What I found missing in what was written about this lady, was that she had to be a child born in captivity, in BABYLON, during the siege of JUDAH.

Before KING JOSIAH dies, JUDAH went through a time of transition. JUDAH was a vasal of the ASSYRIAN EMPIRE, for about two hundred years. When it fell, the capital at NINEVEH was captured by the BABYLONIANS in 612 BCE.

EGYPT, takes advantage and briefly rules JUDAH. They did not have the muscle to take on the might of the NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE, ruled by a CHALDEAN DYNASTY, whose best-known KING was NEBUCHADNEZZAR. JUDAH then becomes a Province of NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE.

Then KING JOSIAH dies. He had tried to change the minds of the people, to honour GOD, but at his death they reverted back to idolitary. In the year 586 BCE, GOD uses KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR to destroy the ‘people.’ And so, it is said that “the TIME OF JUDGEMENT had come.” NEBUCHADNEZZAR deports the people of JUDAH to BABYLON, where they lived in exile for many years.

Some say 48 years and others say 70 years. However, the ‘supposed’ 70 years, seem to have been a miscalculation on the DATE LINE of DANIEL’S stay in BABYLON. He did not return to JUDAH, as did MORDICAI. DANIEL stayed on to manage the affairs of SHUSHA, or SUSA, where his grave is.

Back to our Lady, she was born in BABYLON. She had no siblings but was a member of a very long traceable lineage, an important lineage. Her life spanned many years, filled with history, intrigue, wars and many love and hate stories.

Her dad was, ABIHAIL, he died before she was born.

It is said that her mum was, ABISHUR of SHAMMAI. Her mum died during child-birth, whilst in captivity in BABYLON. I cannot confirm that her mother was ABISHUR. If she was then she was from the tribe of BENJAMIN, as MORDICAI and ABIHAIL, her dad was.

MORDICAI, was her uncle and cousin of her dad ABIHAIL, the son of JAIR. There are so many JAIR’S in the BIBLE. I trust I found the right one to share with you. JAIR was the son of SHIMEI, who was the son of KISH, of the tribe of BENJAMIN.

But could he have been the son of SEGUB, a descendant of JUDAH, called MANASSEH. Who was the son of MACHIR, the father of GILEAD. Who conquered ARGOB, which he renamed HAVOTHJAIR. Could ABIHAIL, have been from the town of “JAIR” and not from a person known as JAIR? Just one flaw, MACHIR, was from the time of KING SOLOMON. The DATE LINE does not fit. KING SOLOMON, was born in either 1 010 BCE or 990 BCE and died in 931 BCE, to KING DAVID, his father, and his mother BATHSHEBA.

This sad story gets worse. Her dad’s brother or cousin, MORDECAI and his wife welcomed her as their daughter and took her into their home. They became her adoptive parents, mentor, confidante, and fellow leader, never missing an opportunity to refresh their faith. Amongst so many fellow neighbours, whose religion had to be held in total and utmost secrecy, she became a master at keeping secrets and using what she knew when the time was right.

Mordecai raised her well and she becomes a leader of their religious faith.

In a foreign land keeping their faith a secret as well as her real name became part of her life. For a long time, she was HADASSAH. Her given name of ESTHER remained a family secret for a very long time.

Why the name HADASSAH was chosen for her, is because her name ESTHER means righteous in her secretive religion and righteous was called Myrtle in the language of HADAS of the area – Mordecai then simply called her HADASSAH.

The plant Myrtle has a sweet smell but has a bitter taste. It is an evergreen plant.

Nothing could be further from the truth as to who and what ESTHER grew up to be in this story as it unfolds, over the next pages. Excitement and surprises, filled the ‘story’ along the DATE LINE of ANCIENT HISTORY

MORDECAI was a compassionate person. He had a heart which always beats for the needs of others.

He was also gifted by GOD to have wisdom and the ability to read a situation. He knew when to act and when to lay low. His thinking and diplomacy were key in not only saving himself, but also his nation.

Mordecai was also a man of great mental strength, he never buckled under peer pressure. He was very proud of his heritage. In addition, he also had the ability to easily recognise within people whether they were of good intentions or not. Being aware of what his sub-conscious was telling him, prepared him for the task ahead for him and for his niece HADASSAH, and the members of his religion within a land that was not theirs.

MORDECAI
HIS WORLD

Just like ESTHER, MORDECAI BILSHAN had a birth name, as written in the books of EZRA 2:2 and in NEHEMIAH 7:7. In BABYLON he could have been the original MARDUK BELSHUNU, which means “Marduk is lord,” But, he was not.

During his time MORDECAI was a member of the GREAT ASSEMBLY or simply a member of the Great Synagogue, or Synod. This was an assembly of 120 scribes and prophets, from the end of the Biblical Prophets Period. It had started from as early as the Second Temple period, around 516 BCE, and it lasted to around the early HELLENISTIC PERIOD. This began with ALEXANDER’S conquests of 333 to 332 BCE. When ALEXANDER THE GREAT introduced the HELLENISTIC, GREEK, teachings.

During captivity in BABYLON, MORDECAI was in the company of prophets, such as HAGGAI, ZECHARIAH, MALACHI, who was also known as EZRA. DANIEL, HANANIAH, MISHAEL, AZARIAH, NEHEMIAH, HACHALIAH, ZERUBABEL, and SHAALTIEL. What we see is that the Great Assembly was designated to “EZRA and his Court of Law.”

After the captivity ended in 538 BCE, the development of JUDAISM, the Religion of the day, was attributed to the Great Assembly’s members who fixed the JEWISH BIBLICAL CANON, or the TORAH, which they worked during captivity, was brought back to JUDAH.

The Book, more the writings of EZEKIEL, DANIEL, and ESTHER featured prominently, in the TORAH and then later in the BIBLE, which was published many years later, as printing was only invented around 1 440 CE/AD.

Members of the Great Assembly were the Twelve Minor Prophets. Proof or evidence of the Twelve were found around 190 BCE. Their writings were established in 150 BCE by JESUS BEN SIRACH as well as evidence from the collections of the DEAD SEA SCROLLS.

JESUS BEN SIRACH also known as SHIMON BEN YESHUA BEN ELIEZER BEN SIRA or YESHUA BEN SIRACH, who was a HELLENISTIC JEWISH scribe, sage, and allegorist. He lived during the SELEUCID-CONTROLLED JERUSALEM of the Second Temple period. He is the author of SIRACH, also known as the BOOK OF ECCLESIASTICUS. He wrote his works during the time when ALEXANDER the GREAT captured JERUSALEM, for a 6-year period, on his way to EGYPT in the year 332 BCE.

ESTHER AND KING AHASUERUS OR XERXES I

His Administrative offices were in SHUSHA or SUSA, as it is known today. This KING’S reign spread from INDIA to ETHIOPIA, 127 Provinces. He was a powerful man, and he used his power to abuse woman. Our first evidence of this, is when he ‘demanded’ that his wife strip in front of his assembly, then killing her. Over a twelve-month period, many woman went through a purification process, using Myrrh and Sweet Odours of oils and ‘other things.’ They were then tested for purity, before concluding, which one should be his wife.

When his wife VASHTI, refuses, she is put to death, and he rules.

“That all women should be subservient to their husbands. If not, they should be “outcasted” (killed) with no inheritance.”

He wrote this into law and sent letters to all of his Provinces, stating.

“That every man should bear rule in his own house.”

It was published according to the language of every people of the Provinces he ruled.

MORDICAI AND HAMMAN

HAMAN, is said to have been IRANIAN. It is also reported that HAMAN was from the AGAGITE TRIBE, being an Iranian, puzzles me as the AGAGITE, as researched were from the NEGEV, SINAI region of the country.

His mother was AMATHLAI, she is reported to also be the mother of ABRAHAM, who was born in 1 996 BCE. This I cannot be certain about, as the DATELINE is a bit off, and they did not live long lives during the said period of the capture.

But, we have a story to tell. HAMAN, starts to tell stories about MORDICAI, then he discovered that he is Jewish, as MORDICAI could not bow to HAMAN.

HAMAN, had instructions from king AHASUERUS, to kill all Jews. He went so far as to write a letter to all his Provinces to destroy, kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews. Young, old, women and children were not to be spared.

What the king did not consider is that the CITY OF SHUSHA, which was under DANIEL’S administration were perplexed. He had already laid eyes on ESTHER and knew the family dynamics of the two, and his heart is softened.

HAMAN, acts in ‘self-belief’ and does not ‘hear’ what the king asks of him. He did not listen ‘carefully’ to the conversations between the king and his more trusted chamberlain regarding the warnings of MORDICAI. Two of the kings chamberlains were plotting to harm him, namely BIGATHA’NA and TERESH.

In his heart, the king wishes to thank MORDICAI, in a distinct way. He calls HAMAN, whose head is big with promotion to kill. When asked as to how he could carry out a special thanks, HAMAN thinks it is his SPECIAL EVENT being planned by the king. And he lays it on thick, horses, parades and food, fancy clothes and more.

Sadly, HAMAN, having his head in the clouds with pride of being promoted, misread all, and missed the signs of a king whose heart have been softened, he is hung instead of MORDICAI, on the same gallows he had purposely built to hang MORDICAI.

MORDICAI, is honoured by inheriting the THRONE and 127 Provinces from INDIA to ETHIOPIA, after the death of KING AHASUERUS. He stayed on in SHUSHA with DANIEL and together they got to manage the lands between INDIA and ETHIOPIA, which included ISRAEL and EGYPT.