👑a crown🪄a golden scepter🥣three days without food🍽️a banquet📜a decree
Esther's story.
The big ideaThe Bible tells how Queen Esther spoke up for her people, and sadness turned to joy.
How it works
The Bible tells how Esther was a Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai. She was taken to the palace in Persia, and King Xerxes chose her and set a crown on her head.
Haman, the king's top helper, was angry that Mordecai would not bow to him. He made a plan to harm Mordecai's people, and the king gave him his ring to seal it.
Esther was afraid, but she asked everyone to go without food for three days, and then she went in to the king, though no one could go uncalled.
The king held out his golden scepter. Esther gave two banquets, and at the second she told the king the truth. The king sent Haman away, and the city shouted for joy.
The story in order.
📜decree: an order from a king🪄scepter: a golden rod🍽️banquet: a big meal🎉Purim: the feast that remembers
Words from the story.
Example 1: Count the days
Esther asked everyone to go without food for three days.
Day 1 and day 2 came first.
On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and walked to the inner court.
Example 2: Why a king's order could not be undone
A paper sealed with the king's ring could not be undone.
In those days riders on fast horses carried a king's order to every town.
So the king had a new paper written and sealed with his ring.
Example 3: Two banquets
Esther did not ask her question yet. She invited the king and Haman to a banquet.
When the king asked again, she invited them back the next day.
At the second banquet she took a deep breath and told the king her people were in danger.
Example 4: What courage is
Esther was afraid, and she went in anyway.
The story says that is what courage is.
Speaking up for someone can be hard, but it can change everything for them.
Words to know
decree
An order from a king that becomes a law.
scepter
A golden rod that a king held.
banquet
A big meal for many guests.
sackcloth
Rough cloth worn to show sadness.
Purim
A Jewish feast that remembers how Esther's people were saved.
Watch out
Mordecai was the one who would not bow. Esther was the one who went to the king.
Haman made the plan. The king only gave him the ring to seal it.
Esther kept her people secret at first, to keep her promise to Mordecai.
A king's order went by riders on fast horses, not by phone.
Try it
Who raised Esther?
How many days did Esther's people go without food?
What did Esther touch when the king held it out?
How many banquets did Esther give for the king and Haman?
A classmate is left out. What is a brave, kind step?
Answers: 1. Her cousin Mordecai · 2. Three · 3. The tip of the golden scepter · 4. Two · 5. Sit with them
Try at homeWith a grown-up, talk about a time it was hard to speak up for someone, then find one small way to be brave today.
For grown-upsAsk your child what Esther was afraid of and what she did anyway. A faith question about Purim or about God is for you to answer in your own way, and the story does not need more than it tells.
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