Es·ther /ˈɛstɚ/
 以斯帖,以斯帖記


 Esther
      n 1: (Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of
           Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre
           all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as
           the feast of Purim)
      2: an Old Testament book telling of a beautiful Jewess who
         became queen of Persia and saved her people from massacre
         [syn: Book of Esther]


 Esther
    the queen of Ahasuerus, and heroine of the book that bears her
    name. She was a Jewess named Hadas'sah (the myrtle), but when
    she entered the royal harem she received the name by which she
    henceforth became known (Esther 2:7). It is a Syro-Arabian
    modification of the Persian word satarah, which means a star.
    She was the daughter of Abihail, a Benjamite. Her family did not
    avail themselves of the permission granted by Cyrus to the
    exiles to return to Jerusalem; and she resided with her cousin
    Mordecai, who held some office in the household of the Persian
    king at "Shushan in the palace." Ahasuerus having divorced
    Vashti, chose Esther to be his wife. Soon after this he gave
    Haman the Agagite, his prime minister, power and authority to
    kill and extirpate all the Jews throughout the Persian empire.
    By the interposition of Esther this terrible catastrophe was
    averted. Haman was hanged on the gallows he had intended for
    Mordecai (Esther 7); and the Jews established an annual feast,
    the feast of Purim (q.v.), in memory of their wonderful
    deliverance. This took place about fifty-two years after the
    Return, the year of the great battles of Plataea and Mycale
    (B.C. 479).

      Esther appears in the Bible as a "woman of deep piety, faith,
    courage, patriotism, and caution, combined with resolution; a
    dutiful daughter to her adopted father, docile and obedient to
    his counsels, and anxious to share the king's favour with him
    for the good of the Jewish people. There must have been a
    singular grace and charm in her aspect and manners, since 'she
    obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her'
    (Esther 2:15). That she was raised up as an instrument in the
    hand of God to avert the destruction of the Jewish people, and
    to afford them protection and forward their wealth and peace in
    their captivity, is also manifest from the Scripture account."



 Esther, secret; hidden