celebration is twelve days long, leading up to the 13th day of the Persian new year. On this day, Persians celebrate Sizdah-bedar, which literally means “getting rid of” or “getting past” 13. You see, they believed that if they could get past the 13th day without anything bad happening, they were home free for the rest of the year. In modern times, Persians celebrate the day by visiting the countryside and playing practical jokes on each other. This has led some to speculate that this day may be the origin of April Fool’s Day.

An April Fool
In stunning irony, Sizdah-bedar was likely the very day upon which King Ahasuerus granted Haman permission to kill all the Jews of Persia. In true April Fool’s fashion, the joke was on Haman. An entire race of people were marked for death on Sizdah-bedar, the day of “getting rid of 13,” due to the hatred of one man—a man we now know as history’s greatest April fool.

So next time Purim or April Fool’s Day comes around, give a thought to an ancient Persian superstition regarding the number 13 and how YHWH used a pur to mark this day in infamy. A day meant for the death and destruction of the Jewish people was instead turned into a celebration of deliverance that has been commemorated every year, for the past 2500 years, on the 13th, 14th,, and 15th days of Adar.

The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of YHWH. (Proverbs 16:33)

Not Given to the Spirit of Fear
I think there is a lesson to be learned from this little bit of history. First, we should remember that it only takes one person to make a big difference in the world. Second, as believers, we shouldn’t be afraid of unreasonable fears, superstitions, or unfounded conspiracy theories. In Biblical and Jewish history the number 13 has no superstitious or sinister connotation. In fact, as I have shown in The 13th Enumeration: The Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism, the number 13 is one of the most profound examples of Messianic symbolism found in the Bible.

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” —2 Timothy 1:7

*     *     *Chapter-8

For those who would like to understand the deeper Biblical context of Hadassah, Ahasuerus, and the 2nd temple era, you can read for free Chapter 8 – Queen of 127 Provinces from my book Daniel’s 70 Weeks: The Keystone of Bible Prophecy. Click on the image or follow the link here: Queen of 127 Provinces

Book 1
Book I - Description

The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."

Book 2
Book 2 - Description

Daniel's 70 Weeks -
"A book that will forever change how you understand the Bible's greatest Messianic prophecy."

Book 3
Book 3 - Description

The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."

 

 

 

6 thoughts on “The Jewish Queen of Persia

  1. Lawrence

    First Purim 12(Adar)/13(Feb 23)/562 BC

    Jeconiah released from prison 12(Adar)27(March 9)/562 BC

    Esther became queen 569 BC and boy Cyrus lived with her at that time.

    Eugene Faulstich, Ruthven IA Bible Chronology and The Scientific Method

    Reply
  2. Christopher Savarimuthu

    Thank you, sir, for this article. It is highly informative and thoroughly interesting to know about these historical events. I like this lady Esther.

    Reply

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