The Additions to the Book of Esther

Probable language(s) of composition

The book of Esther was written in Hebrew. The six additions are numbered A through F. A,C,D & F were originally composed in either Hebrew or Aramaic. B & E were originally composed in Greek.

Probable place(s) and date(s)of composition

Although the corpus of Esther is closely postexilic the additions were written in Egypt or Palestine in the second century B.C. Due to use by Josephus latest possible date for sections B,C,D & E is 93 A.D. A & F may have existed at this time but were un-cited. All would have existed by the time of Origen 185-254 A.D.

Further information about composition

The Additions to the Book of Esther are written in six sections. As part of the Roman Catholic Canon this material is printed after the text of the canonical book of Esther. This is consistent with the use St. Jerome made in setting the Vulgate canon in 405 A.D. The Hebrew canon, set in 90-100 AD, does not include this material. When printed in Protestant and Anglican Bibles the additions are inserted within the corpus of the Apocrypha/ Deutero-canonical section.

The Hebrew festival of Purim has a basis in the material in Esther and may be influenced by the additions as well. Purim is a Jewish springtime festival that commemorates their deliverance from massacre at the hands of the Persians. As the text of Esther is read there is stomping of the feet at the reading of the name of Haman and ringing of bells at the name of Mordecai. Due to the casting of lots it may be of oriental origin with secular influence.

Canonical status

The Additions to the Book of Esther follow the pattern of being canon in Roman Catholic usage, unused in the Hebrew canon, and apocryphal in Anglican/Protestant use. The standard Latin Vulgate, following St. Jerome, prints them as a group at the end of Esther in the order F, A - E.

Influences upon work

The development of the feast of Purim may have colored the canonicity of the Additions to the Book of Esther. Purim perhaps may have had origins in a Babylonian feast. Hence, some have thought that the "Additions" may be looked upon as an apologetic amendment or the Hebrew version may have deletions to prevent the chance of blasphemy during this festival.

Genre of work

The additions, like the bulk of the book, are fictional narrations. The details about Persian court life are faithful, but most scholars no longer hold to a historic nature of the work.

Content

The lack of a direct reference to God is notably missing from Esther. The Additions to the Book of Esther recover that emphasis by placing the emphasis for success upon God rather than Esther or Mordecai. An apocalyptic dream sequence is added for Mordecai. The Additions to the Book of Esther may be summarized as follows:

Sources consulted

• Brown, Raymond E. et al., editor, The New Jerome Bible Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990. S.v. "Tobit, Judith, & Esther" by Irene Nowell et al.
• Cross, F.L. et al., editor, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York: Oxford University Press, 1983. "Purim".
• Freedman, David Noel, et al., editors, The Anchor Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, 1992. S.v. "Esther, Additions To" by Carey A. Moore.
• Kohlenberger III, John R. general editor, The Parallel Apocrypha. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.
• May, Herbert G. et al, editors, The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha, Revised Standard Version. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962.
• Moore, Carey A., Daniel, Esther and Jeremiah: The Additions New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. New York: Doubleday, 1977.

Author of this page: M.B. "Johnson" Shannon

Copyright is claimed jointly by the author, the instructor, and Nashotah House, 1998.

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Comments to: gto@nashotah.edu This page last modified 2 April 1998.