Questions about the Book of Esther

Esther is the seventeenth book of the bible. The book of Esther is a gem to read and her name means star. Esther was a Jewish maiden who, as Queen of Persia, was used to deliver her people from massacre. The book of Esther can be divided into three parts: 1) Esther was chosen Queen, 2) Esther’s deliverance of her people, the Jews, 3) The Jews’ revenge upon their enemies. The author of this book is unknown. Listed below are questions on the book of Esther. These questions can be used for Sunday school or bible study to help all young converts study the scriptures and may God bless you always.

Esther Chapter 1

1) What is the background of this story in these verses of this book? (Esther 1:1-3)

2) Who attended the king’s banquet in these verses of this book? (Esther 1:3-5)

3) What events preceded the banquet that the king gave in verse four? (Esther 1:4)

4) How is the setting of the banquet described in these verses of this book? (Esther 1:5-8)

5) What motivated the king to summon the queen on the seventh day of the banquet? (Esther 1:10)

6) Why did the king want Queen Vashti to leave her own banquet to come to his in verse eleven? (Esther 1:11)

7) How did Queen Vashti respond to the king’s command in verse twelve of this book? (Esther 1:12)

8) How did King Xerxes react to Vashti’s disobedience in verse twelve? (Esther 1:12)

9) Whom did the king consult about what to do about the queen’s disobedience? (Esther 1:13-14)

10) What advice did the wise men give to King Xerxes in these verses of this book? (Esther 1:16-20)

11) What fear did the wise men have about the ramifications of Queen Vashti’s behavior? (Esther 1:17-18)

12) What impact did the wise men want the king’s decree to have in the kingdom? (Esther 1:19-20)

13) What did the king decide to do about Queen Vashti in these verses? (Esther 1:21-22)

14) How did Vashti’s actions affect all the women in the kingdom of verse twenty-two? (Esther 1:22)

Esther Chapter 2

1) What did the king’s attendants propose, and why in these verses of this book? (Esther 2:1-4)

2) How did the king plan to find another queen for himself in these verses of this book? (Esther 2:3-4)

3) What background information does the passage give us about Mordecai in these verses? (Esther 2:5-7)

4) What does the passage reveal about Esther and her background in verse seven? (Esther 2:7)

5) What kind of treatment did Esther receive at the palace, and why in verse nine? (Esther 2:9)

6) For what reason did Esther not reveal her heritage in verse ten of this book? (Esther 2:10)

7) How did Mordecai keep in contact with Esther in verse eleven? (Esther 2:11)

8) What events preceded a woman’s turn to go to the king in these verses of this book? (Esther 2:12-14)

9) What was the only way a woman would get a second chance to see the king? (Esther 2:14)

10) What did Esther do when it was her turn to go to the king in verse fifteen? (Esther 2:15)

11) What did King Xerxes think of Esther in verse seventeen of this book? (Esther 2:17)

12) How did Esther become queen in these verses of this book? (Esther 2:17-18)

13) How did Esther continue to show her respect for Mordecai even after she had become queen? (Esther 2:20-23)

14) What did Mordecai discover while he was sitting at the king’s gate in these verses? (Esther 2:21-22)

15) How did the king find out about the plot to assassinate him in these verses? (Esther 2:21-23)

Esther Chapter 3

1) How did King Xerxes honor Haman in these verses of this book? (Esther 3:1-2)

2) What way did Mordecai disobey the king’s order in verse two of this book? (Esther 3:2)

3) How did Mordecai respond to the officials’ questions about his behavior in these verses? (Esther 3:3-4)

4) For what reason did the officials tell Haman about Mordecai’s behavior? (Esther 3:4)

5) How did Haman react to Mordecai’s refusal to bow down to him in verse five? (Esther 3:5)

6) Why did Haman want to kill all of the Jews in these verses of this book? (Esther 3:5-6)

7) When did Haman decide to kill all the Jews in the kingdom in verse seven? (Esther 3:7)

8) How did Haman present his intentions to the king in these verses of this book? (Esther 3:8-9)

9) Which parts of Haman’s speech to the king were true, and which were false? (Esther 3:8-9)

10) What important piece of information did Haman neglect to tell the king? (Esther 3:8-9)

11) How did King Xerxes respond to Haman’s request in these verses of this book? (Esther 3:10-11)

12) How did Haman add authority to his edict in verse twelve of this book? (Esther 3:12)

13) What did Haman do to carry out his plan in these verses of this book? (Esther 3:12-15)

14) How did Mordecai’s behavior affect the whole kingdom in these verses of this book? (Esther 3:12-15)

Esther Chapter 4

1) How did Mordecai and the Jews react to the king’s edict in these verses of this book? (Esther 4:1-3)

2) What did Esther do when she heard that Mordecai was in mourning in verse four? (Esther 4:4)

3) How did Esther discover the reason behind Mordecai’s grief in verse five? (Esther 4:5)

4) What key details did Mordecai know about Haman’s evil plot in verse seven of this book? (Esther 4:7)

5) How do we know that Mordecai had a significant connection to the palace in verse seven? (Esther 4:7)

6) What proof did Mordecai send to Esther about the king’s edict in verse eight? (Esther 4:8)

7) What specific way did Mordecai want Esther to help the Jews in verse eight? (Esther 4:8)

8) Why was Mordecai’s advice to Esther dangerous for her to carry out in verse eleven? (Esther 4:11)

9) What was the only exception to the king’s law about a person entering his inner court uninvited? (Esther 4:11)

10) How did Mordecai answer Esther’s fears in these verses of this book? (Esther 4:12-14)

11) What finally convinced Esther to follow Mordecai’s advice in these verses? (Esther 4:12-14)

12) How does Mordecai’s answer to Esther reveal his belief in God’s sovereignty in verse fourteen? (Esther 4:14)

13) What warning did Mordecai give Esther if she did not help her people in verse fourteen? (Esther 4:14)

14) In what way did Mordecai believe that God had already worked His sovereign will in Esther’s life? (Esther 4:14)

15) How did Esther prepare for her meeting with the king in these verses? (Esther 4:15-16)

16) What risk did Esther take to save her people from annihilation in verse sixteen? (Esther 4:16)

Esther Chapter 5

1) Why did Esther approach the king uninvited in verse one of this book? (Esther 5:1)

2) How did the king react to Queen Esther’s presence in his court in verse two? (Esther 5:2)

3) Of what significance is the fact that the king held out his golden scepter? (Esther 5:2)

4) What did the king offer to Esther in verse three of this book? (Esther 5:3)

5) What did Queen Esther ask of the king in verse four? (Esther 5:4)

6) How does the tension and suspense in the story build in these verses of this book? (Esther 5:4-8)

7) What infuriated Haman after he attended Esther’s banquet in verse nine? (Esther 5:9)

8) Why was Haman most proud in these verses of this book? (Esther 5:10-13)

9) What do we learn about Haman at this point in verse eleven of this book? (Esther 5:11)

10) What kept Haman from enjoying all of his success and wealth in verse thirteen? (Esther 5:13)

11) What advice did Haman’s wife and friends give him in verse fourteen? (Esther 5:14)

12) How did Haman feel about his friends’ advice in verse fourteen of this book? (Esther 5:14)

13) Why did Haman build gallows in verse fourteen of this book? (Esther 5:14)

Esther Chapter 6

1) What did King Xerxes do to deal with insomnia in verse one of this book? (Esther 6:1)

2) What did the king discover when the book of the chronicles was read to him in verse two? (Esther 6:2)

3) What honor had Mordecai received for exposing the men who plotted to assassinate the king? (Esther 6:3)

4) Why did Haman enter the outer court of the king in verse four of this book? (Esther 6:4)

5) What advice did the king request of Haman in verse six of this book? (Esther 6:6)

6) What significant detail did the king choose to exclude from his question to Haman? (Esther 6:6)

7) What did Haman assume about the king’s question in verse six of this book? (Esther 6:6)

8) How did Haman flatter the king in these verses of this book? (Esther 6:7-9)

9) What did Haman think would be the best way to be honored by the king? (Esther 6:7-9)

10) What command did King Xerxes give to Haman in verse ten of this book? (Esther 6:10)

11) What humiliating action was Haman forced to take because of his arrogance? (Esther 6:11)

12) How did Haman feel about honoring Mordecai in these verses of this book? (Esther 6:12-13)

13) How did Haman’s wife and friends react to what had happened in verse thirteen? (Esther 6:13)

Esther Chapter 7

1) What did the king offer Queen Esther at the banquet she prepared for him in these verses? (Esther 7:1-2)

2) How did the queen present her request to King Xerxes in these verses? (Esther 7:1-4)

3) What did Esther ask of the king in these verses of this book? (Esther 7:3-4)

4) How did King Xerxes react to Esther’s request in verse five of this book? (Esther 7:5)

5) Whom did Esther reveal as the person behind the plot to kill her people? (Esther 7:6)

6) What did the king do when he discovered the truth about Haman in verse seven? (Esther 7:7)

7) How did Haman react when his wicked plan was exposed in verse seven of this book? (Esther 7:7)

8) What final twist in the story guaranteed Haman’s demise in verse eight of this book? (Esther 7:8)

9) What tidbit of information did one of the king’s eunuch’s mentions at this opportune point in the story? (Esther 7:9)

10) How did the eunuch’s revelation to the king further indict Haman in verse nine? (Esther 7:9)

11) What ironic circumstances surrounded Haman’s death in these verses? (Esther 7:9-10)

12) How was the king’s fury, finally abated in verse ten of this book? (Esther 7:10)

Esther Chapter 8

1) What did Esther gain from risking her life to stand up for her people in verse one? (Esther 8:1)

2) How was Mordecai honored by the king in these verses of this book? (Esther 8:2), (Esther 8:15)

3) Why did Esther have to plead with the king a second time in verse three? (Esther 8:3)

4) What dilemma did the king face in these verses of this book? (Esther 8:3-8)

5) How did the king respond to Esther’s request in verse four of this book? (Esther 8:4)

6) How did Esther suggest solving the quandary the Jews were in of verse five? (Esther 8:5)

7) Why did Esther want the king to overrule Haman’s edict in these verses? (Esther 8:5-6)

8) How did the king insure that his second edict would not be revoked in verse eight? (Esther 8:8)

9) To whom did the king give the responsibility for drafting the new decree? (Esther 8:8)

10) How was Mordecai involved in saving the Jewish people in these verses of this book? (Esther 8:9-10)

11) In what way did the king’s new edict provide a way out for the Jews in verse eleven? (Esther 8:11)

12) How did Mordecai insure that all Jews would be able to protect themselves? (Esther 8:12-14)

13) How did the Jews react to the king’s edict in these verses of this book? (Esther 8:16-17)

14) In what way did Mordecai’s actions affect not only the Jews but also people of other nationalities? (Esther 8:17)

Esther Chapter 9

1) What did the Jews’ enemies plan to do when they heard about the king’s first edict in verse one? (Esther 9:1)

2) How were the tables turned in this situation in verse one of this book? (Esther 9:1)

3) How were the Jews protected from annihilation in these verses of this book? (Esther 9:1-3)

4) What way was Mordecai affected by these events in verse four of this book? (Esther 9:4)

5) What happened on the day the king’s edict was to be carried out in these verses? (Esther 9:5-10)

6) What important detail did the author mention about the Jews’ behavior? (Esther 9:10), (Esther 9:15-16)

7) How did the king demonstrate his generosity to Esther above what he had already done? (Esther 9:12)

8) What did Esther ask the king to do for her beyond the requests she had already made? (Esther 9:13)

9) How did the Jews get relief from their enemies in verse sixteen of this book? (Esther 9:16)

10) Why did the Jews in Susa celebrate on a different day from the Jews in rural areas? (Esther 9:18-19)

11) Why did Mordecai tell the Jews to celebrate in these verses of this book? (Esther 9:20-22)

12) How did the author of this book summarize the events that had taken place? (Esther 9:24-28)

13) What did the celebration of Purim represent to the Jews in verse twenty-eight? (Esther 9:28)

14) How did Queen Esther confirm the celebration of Purim in these verses? (Esther 9:29-32)

Esther Chapter 10

1) Why was Mordecai held in such high esteem in the kingdom in verse three? (Esther 10:3)

2) What dignity was Mordecai raised at the Persian court in verse three? (Esther 10:3)

Note: I pray that these questions about the book of Esther have helped your study and understanding of Gods’ word in the Bible. Please feel free to pass them on to other people if they have helped you.

Your, Brother in Christ

Frank Rose