Bible Quiz: Esther

1) Xerxes (zurk'sez) "the Great" was king of Persia from 486-465 B.C. He was also known by the Hebrew name Ahasuerus (a-haz-u-e'rus). Who was his first queen?

Bathsheba

Tahpenes

The Queen of Sheba

Vashti

2) In the third year of his reign, Xerxes became very angry with the queen. Why?

She instigated a rebellion in the harem.

She refused to worship the Persian gods.

She refused to exhibit herself to his male guests.

She refused to bow down to him.

3) All agreed that the queen must be punished. What bad thing would happen if the queen got away with her crime?

The women of the kingdom, following her example, would refuse to obey their husbands.

The Persian gods would be offended.

The noblemen of the kingdom would rebel against Xerxes.

The king's other wives, following her example, would refuse to obey the king.

4) The queen was forever banned from the king's presence, and a search was begun for a new queen. Why did Xerxes choose Esther as his queen?

Esther's older cousin, Mordecai, was very wealthy and had gained the king's favor.

The king's advisors consulted the stars and found that Esther was destined to be queen.

The king ordered all the most beautiful women of the kingdom brought to his harem so he could choose a new queen. Esther was his favorite.

The king saw Esther bathing one day while he was on the roof of the palace, and ordered her brought to his harem.

5) What secret did Esther keep from the king?

She was already married.

She was in love with Mordecai.

She was Jewish.

She was a Philistine.

6) Some time later, Xerxes promoted Haman, one of his nobles, to the highest position in the land. Haman maneuvered the king into issuing an edict that all the Jews in the kingdom be killed. Why did Haman want to kill the Jews?

Haman was a Philistine, and they had always hated Jews.

Mordecai refused to pay taxes to him.

Mordecai refused to kneel down before him.

The Jews had opposed Haman's appointment.

7) How did Esther thwart Haman's plot?

She skillfully convinced the king of Haman's evil nature.

She bribed Haman to abandon his plot.

She convinced Haman's wife to oppose the plot.

She convinced all the women of the harem to petition the king against the plot.

8) Once the king had issued the edict against the Jews, it could not be ignored. How was Esther able to prevent the massacre of the Jews?

She convinced the king to revoke the edict.

She convinced the king to sign another edict allowing the Jews to defend themselves.

She spread word to the Jews to go into hiding until the soldiers had passed by.

She convinced the army commanders not to enforce the edict.

9) Which Jewish holiday commemorates Esther's heroic acts?

Hanukkah

Purim

Rosh Hashanah

Yom Kippur

10) Some Christians have said the book of Esther should not be in the Bible. Why?

It was not part of the original Jewish Scriptures.

It glorifies the pagan king Xerxes.

It tends to glorify the pagan gods of the Persians.

It never mentions God's name.