The Bible In Paintings: ESTHER - IN THE HAREM

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible In Paintings 2
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR APPRECIATING AND APPLYING GOD'S MESSAGE

ESTHER -
IN THE HAREM

E S T H E R
CHAPTER 2

The king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king, to bring all these beautiful girls into the harem. Then let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew named Mordecai, who had been carried into exile by Nebuchadnezzar. Mordecai had a cousin whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This girl, Esther, was lovely in form and features, and Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

1
DORIEL DELORENZO FELKER
"Queen Esther, a Hebrew Handmaiden"

2
ARTUS WOLFAERTS
"Esther's Toilet in the Harem of Ahasuerus"

3
THÉODORE CHASSÉRIAU
"The Toilet of Esther"

4
NEILSON, TROY, GOBELINS
"La Toilette d'Esther"

5
"Esther in the Harem"

6
HERMANN ANSCHUTZ
"Esther"

7
JEAN-FRANÇOIS PORTAELS
"Esther"

8
FRANÇOIS-LÉON BENOUVILLE
"Esther"

9
RADBOD COMMANDEUR
"Esther"

10
Source

11
VIKTOR ALEXEEVICH BOBROV
"Esther"

12
BRACHA LAVEE
"Esther"

13
EGBERT MODDERMAN
"Esther"

14
KATE GARDINER HASTINGS
"Esther"

When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many girls were brought to the citadel of Susa. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to the eunuch Hegai, who had charge of the harem. The girl pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven maids selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her maids into the best place in the harem.

15
"The Harem"

16
Source

17
Source

18
Source

19
Source

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so. Every day he walked back and forth near the courtyard of the harem to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.

When the turn came for Esther to go to the king, she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her. She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal residence.

To be continued…

New International Version ©1984, Abrdgd, EMPHASES Added
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[Hebrews 11:6]

R E S O U R C E S
Read ESTHER 2 in full
Hear MAX McLEAN reading it
Hear a DRAMATIZATION of it
Read J-F-B's COMMENTARY
BIBLE TIMELINE

Click for 153 prior episodes in THIS series:
The Bible In Paintings 2
Click for 434 links in the FIRST series:
The Bible In Paintings 1


HOW GOD PROMPTED
THIS BIBLE-ART SERIES

"The Bible comes alive so much more with all the
illustrations, paintings, sculptures and stained glass windows.
Through them the stories are crystallized in our minds."


”Reading the Bible, we meditate, we think deeply about faith and beliefs, we gain insights and, thanks to all these great artists, these paintings become visual teachings and a powerful companion to the Bible.”

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[Hebrews 11:6]

GEOPOLITICAL
THE JEWS RETURN FROM BABYLON 1
THE JEWS RETURN FROM BABYLON 2
E S T H E R
THE KING OUSTS THE QUEEN
ESTHER, IN THE HAREM
ESTHER, THE NEW QUEEN
MORDECAI, HERO AND GOAT
ESTHER – "IF I PERISH, I PERISH"

[Red Badger]

If Esther was Queen of Persia, then, since she was a Jew, all her descendants are JEWISH.

Since Persia is modern day IRAN, Iranians are all Jewish..................

[Hebrews 11:6]

Not all Iranians descend from Esther. So, some Iranians are Jewish.

[left that other site]

Good Morning, Dan. :-)

[Red Badger]

Abraham’s promise, the Lord said,

“Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you” (Genesis 13:14-17).

[Hebrews 11:6]

Hey there, Mary-Lou!

[InkStone]

Good Morning Dan; I hope this finds you well, and likewise each one who visits this ministry.
Beautiful art, each one. And such a story!
We see how God in His magnificence sometimes accomplishes things in ways that surprise us.
Thank you Dan.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Do you have a point?

[Cloverfarm]

Your series is inspirational. I have found some new favorite artists (Tissot ... and some Russian guy ;-) ) and lots of reflection time.

[Hebrews 11:6]

God in His magnificence sometimes accomplishes things in ways that surprise us.

I'd say it's His specialty, Leon. It stamps those results as originating with Him, like a signature.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Ivanov? Hayek? Chagall?

I am very, very glad to hear you are allowing the Holy Spirit to work.

[etabeta]

All very beautiful! Love the mosaic at #9 and the painting by Kate Gardiner Hastings at $14. She was much influenced by the work of Edwin Long and other British Orientalist artist. She has another splendid work called By the waters of Babylon they sat and wept (based on Psalm 137)

[rlmorel]

I have only just begun reading the Bible, and I found The Book of Esther just fascinating. It was the first one that, to my untrained eye, read more in a structure and style a modern reader would easily relate to...very novel-like.

[etabeta]

[Red Badger]

People tend to overlook the part of Abraham’s promise about his descendants being like the ‘dust of the Earth’, some translations, ‘sands’

Abraham had other children AFTER Ishmael and Isaac were already adults, via his concubine/wife Keturah.

Keturah bore Abraham six sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. Genesis and First Chronicles also list seven of her grandsons (Sheba, Dedan, Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah)

The Book of Genesis records that Abraham gave them gifts and sent them to the East, while making Isaac son of Sarah his primary heir.

If you research all these names, you will discover that Abraham’s descendants became Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Arabians, Yemanis, Syrians, Assyrians, and probably even Indians.....................

[marktwain]

It is too bad. Do we know how many children Esther had? I don't think so. Maybe someone has done research on if she produced children.

It was about 2500 years ago.

[Hebrews 11:6]

I have only just begun reading the Bible

What blessings lie ahead for you!

Very cogent comments about Esther. We still have six more threads on it, because artists like painting it.

By the way, here's something else different about Esther: it's the only Bible book that does not specifically mention God.

[Hebrews 11:6]

That IS good. Thanks for posting it (and that you still remember how).

I'll be alert for her henceforth.

[Big Red Badger]

Dan,
#17 has my Vote!
Thanks.