Fun Facts About Esther:

• Esther is the only book in the whole Bible not to speak of God.
• Esther is the only book in the Old Testament that’s not also in the Dead Sea Scrolls, because lots of folks back in the day recognized that the story was meant to be fiction.
• Did we mention that the story is fiction?

I love the Book of Esther. I even love the Veggie Tales version of the story (at left), in which Esther is played by an asparagus.The Veggie Tales version is about courage, and that is what Esther demonstrated. The girl had moxie. She stood up to the king, and to the villain Haman, at great personal risk. She could have been killed–or, in the Veggie Tales version, grilled on a skewer.

The Book of Esther has been one of the most frequently filmed, novelized, and retold stories in the Bible. Though not factual history, it has all the elements of great historical fiction: a heroine, a villain, and a call to stand for justice. Plus there is an early montage sequence with a lot of spa makeovers, making the screenplay attractive to the tween market. It’s a classic good-versus-evil story.

It’s also a story of Jewish survival. Every year on the Jewish holiday of Purim, this story is read out loud, and listener participation is encouraged. It’s OK to hiss and stomp your feet when Haman’s name is mentioned, which happens 54 times. Purim is also a time for feasting, drinking, and giving gifts. Let the party begin!

Sat 12/18
#Twible overview of Esther: Thrilling novel re 5th column in Persian court. Only book in Bible not to mention G, who’s offstage w/cue cards.

Sun 12/19
#Twible Est 1: Queen Vashti refuses to appear in court swimsuit competition, which deflates king’s supersized ego. She gets pink slip…NEXT!

Mon 12/20
#Twible Est 2: Orphaned Jew Est gets 1 year of spa treatments & wins beauty pag to wed the king. Who is still a jerk, but it’s a fairy tale.

Tues 12/21
#Twible Est 3: Enter villain Haman Hitler, king’s 2nd-in-command, who wants to wipe out all Jews in Persia. Boo! Hiss! Stomp yr feet.

Wed 12/22
#Twible Est 4: Est’s uncle Mord warns her of the plot to kill Jews & begs her to appeal to the crown, but king’s not taking calls or Skyping.

Thurs 12/23
#Twible Est 5: The way to a king’s ?: Est plans special feast. But Haman’s building gallows for Jews, so hurry w/the girly banquet prep, OK?

Fri 12/24
#Twible Est 6: King gives Uncle Mord the royal treatment after learning he once saved the day. Haman seethes w/jealousy: “Darn those Jews!”

Sat 12/25
#Twible Est 7: Feast’s a smashing success & the king grants Est’s wish to save the Jews. Villain Haman also being @ banquet table = AWKward.

Sun 12/26
#Twible Est 8: Haman hoisted by own petards! Mord gets his job; Est gets his house; we get a great story & an excuse to get drunk on Purim.

Mon 12/27
#Twible Est 9: King can’t reverse decree to kill Jews, but gives them license to defend themselves vs attack. A happy bloodbath. Thx, Est!

Tues 12/28
#Twible Est 10: Anticlimactic chapterlet to say that a) Uncle Mord grew v, v powerful in Persian court; & b) don’t mess w/Jews. Esther ends.