Estera 5
1 A treia zi, Estera s-a îmbrăcat cu hainele împărăteşti şi a venit în curtea dinlăuntru a casei împăratului, înaintea casei împăratului. Împăratul şedea pe scaunul lui împărătesc, în casa împărătească, în faţa uşii casei.
2 Când a văzut împăratul pe împărăteasa Estera în picioare în curte, ea a căpătat trecere înaintea lui. Şi împăratul a întins Esterei toiagul împărătesc, pe care-l ţinea în mână. Estera s-a apropiat, şi a atins vârful toiagului.
3 Împăratul i-a zis: ,,Ce ai tu, împărăteasă Estero, şi ce ceri? Chiar dacă ai cere jumătate din împărăţie, îţi voi da.``
4 Estera a răspuns: ,,Dacă împăratul găseşte cu cale, să vină împăratul astăzi cu Haman la ospăţul pe care i l-am pregătit.``
5 Şi împăratul a zis: ,,Duceţi-vă îndată şi aduceţi pe Haman, cum doreşte Estera.`` Împăratul s-a dus cu Haman la ospăţul pe care-l pregătise Estera.
6 Şi pe când beau vin, împăratul a zis Esterei: ,,Care este cererea ta? Ea îţi va fi împlinită. Ce doreşti? Chiar dacă ai cere jumătate din împărăţie, o vei căpăta.``
7 Estera a răspuns: ,,Iată ce cer şi ce doresc.
8 Dacă am căpătat trecere înaintea împăratului, şi dacă găseşte cu cale, împăratul să-mi împlinească cererea şi să-mi facă dorinţa, să mai vină împăratul cu Haman şi la ospăţul pe care li-l voi pregăti, şi mâne voi da răspuns împăratului după porunca lui.``
9 Haman a ieşit în ziua aceea, vesel şi cu inima mulţămită. Dar, când a văzut, la poarta împăratului, pe Mardoheu care nu se scula nici nu se mişca înaintea lui, s-a umplut de mânie împotriva lui Mardoheu.
10 A ştiut totuş să se stăpânească, şi s-a dus acasă. Apoi a trimes să aducă pe prietenii săi şi pe nevastă-sa Zereş.
11 Haman le-a vorbit despre strălucirea bogăţiilor lui, despre numărul fiilor săi, despre tot ce făcuse împăratul ca să-l ridice în vrednicie, şi despre locul pe care i-l dăduse mai pesus de căpeteniile şi slujitorii împăratului.
12 Şi a adăugat: ,,Eu sânt chiar singurul pe care împărăteasa Estera l-a primit împreună cu împăratul la ospăţul pe care l-a făcut, şi sânt poftit şi pe mâne la ea cu împăratul.
13 Dar toate acestea n-au niciun preţ pentru mine, câtă vreme voi vedea pe Mardoheu, Iudeul acela, şezând la poarta împăratului.``
14 Nevastă-sa Zereş, şi toţi prietenii lui i-au zis: ,,Să se pregătească o spânzurătoare înaltă de cincizeci de coţi, şi mâne dimineaţă cere împăratului ca Mardoheu să fie spânzurat. Apoi vei merge vesel la ospăţ cu împăratul.`` Părerea aceasta a plăcut lui Haman, şi a pus să pregătească spânzurătoarea.
{"verseMap":{"1":[{"id":11137,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Additions to Esther","title_en":"Additions to Esther","content_ro":"<h3>ESTHER, Additions to<\/h3>\n<p>Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 <span>BC<\/span> is generally suggested, which would place them considerably later than the canonical Esther.<\/p>\n<p>A summary of the additions is as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1. 11:2–12:6: Mordecai’s dream, including the plot against the king’s life. This passage preceded Esther 1:1.<\/p>\n<li>2. 13:1-7: The edict of Artaxerxes. This addition follows Esther 3:13, where the king is called Ahasuerus.<\/li>\n<li>3. 13:8–14:19: The prayers of Mordecai and Esther. This passage was to be inserted after Esther 4:17.<\/li>\n<li>4. 15:1-16: The king’s anger at Esther’s appearance, and his subsequent change of attitude. This was to be inserted before Esther 5:3, since it is an expansion of Esther 5:1-2.<\/li>\n<li>5. 16:1-24: The edict of Ahasuerus relating to the Jews. This section was to follow 8:12.<\/li>\n<li>6. 10:4–11:1: The interpretation of Mordecai’s dream. This addition follows 10:3.<\/li>\n<p>The additions contain discrepancies that make it clear they were never part of the original Esther. These can be seen as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1:19 and 8:8 compare 16:17<\/p>\n<p>2:15-18 compare 14:15<\/p>\n<p>2:16-19 compare 11:3–12:1<\/p>\n<p>2:21-23 and 6:3-4 compare 12:5<\/p>\n<p>3:1 compare 16:10<\/p>\n<p>3:5 compare 12:6<\/p>\n<p>5:4-8 compare 14:7<\/p>\n<p>7:10 compare 16:18<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>9:20-32 compare 16:22<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) and Old Latin texts contained the additions in the text of Esther at the places indicated. Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar, put the additions as an appendix in the Vulgate, his Latin translation of the Bible.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>ESTHER, Additions to<\/h3>\n<p>Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 <span>BC<\/span> is generally suggested, which would place them considerably later than the canonical Esther.<\/p>\n<p>A summary of the additions is as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1. 11:2–12:6: Mordecai’s dream, including the plot against the king’s life. This passage preceded Esther 1:1.<\/p>\n<li>2. 13:1-7: The edict of Artaxerxes. This addition follows Esther 3:13, where the king is called Ahasuerus.<\/li>\n<li>3. 13:8–14:19: The prayers of Mordecai and Esther. This passage was to be inserted after Esther 4:17.<\/li>\n<li>4. 15:1-16: The king’s anger at Esther’s appearance, and his subsequent change of attitude. This was to be inserted before Esther 5:3, since it is an expansion of Esther 5:1-2.<\/li>\n<li>5. 16:1-24: The edict of Ahasuerus relating to the Jews. This section was to follow 8:12.<\/li>\n<li>6. 10:4–11:1: The interpretation of Mordecai’s dream. This addition follows 10:3.<\/li>\n<p>The additions contain discrepancies that make it clear they were never part of the original Esther. These can be seen as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1:19 and 8:8 compare 16:17<\/p>\n<p>2:15-18 compare 14:15<\/p>\n<p>2:16-19 compare 11:3–12:1<\/p>\n<p>2:21-23 and 6:3-4 compare 12:5<\/p>\n<p>3:1 compare 16:10<\/p>\n<p>3:5 compare 12:6<\/p>\n<p>5:4-8 compare 14:7<\/p>\n<p>7:10 compare 16:18<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>9:20-32 compare 16:22<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) and Old Latin texts contained the additions in the text of Esther at the places indicated. Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar, put the additions as an appendix in the Vulgate, his Latin translation of the Bible.<\/p>","summary_ro":"ESTHER, Additions to Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 BC is generally suggested, which would p...","summary_en":"ESTHER, Additions to Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 BC is generally suggested, which would p...","source":"Articles\/E.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":11180,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Book of Esther","title_en":"Book of Esther","content_ro":"<h3>ESTHER, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Old Testament book telling the story of a Jewish woman’s protection of her people after her marriage to a gentile king.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, and Purpose<\/p>\n<p>• Canonicity<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The book of Esther is an anonymous composition. The reference in 9:20 that Mordecai “recorded these things” implies that part, if not all, of the book was written by him. The absence of God’s name in the book of Esther may be due to the fact that the author intended the book to become part of the official Persian court record. The use of God’s name might have prevented that from happening.<\/p>\n<p>The author of the book had considerable knowledge of Persian court life and customs. Thus, Mordecai might be identified with a Morduka mentioned as a Persian court official in the reign of Darius I (521–486 <span>BC<\/span>) and Xerxes (486–464 <span>BC<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginandPurpose\">Date, Origin, and Purpose<\/p>\n<p>Immediate impressions favor a date for the book of Esther shortly after 465 <span>BC<\/span>, if Ahasuerus is identified with Xerxes, who died that year. Many contemporary scholars, however, favor a later date. The apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus, written about 180 <span>BC<\/span>, refers to that period. Jewish heroes are mentioned there, but Esther and Mordecai are not included. Some also suggest the period of the Maccabees as the time of the book’s writing. Others have identified it with a cultic story from ancient Babylon, associating Esther with the goddess Ishtar and Mordecai with the god Marduk. The earliest postbiblical reference to the Feast of Purim is 2 Maccabees 15:36, probably written about 75 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>The book of Esther claims to record events in Persia sometime during the fifth century <span>BC<\/span>, surrounding the selection of Esther as queen. If a later date is preferred, the book can be viewed as written to encourage Jews during a time of persecution. One definite purpose of the book of Esther is to explain the origin of the Jewish Feast of Purim (Est 9:16-28). The term “purim” is probably related to the Assyrian word <em>puru,<\/em> meaning a small stone used for casting lots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Canonicity\">Canonicity<\/p>\n<p>The major theological problem with the book of Esther is the absence of any mention of God and the lack of even an intimation of divine providence. As a result, some scholars in both Jewish and Christian circles question its canonicity. But closer observation reveals an obvious providential dimension in the book. The reference to fasting in 4:16, for example, implies prayer as well as abstinence from food. Esther’s being in the right place at the right time is no accident. The fall of Haman is also not accidental. On the negative side, the extreme measures taken in hanging Haman’s sons reflects a collective view of guilt that is not acceptable today (9:13-14). Implicit, too, is the theme of God’s protection of his covenant people even in times of persecution. That fact has made the book of Esther a favorite of Jews throughout history.<\/p>\n<p>Its practical implications, however, have not kept some from questioning the book’s genuineness as a part of the Bible. The book of Esther appears in the third part of the Jewish canon, as part of the five scrolls known as the Megilloth; its companions there are Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations. The Septuagint (Greek version of the OT) contains 107 extra verses in the book of Esther. These additions form part of the Apocrypha in English versions of the Bible. Even as late as the Reformation era, Esther’s canonicity was being debated, and some contemporary evangelicals have raised doubts about its value. Its canonicity is favored by (1) its history of acceptance in both Judaism and the Christian church, and (2) its illustrative value for teaching God’s providential care of the Jewish people (see Rom 9–11; Rv 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>A number of historical problems have been noted: (1) Xerxes’ known wife was named Amestris, according to the historian Herodotus. But it is likely that the king had more than one wife. (2) The implication that Mordecai went into exile in 597 <span>BC<\/span> would have made him about 120 years old during the reign of Xerxes. But the text of 2:5-6 might mean that Mordecai’s great-grandfather was the original exile rather than Mordecai. (3) Various details seem fanciful to some modern readers: a banquet lasting 180 days; Esther’s 12-month beauty treatment; a gallows 83 feet (25.3 meters) tall; the Jews killing 75,000 of Xerxes’ subjects (see 1:4; 2:7, 12; 7:9; 9:16). But what appears mythological sometimes turns out to be historical.<\/p>\n<p>Several elements in the book of Esther point to a genuinely historical setting for the book. Ahasuerus is usually identified with Xerxes. Xerxes’ father was Darius, from whom have come some notable inscriptions and relief sculptures, one of them showing Darius seated on his throne with Xerxes standing behind him. Xerxes is believed to have been a weak-willed man in domestic affairs, easily influenced by flattering and scheming courtiers. On the field of battle, however, he was a vigorous leader who ferociously pursued his objectives. His energetic suppression of a revolt in Egypt was a prelude to mustering a navy to attack Athens. Only the skill and daring of the Greek forces at the naval battle of Salamis (480 <span>BC<\/span>) saved Greece from complete Persian occupation. Xerxes eventually lost the war and retired to his elegant palaces at Persepolis and Susa. He rejected the traditional gods of Egypt and Babylon and became a devotee of Ahuramazda, the Persian spirit of good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The book of Esther portrays the reign of King Ahasuerus, whose empire stretched from India to Ethiopia (1:1-9). The center of his empire was in Susa (Shushan), in Persia. Because Queen Vashti disgraced the king by refusing his order to appear in court, she was removed, and a search began for a new queen (1:10-22). A young Jewish woman named Hadassah, without parents and living with her kinsman Mordecai, was selected to replace Queen Vashti (2:1-18). Early in her reign Esther and Mordecai helped to save the king’s life (vv 19-23). A man named Haman, who was promoted to an influential position in the palace court, plotted to kill the Jews because he hated Mordecai (ch 3). Mordecai intervened through Queen Esther, and the queen called on the Jews in Susa to fast for deliverance (ch 4). Esther’s intervention with the king led to a sleepless night for Ahasuerus (5:1–6:1). He reviewed the records of “memorable deeds,” and discovered that Mordecai’s earlier help had gone unrewarded. When Haman arrived to initiate his plot against the Jews, the king ordered him to honor Mordecai (ch 6). When Haman’s plot was then discovered, the schemer was hanged (ch 7). The king honored Mordecai and sent out an edict protecting the Jews from harm (ch 8). The Jews, by the king’s permission, killed the soldiers who would earlier have killed them in Haman’s plot (9:1-16). To celebrate their national deliverance, the Jews planned a great celebration (9:17–10:3). That celebration became the Festival of Purim—a time of feasting and distribution of gifts to all, especially to the poor.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Esther (Person); Persia, Persians.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>ESTHER, Book of<\/h3>\n<p>Old Testament book telling the story of a Jewish woman’s protection of her people after her marriage to a gentile king.<\/p>\n<p>Preview<\/p>\n<p>• Author<\/p>\n<p>• Date, Origin, and Purpose<\/p>\n<p>• Canonicity<\/p>\n<p>• Background<\/p>\n<p>• Content<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Author\">Author<\/p>\n<p>The book of Esther is an anonymous composition. The reference in 9:20 that Mordecai “recorded these things” implies that part, if not all, of the book was written by him. The absence of God’s name in the book of Esther may be due to the fact that the author intended the book to become part of the official Persian court record. The use of God’s name might have prevented that from happening.<\/p>\n<p>The author of the book had considerable knowledge of Persian court life and customs. Thus, Mordecai might be identified with a Morduka mentioned as a Persian court official in the reign of Darius I (521–486 <span>BC<\/span>) and Xerxes (486–464 <span>BC<\/span>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"DateOriginandPurpose\">Date, Origin, and Purpose<\/p>\n<p>Immediate impressions favor a date for the book of Esther shortly after 465 <span>BC<\/span>, if Ahasuerus is identified with Xerxes, who died that year. Many contemporary scholars, however, favor a later date. The apocryphal book of Ecclesiasticus, written about 180 <span>BC<\/span>, refers to that period. Jewish heroes are mentioned there, but Esther and Mordecai are not included. Some also suggest the period of the Maccabees as the time of the book’s writing. Others have identified it with a cultic story from ancient Babylon, associating Esther with the goddess Ishtar and Mordecai with the god Marduk. The earliest postbiblical reference to the Feast of Purim is 2 Maccabees 15:36, probably written about 75 <span>BC<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>The book of Esther claims to record events in Persia sometime during the fifth century <span>BC<\/span>, surrounding the selection of Esther as queen. If a later date is preferred, the book can be viewed as written to encourage Jews during a time of persecution. One definite purpose of the book of Esther is to explain the origin of the Jewish Feast of Purim (Est 9:16-28). The term “purim” is probably related to the Assyrian word <em>puru,<\/em> meaning a small stone used for casting lots.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Canonicity\">Canonicity<\/p>\n<p>The major theological problem with the book of Esther is the absence of any mention of God and the lack of even an intimation of divine providence. As a result, some scholars in both Jewish and Christian circles question its canonicity. But closer observation reveals an obvious providential dimension in the book. The reference to fasting in 4:16, for example, implies prayer as well as abstinence from food. Esther’s being in the right place at the right time is no accident. The fall of Haman is also not accidental. On the negative side, the extreme measures taken in hanging Haman’s sons reflects a collective view of guilt that is not acceptable today (9:13-14). Implicit, too, is the theme of God’s protection of his covenant people even in times of persecution. That fact has made the book of Esther a favorite of Jews throughout history.<\/p>\n<p>Its practical implications, however, have not kept some from questioning the book’s genuineness as a part of the Bible. The book of Esther appears in the third part of the Jewish canon, as part of the five scrolls known as the Megilloth; its companions there are Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations. The Septuagint (Greek version of the OT) contains 107 extra verses in the book of Esther. These additions form part of the Apocrypha in English versions of the Bible. Even as late as the Reformation era, Esther’s canonicity was being debated, and some contemporary evangelicals have raised doubts about its value. Its canonicity is favored by (1) its history of acceptance in both Judaism and the Christian church, and (2) its illustrative value for teaching God’s providential care of the Jewish people (see Rom 9–11; Rv 7, 14).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Background\">Background<\/p>\n<p>A number of historical problems have been noted: (1) Xerxes’ known wife was named Amestris, according to the historian Herodotus. But it is likely that the king had more than one wife. (2) The implication that Mordecai went into exile in 597 <span>BC<\/span> would have made him about 120 years old during the reign of Xerxes. But the text of 2:5-6 might mean that Mordecai’s great-grandfather was the original exile rather than Mordecai. (3) Various details seem fanciful to some modern readers: a banquet lasting 180 days; Esther’s 12-month beauty treatment; a gallows 83 feet (25.3 meters) tall; the Jews killing 75,000 of Xerxes’ subjects (see 1:4; 2:7, 12; 7:9; 9:16). But what appears mythological sometimes turns out to be historical.<\/p>\n<p>Several elements in the book of Esther point to a genuinely historical setting for the book. Ahasuerus is usually identified with Xerxes. Xerxes’ father was Darius, from whom have come some notable inscriptions and relief sculptures, one of them showing Darius seated on his throne with Xerxes standing behind him. Xerxes is believed to have been a weak-willed man in domestic affairs, easily influenced by flattering and scheming courtiers. On the field of battle, however, he was a vigorous leader who ferociously pursued his objectives. His energetic suppression of a revolt in Egypt was a prelude to mustering a navy to attack Athens. Only the skill and daring of the Greek forces at the naval battle of Salamis (480 <span>BC<\/span>) saved Greece from complete Persian occupation. Xerxes eventually lost the war and retired to his elegant palaces at Persepolis and Susa. He rejected the traditional gods of Egypt and Babylon and became a devotee of Ahuramazda, the Persian spirit of good.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"Content\">Content<\/p>\n<p>The book of Esther portrays the reign of King Ahasuerus, whose empire stretched from India to Ethiopia (1:1-9). The center of his empire was in Susa (Shushan), in Persia. Because Queen Vashti disgraced the king by refusing his order to appear in court, she was removed, and a search began for a new queen (1:10-22). A young Jewish woman named Hadassah, without parents and living with her kinsman Mordecai, was selected to replace Queen Vashti (2:1-18). Early in her reign Esther and Mordecai helped to save the king’s life (vv 19-23). A man named Haman, who was promoted to an influential position in the palace court, plotted to kill the Jews because he hated Mordecai (ch 3). Mordecai intervened through Queen Esther, and the queen called on the Jews in Susa to fast for deliverance (ch 4). Esther’s intervention with the king led to a sleepless night for Ahasuerus (5:1–6:1). He reviewed the records of “memorable deeds,” and discovered that Mordecai’s earlier help had gone unrewarded. When Haman arrived to initiate his plot against the Jews, the king ordered him to honor Mordecai (ch 6). When Haman’s plot was then discovered, the schemer was hanged (ch 7). The king honored Mordecai and sent out an edict protecting the Jews from harm (ch 8). The Jews, by the king’s permission, killed the soldiers who would earlier have killed them in Haman’s plot (9:1-16). To celebrate their national deliverance, the Jews planned a great celebration (9:17–10:3). That celebration became the Festival of Purim—a time of feasting and distribution of gifts to all, especially to the poor.<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Esther (Person); Persia, Persians.<\/p>","summary_ro":"ESTHER, Book of Old Testament book telling the story of a Jewish woman’s protection of her people after her marriage to a gentile king. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, and Purpose • Canonicity • Background • Content Author The book of Esther is an anonymous composition. The reference in 9:20 that Mordecai “recorded these things” implies that part, if not all, of the book was written by him. The absence of God’s name in the book of Esther may be due to the fact that the author intended the bo...","summary_en":"ESTHER, Book of Old Testament book telling the story of a Jewish woman’s protection of her people after her marriage to a gentile king. Preview • Author • Date, Origin, and Purpose • Canonicity • Background • Content Author The book of Esther is an anonymous composition. The reference in 9:20 that Mordecai “recorded these things” implies that part, if not all, of the book was written by him. The absence of God’s name in the book of Esther may be due to the fact that the author intended the bo...","source":"Articles\/E.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"2":[{"id":34079,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Scepter","title_en":"Scepter","content_ro":"<h3>SCEPTER<\/h3>\n<p>Long staff with an ornamental head and other decorations used to represent royal authority; a shorter staff was used as a battle mace to symbolize royal military power. It is of more than passing interest that those two ideas are also conveyed by the Bible when the word “scepter” appears in a passage. The scepter of royal authority is referred to in Genesis 49:10, indicating that Judah’s descendants would exercise royal authority (so also in Ps 45:6, two times, and quoted in Heb 1:8). Amos (Am 1:5, 8) refers to the royal authority of the kings of Syria and Philistia, and Zechariah (Zec 10:11) refers to that of Egypt. King Ahasuerus held out this type of scepter to Esther (Est 4:11; 5:2; 8:4). The scepter of royal military power is referred to in Numbers 24:17 in reference to the coming messianic King. In Isaiah 14:5 it refers to the means by which Babylon exercised its oppressive military power, which was to be destroyed by God. Ezekiel 19:11, 14 uses “scepter” to refer to the authority, power, and dominion that Israel lost and was not able to regain.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>SCEPTER<\/h3>\n<p>Long staff with an ornamental head and other decorations used to represent royal authority; a shorter staff was used as a battle mace to symbolize royal military power. It is of more than passing interest that those two ideas are also conveyed by the Bible when the word “scepter” appears in a passage. The scepter of royal authority is referred to in Genesis 49:10, indicating that Judah’s descendants would exercise royal authority (so also in Ps 45:6, two times, and quoted in Heb 1:8). Amos (Am 1:5, 8) refers to the royal authority of the kings of Syria and Philistia, and Zechariah (Zec 10:11) refers to that of Egypt. King Ahasuerus held out this type of scepter to Esther (Est 4:11; 5:2; 8:4). The scepter of royal military power is referred to in Numbers 24:17 in reference to the coming messianic King. In Isaiah 14:5 it refers to the means by which Babylon exercised its oppressive military power, which was to be destroyed by God. Ezekiel 19:11, 14 uses “scepter” to refer to the authority, power, and dominion that Israel lost and was not able to regain.<\/p>","summary_ro":"SCEPTER Long staff with an ornamental head and other decorations used to represent royal authority; a shorter staff was used as a battle mace to symbolize royal military power. It is of more than passing interest that those two ideas are also conveyed by the Bible when the word “scepter” appears in a passage. The scepter of royal authority is referred to in Genesis 49:10, indicating that Judah’s descendants would exercise royal authority (so also in Ps 45:6, two times, and quoted in Heb 1:8)....","summary_en":"SCEPTER Long staff with an ornamental head and other decorations used to represent royal authority; a shorter staff was used as a battle mace to symbolize royal military power. It is of more than passing interest that those two ideas are also conveyed by the Bible when the word “scepter” appears in a passage. The scepter of royal authority is referred to in Genesis 49:10, indicating that Judah’s descendants would exercise royal authority (so also in Ps 45:6, two times, and quoted in Heb 1:8)....","source":"Articles\/S.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":48326,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:2","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","summary_en":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":75952,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:2","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","summary_en":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":103578,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:2","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","summary_en":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":131204,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:2","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:2","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:2<\/strong> <em>he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her:<\/em> She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","summary_en":"5:2 he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her: She was not killed for entering the king’s presence without an invitation (4:11, 16).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"3":[{"id":11136,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Additions to Esther","title_en":"Additions to Esther","content_ro":"<h3>ESTHER, Additions to<\/h3>\n<p>Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 <span>BC<\/span> is generally suggested, which would place them considerably later than the canonical Esther.<\/p>\n<p>A summary of the additions is as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1. 11:2–12:6: Mordecai’s dream, including the plot against the king’s life. This passage preceded Esther 1:1.<\/p>\n<li>2. 13:1-7: The edict of Artaxerxes. This addition follows Esther 3:13, where the king is called Ahasuerus.<\/li>\n<li>3. 13:8–14:19: The prayers of Mordecai and Esther. This passage was to be inserted after Esther 4:17.<\/li>\n<li>4. 15:1-16: The king’s anger at Esther’s appearance, and his subsequent change of attitude. This was to be inserted before Esther 5:3, since it is an expansion of Esther 5:1-2.<\/li>\n<li>5. 16:1-24: The edict of Ahasuerus relating to the Jews. This section was to follow 8:12.<\/li>\n<li>6. 10:4–11:1: The interpretation of Mordecai’s dream. This addition follows 10:3.<\/li>\n<p>The additions contain discrepancies that make it clear they were never part of the original Esther. These can be seen as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1:19 and 8:8 compare 16:17<\/p>\n<p>2:15-18 compare 14:15<\/p>\n<p>2:16-19 compare 11:3–12:1<\/p>\n<p>2:21-23 and 6:3-4 compare 12:5<\/p>\n<p>3:1 compare 16:10<\/p>\n<p>3:5 compare 12:6<\/p>\n<p>5:4-8 compare 14:7<\/p>\n<p>7:10 compare 16:18<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>9:20-32 compare 16:22<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) and Old Latin texts contained the additions in the text of Esther at the places indicated. Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar, put the additions as an appendix in the Vulgate, his Latin translation of the Bible.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>ESTHER, Additions to<\/h3>\n<p>Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 <span>BC<\/span> is generally suggested, which would place them considerably later than the canonical Esther.<\/p>\n<p>A summary of the additions is as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1. 11:2–12:6: Mordecai’s dream, including the plot against the king’s life. This passage preceded Esther 1:1.<\/p>\n<li>2. 13:1-7: The edict of Artaxerxes. This addition follows Esther 3:13, where the king is called Ahasuerus.<\/li>\n<li>3. 13:8–14:19: The prayers of Mordecai and Esther. This passage was to be inserted after Esther 4:17.<\/li>\n<li>4. 15:1-16: The king’s anger at Esther’s appearance, and his subsequent change of attitude. This was to be inserted before Esther 5:3, since it is an expansion of Esther 5:1-2.<\/li>\n<li>5. 16:1-24: The edict of Ahasuerus relating to the Jews. This section was to follow 8:12.<\/li>\n<li>6. 10:4–11:1: The interpretation of Mordecai’s dream. This addition follows 10:3.<\/li>\n<p>The additions contain discrepancies that make it clear they were never part of the original Esther. These can be seen as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1:19 and 8:8 compare 16:17<\/p>\n<p>2:15-18 compare 14:15<\/p>\n<p>2:16-19 compare 11:3–12:1<\/p>\n<p>2:21-23 and 6:3-4 compare 12:5<\/p>\n<p>3:1 compare 16:10<\/p>\n<p>3:5 compare 12:6<\/p>\n<p>5:4-8 compare 14:7<\/p>\n<p>7:10 compare 16:18<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>9:20-32 compare 16:22<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) and Old Latin texts contained the additions in the text of Esther at the places indicated. Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar, put the additions as an appendix in the Vulgate, his Latin translation of the Bible.<\/p>","summary_ro":"ESTHER, Additions to Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 BC is generally suggested, which would p...","summary_en":"ESTHER, Additions to Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 BC is generally suggested, which would p...","source":"Articles\/E.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":48327,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:3","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:3","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","summary_en":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":75953,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:3","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:3","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","summary_en":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":103579,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:3","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:3","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","summary_en":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":131205,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:3","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:3","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:3<\/strong> <em>I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!<\/em> This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","summary_en":"5:3 I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom! This conventional idiom meant the king would be generous toward her request. The king did not want anything to prevent Esther from speaking the full truth.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"4":[{"id":3653,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Banquet","title_en":"Banquet","content_ro":"<h3>BANQUET<\/h3>\n<p>Lavish ceremonial meal, usually held in honor of some notable event or person; also a symbol of the feast to be given by Christ in the kingdom of God. Banqueting and feasting were major parts of the social and religious life of biblical times. In addition to the religious feasts prescribed by Mosaic law, banquets and feasts were celebrated on nearly any occasion of joy or solemnity: at the ratification of covenants (Gn 26:30; 31:54; Ex 24:11); at weddings (Gn 29:22; Jgs 14:10); at harvest (Jgs 9:27; Ru 3:1-3); at the shearing of sheep (1 Sm 25:11; 2 Sm 13:23-29); at the arrival of guests (Gn 19:3); at the weaning of a child (21:8); at coronations (1 Kgs 1:9, 19-25); on various state occasions (Est 1:3-9; 2:18; 5:4-8); and for many other reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Many customs associated with banquets in the ancient Near East are portrayed in the Bible and in extrabiblical literature; wall reliefs and carvings from some excavations also depict banquet scenes. The sequence of banquet preparation in Proverbs 9:2-5, Matthew 22:1-14, and Luke 14:15-24 is also known from the legend of King Keret in Ugaritic literature: (1) preparation of the foods, (2) sending messengers with the invitation and announcement that all is ready, and (3) the presentation of food and wine in order. The prophet Amos portrays a lavish feast and shows the main eating customs (Am 6:4-6). Meals were ordinarily taken while reclining on a couch before a table (Est 1:6; Ez 23:41; Am 6:4; Mt 9:10; Lk 7:49; 14:10, 15).<\/p>\n<p>Banquet imagery is prominent in both Testaments with reference to the kingdom of God. Isaiah foresaw the judgment of the nations and the deliverance of Israel followed by the Lord’s reign over his people (Is 24:23); inauguration of that reign is accompanied by a huge banquet to which all peoples are invited (Is 25:6-8; cf. Lk 13:29). Meals shared following the sacrifice of animals in the OT prefigure that great feast when there will be no more death, tears, or reproach for the people of God (Is 25:7; cf. Rv 21:4). The banquet of the new covenant likewise directs attention to the future, when the redeemed will drink fine wine (Is 25:6) with Christ in the kingdom of God (Lk 22:14-20). By participating in the Lord’s Supper (Communion), all Christians anticipate that great feast.<\/p>\n<p>That future, final banquet in the kingdom of God is also pictured specifically as a wedding feast; all is in readiness, the invitation is issued to many, but few are chosen (Mt 22:1-14). The church looks forward to the marriage feast of the Lamb (Rv 19:7-9).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>BANQUET<\/h3>\n<p>Lavish ceremonial meal, usually held in honor of some notable event or person; also a symbol of the feast to be given by Christ in the kingdom of God. Banqueting and feasting were major parts of the social and religious life of biblical times. In addition to the religious feasts prescribed by Mosaic law, banquets and feasts were celebrated on nearly any occasion of joy or solemnity: at the ratification of covenants (Gn 26:30; 31:54; Ex 24:11); at weddings (Gn 29:22; Jgs 14:10); at harvest (Jgs 9:27; Ru 3:1-3); at the shearing of sheep (1 Sm 25:11; 2 Sm 13:23-29); at the arrival of guests (Gn 19:3); at the weaning of a child (21:8); at coronations (1 Kgs 1:9, 19-25); on various state occasions (Est 1:3-9; 2:18; 5:4-8); and for many other reasons.<\/p>\n<p>Many customs associated with banquets in the ancient Near East are portrayed in the Bible and in extrabiblical literature; wall reliefs and carvings from some excavations also depict banquet scenes. The sequence of banquet preparation in Proverbs 9:2-5, Matthew 22:1-14, and Luke 14:15-24 is also known from the legend of King Keret in Ugaritic literature: (1) preparation of the foods, (2) sending messengers with the invitation and announcement that all is ready, and (3) the presentation of food and wine in order. The prophet Amos portrays a lavish feast and shows the main eating customs (Am 6:4-6). Meals were ordinarily taken while reclining on a couch before a table (Est 1:6; Ez 23:41; Am 6:4; Mt 9:10; Lk 7:49; 14:10, 15).<\/p>\n<p>Banquet imagery is prominent in both Testaments with reference to the kingdom of God. Isaiah foresaw the judgment of the nations and the deliverance of Israel followed by the Lord’s reign over his people (Is 24:23); inauguration of that reign is accompanied by a huge banquet to which all peoples are invited (Is 25:6-8; cf. Lk 13:29). Meals shared following the sacrifice of animals in the OT prefigure that great feast when there will be no more death, tears, or reproach for the people of God (Is 25:7; cf. Rv 21:4). The banquet of the new covenant likewise directs attention to the future, when the redeemed will drink fine wine (Is 25:6) with Christ in the kingdom of God (Lk 22:14-20). By participating in the Lord’s Supper (Communion), all Christians anticipate that great feast.<\/p>\n<p>That future, final banquet in the kingdom of God is also pictured specifically as a wedding feast; all is in readiness, the invitation is issued to many, but few are chosen (Mt 22:1-14). The church looks forward to the marriage feast of the Lamb (Rv 19:7-9).<\/p>","summary_ro":"BANQUET Lavish ceremonial meal, usually held in honor of some notable event or person; also a symbol of the feast to be given by Christ in the kingdom of God. Banqueting and feasting were major parts of the social and religious life of biblical times. In addition to the religious feasts prescribed by Mosaic law, banquets and feasts were celebrated on nearly any occasion of joy or solemnity: at the ratification of covenants (Gn 26:30; 31:54; Ex 24:11); at weddings (Gn 29:22; Jgs 14:10); at har...","summary_en":"BANQUET Lavish ceremonial meal, usually held in honor of some notable event or person; also a symbol of the feast to be given by Christ in the kingdom of God. Banqueting and feasting were major parts of the social and religious life of biblical times. In addition to the religious feasts prescribed by Mosaic law, banquets and feasts were celebrated on nearly any occasion of joy or solemnity: at the ratification of covenants (Gn 26:30; 31:54; Ex 24:11); at weddings (Gn 29:22; Jgs 14:10); at har...","source":"Articles\/B.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":11156,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Additions to Esther","title_en":"Additions to Esther","content_ro":"<h3>ESTHER, Additions to<\/h3>\n<p>Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 <span>BC<\/span> is generally suggested, which would place them considerably later than the canonical Esther.<\/p>\n<p>A summary of the additions is as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1. 11:2–12:6: Mordecai’s dream, including the plot against the king’s life. This passage preceded Esther 1:1.<\/p>\n<li>2. 13:1-7: The edict of Artaxerxes. This addition follows Esther 3:13, where the king is called Ahasuerus.<\/li>\n<li>3. 13:8–14:19: The prayers of Mordecai and Esther. This passage was to be inserted after Esther 4:17.<\/li>\n<li>4. 15:1-16: The king’s anger at Esther’s appearance, and his subsequent change of attitude. This was to be inserted before Esther 5:3, since it is an expansion of Esther 5:1-2.<\/li>\n<li>5. 16:1-24: The edict of Ahasuerus relating to the Jews. This section was to follow 8:12.<\/li>\n<li>6. 10:4–11:1: The interpretation of Mordecai’s dream. This addition follows 10:3.<\/li>\n<p>The additions contain discrepancies that make it clear they were never part of the original Esther. These can be seen as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1:19 and 8:8 compare 16:17<\/p>\n<p>2:15-18 compare 14:15<\/p>\n<p>2:16-19 compare 11:3–12:1<\/p>\n<p>2:21-23 and 6:3-4 compare 12:5<\/p>\n<p>3:1 compare 16:10<\/p>\n<p>3:5 compare 12:6<\/p>\n<p>5:4-8 compare 14:7<\/p>\n<p>7:10 compare 16:18<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>9:20-32 compare 16:22<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) and Old Latin texts contained the additions in the text of Esther at the places indicated. Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar, put the additions as an appendix in the Vulgate, his Latin translation of the Bible.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>ESTHER, Additions to<\/h3>\n<p>Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 <span>BC<\/span> is generally suggested, which would place them considerably later than the canonical Esther.<\/p>\n<p>A summary of the additions is as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1. 11:2–12:6: Mordecai’s dream, including the plot against the king’s life. This passage preceded Esther 1:1.<\/p>\n<li>2. 13:1-7: The edict of Artaxerxes. This addition follows Esther 3:13, where the king is called Ahasuerus.<\/li>\n<li>3. 13:8–14:19: The prayers of Mordecai and Esther. This passage was to be inserted after Esther 4:17.<\/li>\n<li>4. 15:1-16: The king’s anger at Esther’s appearance, and his subsequent change of attitude. This was to be inserted before Esther 5:3, since it is an expansion of Esther 5:1-2.<\/li>\n<li>5. 16:1-24: The edict of Ahasuerus relating to the Jews. This section was to follow 8:12.<\/li>\n<li>6. 10:4–11:1: The interpretation of Mordecai’s dream. This addition follows 10:3.<\/li>\n<p>The additions contain discrepancies that make it clear they were never part of the original Esther. These can be seen as follows:<\/p>\n<p>1:19 and 8:8 compare 16:17<\/p>\n<p>2:15-18 compare 14:15<\/p>\n<p>2:16-19 compare 11:3–12:1<\/p>\n<p>2:21-23 and 6:3-4 compare 12:5<\/p>\n<p>3:1 compare 16:10<\/p>\n<p>3:5 compare 12:6<\/p>\n<p>5:4-8 compare 14:7<\/p>\n<p>7:10 compare 16:18<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>9:20-32 compare 16:22<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) and Old Latin texts contained the additions in the text of Esther at the places indicated. Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar, put the additions as an appendix in the Vulgate, his Latin translation of the Bible.<\/p>","summary_ro":"ESTHER, Additions to Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 BC is generally suggested, which would p...","summary_en":"ESTHER, Additions to Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 BC is generally suggested, which would p...","source":"Articles\/E.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":12125,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Feasts and Festivals of Israel","title_en":"Feasts and Festivals of Israel","content_ro":"<h3>FEASTS AND FESTIVALS OF ISRAEL<\/h3>\n<p>Occasions of public or private rejoicing to commemorate some significant event or personage. The element of celebration has a special meaning in the cycle of religious occasions and the rites and ceremonies associated with these particular days. While the idea of a feast commonly implies a banquet with plenteous food and drink, this element is not indispensable. Sometimes there is only a token amount, as in the celebration of Holy Communion.<\/p>\n\n<p>In contemporary usage “festival” usually refers to activities extending over a period of time, while “feast” indicates one part of the celebration, often a meal. However, in religious usage, both ancient and modern, the two words are used interchangeably. The ancient Hebrews employed the words <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">mo’ed<\/span> (“seasons”) and <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">hag<\/span> for their great public celebrations, while feasts of a more private nature were commonly described by the term <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">mishteh<\/span><em>.<\/em> The majority of English translations of Scripture do not differentiate between these words.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"FeastsandTheirFunctions\">Feasts and Their Functions<\/p>\n<p>Each festival places great emphasis on community participation and on the continuity of social or religious tradition, especially where the celebrations are elements of a regular civil or religious calendar. Without community backing, even in a family celebration, no festival can be successful. When there is communal participation, a festival can reinforce the individual and community memory of specific occasions, and can perpetuate that store of recollection over years and generations. Such shared memory has a cohesive effect upon a cooperating community, large or small, and serves to establish the traditions by which the group lives. If the festival commemorates a particular event or celebrates some lofty ideal, that theme becomes more firmly embedded in the minds of the participants by being associated repeatedly with the rites and ceremonies performed. The feasts of the ancient Hebrews had this positive function. The great festivals of their religious calendar commemorated specific occasions when God had reached out in power to intervene for his people or had provided for them in their distress. By celebrating these feasts on a regular basis, the Hebrews continually affirmed that their God had directed their destiny. Their repeated rehearsal of God’s help and love for them reminded them that he was still able to sustain them. Especially in times of hardship, it pointed to the reality of God’s presence and activity among them. Faith sustained by this means furnished an invaluable spiritual dimension to the life of the nation and provided a sense of continuity under divine provision and guidance. Only when corrupt or pagan elements were introduced into festive occasions did this important ingredient of national life begin to lose its vitality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"OldTestamentFestivals\">Old Testament Festivals<\/p>\n<h5>General Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>These occasions were surprisingly numerous in Israel, considering the rather austere mode of life reflected in much of the OT. No doubt such celebrations offset or compensated for the hardships and insecurities of existence in the ancient Near East, and the Israelites made the most of every opportunity. A wedding was one of the most obvious occasions for celebration, and it is not surprising that a feast was prepared for the marriage of Rachel and Jacob (Gn 29:22) in which the whole neighborhood participated. Just how long this particular feast lasted is unknown, but some marriage festivals continued for a week, as in the case of the marriage between Samson and the woman of Timnah (Jgs 14:17). Wine that makes glad man’s heart (Ps 104:15) was consumed freely on such occasions.<\/p>\n<p>Birthdays were often observed in a festive spirit, especially where a royal person was concerned (Gn 40:20). Solomon’s dream was commemorated with a feast provided for his servants (1 Kgs 3:15), and when the temple was dedicated, the occasion was celebrated for a full week (8:65). Kings and queens held feasts periodically to mark certain occasions or to express goodwill (cf. Est 1:3; 2:18; 5:4, 14; 7:2, 7; Dn 5:1). Herdsmen traditionally made a feast for the shearing of the first sheep (Dt 18:4).<\/p>\n<h5>Preexilic Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>In addition to the general festivals, which were frequently of a secular nature, communal feasts were prescribed for the Israelites that had a specifically spiritual significance. They were meant to emphasize the activity of God on behalf of his people and to remind them that continued divine blessing depended upon their obedience to his will. The catalog of festivals in Leviticus 23:2 began with an injunction to observe the Sabbath. The seventh day, in which God ceased from creating (Gn 2:3), was holy, though it is difficult to determine the extent to which it was kept until the time of Moses (Ex 20:8-11). From that time on, Sabbath observance stressed refraining from all work so as to commemorate properly God’s own rest from creative activity (31:17) and his deliverance of his people from bondage in Egypt (Dt 5:12-15). Sabbath celebration was the sign of a special relationship between God and the Israelites. During this 24-hour period, even trivial tasks like making a fire (Ex 35:3) or gathering wood (Nm 15:32-33) were prohibited on pain of death. Journeys of any distance also came under the Sabbath ban (Ex 16:29). Special offerings were part of the observance (Nm 28:9-10), and the bread of the Presence was replaced in the tabernacle (Lv 24:5-8). Despite the restrictions on activity, the Sabbath was meant to symbolize a time of happiness and security in the presence of God (cf. Is 58:13-14), since its observance would bring blessing to the individual and to the whole land.<\/p>\n<h6>Festival of the New Moon<\/h6>\n<p>The new moon was a monthly celebration based on the lunar calendar. It was especially appropriate for an agricultural people, since everyone could tell when the moon was new. Special offerings were prescribed for this festival, consisting of a burnt sacrifice, a grain offering, and a drink offering (Nm 28:11-15). In addition, a male goat was sacrificed to God as a sin offering, and trumpet blasts were sounded over the sacrificial offerings as a memorial before God (10:10). The sacrifices prescribed for the new moon festival were significantly greater than those required in Numbers 28:9-10 for the weekly Sabbath.<\/p>\n<p>This lunar feast was popular throughout Israelite history. During the monarchy, the Levites were required to assist the Aaronic priests at the new moon festival, as well as on the Sabbath (1 Chr 23:29-31). The preexilic prophets may well have taken advantage of the large gatherings to give guidance to the people or proclaim prophetic oracles (cf. 2 Kgs 4:23), though to what extent this was done is uncertain. Not everyone found the period of rest and celebration valuable, however, and Amos (Am 8:5) complained about those avaricious Israelites who felt that such observances interfered with the business of making a living. The feast could not be observed when the Judeans were in exile in Babylonia (cf. Hos 2:11), but under Ezra and Nehemiah, its observance was restored (Neh 10:33). In Isaiah 66:22-23 it was related to Israel’s final destiny and was an accepted part of the ordinances for Ezekiel’s ideal temple (Ez 45:17).<\/p>\n<p>The purpose of the festival was to enhance the unity of national life by reminding the Israelites that God’s covenant with their ancestors was permanent and still binding upon the nation. It also stressed the loving nature and providence of a God who could begin such a relationship and carry out his promises with complete faithfulness (cf. Ps 104:19).<\/p>\n<h6>The Festival of Trumpets<\/h6>\n<p>The Festival of Trumpets was celebrated on the first day of the seventh new moon. This month, subsequently named Tishri, was especially holy, and for this reason was governed by certain regulations different from those of ordinary new moon festivals. The trumpets were blown on the first day (Lv 23:24) as the animal and cereal sacrifices were offered. From Numbers 29:2-6 it appears that the offerings required for this particular feast exceeded those prescribed for normal Sabbath sacrifice, but were somewhat less than those required for the regular new moon festival (cf. Nm 28:11). This feast was to be observed as a day of solemn rest and as a holy convocation, and the trumpets were sounded as a triumphant memorial to God’s great provision for his people through the Sinai covenant.<\/p>\n<p>The seventh month was particularly sacred, partly because of its place in the hallowed cycle of sevens, but also because the Day of Atonement (or Yom Kippur) and the Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths (Shelters), occurred during this period. The latter feast followed the Day of Atonement by some five days (Lv 23:33), and its joyful character served to offset somewhat the solemnity of the annual penitential occasion when the nation confessed its collective sins and saw them banished symbolically into the wilderness as the scapegoat was driven from the congregation.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sabbatical Year<\/h6>\n<p>Another festival closely connected with the institution of the Sabbath was the sabbatical year. At the end of each cycle of six years, the following 12 months were observed as a “sabbath of rest for the land.” During this interval, the ground was to lie fallow (Ex 23:11) without any form of cultivation, and whatever sprouted and grew from it naturally was assigned to the poor and needy (Lv 25:6). This provision for the land itself constituted one of the most important ecological principles of Scripture. Like God’s people, the land was holy, and just as they needed to have regular intervals of rest from daily work in order to regain their energy and spiritual vitality through worship, so the ground needed to rest and recuperate from the strain of constant cultivation. The festival reminded the Israelites that the land on which they lived had been given to them by God in fulfillment of his covenant undertaking to provide richly for their physical needs (cf. Dt 8:7-10). To keep the Israelites from experiencing any shortages or other hardships during the Year of Sabbath, God promised that in the year immediately preceding the sabbatical period, the land would bear fruit to suffice for the next three years (Lv 25:21). This assurance was based upon the experience of the wilderness wanderings, when on the sixth day of the week sufficient manna appeared to last through the Sabbath (Ex 16:5).<\/p>\n<p>In this festival period, God’s absolute claim over the land was reaffirmed (cf. Lv 25:23), and the faith of the nation in God’s ability to provide for future needs was reinforced. The provisions that freed the land for a year from agricultural bondage were paralleled in the seventh year of rest by those requiring liberation of slaves and debtors. These underprivileged members of society were to be released from their obligations of servitude. As a result, men and women who had become slaves for one reason or another were given personal liberty (Ex 21:2-6), and under proclamation of the Lord’s release, the provisions applying to debt were rescinded (Dt 15:1-6). The sabbatical year seems to have been a regular part of preexilic Israelite life, although some abuses were noted in Jeremiah 34:8-22. There the prophet took advantage of the opportunity presented to instruct the people in the nature and purpose of the sabbatical year ordinance. He also warned the wayward Judeans that because they had disobeyed the commands of God in denying proper liberty to their slaves, they would have their own freedom taken away in a far more serious manner by being carried captive to Babylonia after seeing their land destroyed. The lesson was not lost upon those who returned from exile, for under the administration of Nehemiah, the Jews bound themselves by a covenant to observe the principle of the sabbatical year (Neh 10:31). This undertaking evidently took its impetus from the reading of the law of Moses at the Feast of Booths (Shelters), which coincidentally occurred at the beginning of the sabbatical year (Neh 8:13-18).<\/p>\n<h6>Jubilee<\/h6>\n<p>Still another feast based on the principle of the sabbath was the Year of Jubilee, or Pentecostal year (Lv 25:8-55; 27:17-24). As the sabbatical year was related to the concept of the seventh day, so the Pentecostal (50th) year marked the completion of a cycle of seven sabbatical years. The commencement of a jubilee year was proclaimed on the Day of Atonement throughout the land by means of trumpet blasts (Lv 25:9). The activities that took place during the Pentecostal year were similar to those prescribed for the sabbatical year. A special feature was that land that had been sold during the preceding 49 years was returned to its original owners, a procedure that sometimes involved financial adjustments. To prevent abuse of the process through opportunism or speculation, the Hebrews were instructed to deal fairly and honestly with one another in the fear of God, who was the real owner of the land (Lv 25:14-17). As with the sabbatical year, God promised to make provision before the jubilee year so that no one would suffer hardship. It was during the Year of Jubilee that those who were slaves in Hebrew households were given their liberty, so that everyone in the land would commence a new cycle of sabbatical years on the same footing, as free persons under God.<\/p>\n<h5>Seasonal Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>Three annual festivals that followed the seasons of the year rather than phases of the moon furnished important occasions for commemorating God’s power and provision in national life. These festivals were designated by the term <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">hag<\/span><em>,<\/em> indicating a festival usually observed by some sort of pilgrimage. These three festivals were prescribed in Exodus 23:14-17 and Deuteronomy 16:16, and consisted of the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Festival of Booths (Tabernacles). On these occasions, all the males of Israel were commanded to make pilgrimage to the sanctuary and celebrate these festivals (Ex 12:14). The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were originally separate ordinances, but since the latter always followed immediately upon the Passover rite, they naturally blended into a single festival.<\/p>\n<h6>Passover<\/h6>\n<p>The Passover was of supreme theological significance for the Israelites, since it marked one of the most momentous acts of divine intervention in their history, the beginning of their deliverance from bondage in Egypt when, in the final plague, God destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians but spared those Israelites whose homes had blood smeared on the doorposts (Ex 12:11-30). God commanded that the day was to be observed as a memorial feast (v 14), and the next Passover celebration occurred in the Sinai Desert (Nm 9:1-5). In the Hebrew calendar the Passover festival came in the first month, called Abib in Deuteronomy 16:1, but known after the exile as Nisan (cf. Neh 2:1). The Passover rite took place the 14th evening (Lv 23:5), and this was followed by a seven-day period during which nothing leavened was to be eaten. The principle for removing all leaven from bread was similar to that underlying the draining of blood from animal flesh. Both leaven and blood had quickening power and were to be kept separate as an offering to God. The first and seventh days of this period were marked by a holy assembly, during which the only work permitted was the preparation of food (Ex 12:16). This period when unleavened bread was eaten was described as a festival because it opened the seven-week period of grain harvest (Dt 16:9). During this feast, special burnt sacrifices were offered, followed with a sheaf of newly harvested barley at the Feast of Firstfruits. By NT times the festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread were well-attended celebrations and were known as the “days of unleavened bread” (Lk 22:1; Acts 12:3). The theme of Israel’s deliverance from the power of Egypt by divine intervention assured the Israelites that God was always ready to act on behalf of a faithful and obedient covenant people. It also reminded them that they had once been slaves (Dt 16:12). In Israelite life the early Passover and Unleavened Bread observances were comparatively simple in character, but during the monarchy more elaborate Passover rituals came into use (cf. 2 Kgs 23:21-23; 2 Chr 35:1-19).<\/p>\n<h6>Pentecost<\/h6>\n<p>The second great festival, Pentecost (or Weeks) lasted one day only and was observed on the 50th day after the newly harvested barley sheaf had been waved before the Lord at the end of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Dt 16:9-12). The festival marked the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest, the beginning of the period when firstfruits could be offered (cf. Ex 23:16; 34:22; Nm 28:26). The feast day was marked by the presentation of two wheat-flour loaves along with sacrifices of seven lambs, two rams, and a bull (Lv 23:15-20). Freewill gifts to God were presented to reflect gratitude for his blessings, and the entire occasion was one of communal rejoicing (Dt 16:10-11). Since Pentecost was essentially a harvest festival (Ex 23:16), the Israelites were called on to recognize that they depended entirely upon God for their material prosperity. In Deuteronomy 26, specific instructions were given for the ritual of presenting firstfruits from the harvest. It comprised a great confession of faith set within the framework of Israel’s history, and it recounted God’s deliverance of the nation from Egyptian oppression and his provision of a land that could amply supply the needs of his people.<\/p>\n<h6>Festival of Tabernacles<\/h6>\n<p>This festival, known variously as the Feast of Booths, Tabernacles, Shelters (Lv 23:34; Dt 16:13), or Ingathering (Ex 34:22), was the third great occasion that all Hebrew males were required to observe annually. It began on the 15th day of the seventh month (Tishri), shortly after the observance of the Day of Atonement, which fell on the 10th day. The Feast of Booths lasted for one week and involved pilgrimage. It was associated initially with the end of the year (Ex 34:22), when the agricultural work had been completed. The first day was marked by a symbolic cessation from all activity, after which burnt offerings were presented to the Lord. The eighth day was also one on which the congregation of Israel abstained from manual work and again offered burnt sacrifices. Leviticus 23:39-43 furnished details for the rituals that gave the festival its special name of booths or shelters or tabernacles. The fruit of “goodly trees” was to be gathered on the first day of the feast, along with palm fronds, willow branches, and boughs from trees in full leaf. From these, rough shelters or booths were to be constructed in which the people lived for the week of the feast. Every seventh year the observances were marked by a public recital of the covenant provisions to which the Israelites under Moses had committed themselves, a procedure designed to keep fresh in their minds the obligations as well as the blessings of the covenant relationship. A particularly significant observance of the Feast of Tabernacles took place in the time of Ezra, when the Judean community returned from Babylon—a celebration of a kind unknown for centuries (Neh 8:13-18). From the context it appears that observance of the feast had lapsed during the monarchy. The feast at Shiloh where Hannah was mistaken for a drunken woman and the feast referred to in Judges 21:19 were evidently the Feast of Booths. In a prophetic vision in which he saw all nations coming to Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Booths, Zechariah warned that those who did not continue this tradition could expect hardship and shortages of food (Zec 14:16-19).<\/p>\n<h5>Postexilic Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>There are a few minor festivals that were created in the period after the Jews returned from exile; some of these festivals had their origin in specific historical occasions.<\/p>\n<h6>The Festival of Purim<\/h6>\n<p>The Festival of Purim, also known as the Festival of Lots, was a joyful occasion occurring on the 14th day of the 12th month (Adar). It celebrated the way in which Esther and Mordecai were used by God to deliver his people in the Persian Empire from extermination by Haman (Est 9:21, 24-28). The feast was observed on the 14th day of Adar by those living in villages, and on the 15th by the inhabitants of walled towns and cities. The explanation of the name of the festival is given in Esther 9:24-26, and its observance reminded the Hebrews of God’s ability to save them during a time of anti-Semitic activity in Persia. The deliverance memorialized in this festival has consoled the Jews on other occasions when they have suffered persecution. Traditionally the scroll of Esther was read aloud in the synagogue on the evening before the feast, and there was a great outcry, especially among the children present, whenever the names of the hated Haman and his sons were mentioned.<\/p>\n<h6>Festival of the Dedication of the Temple<\/h6>\n<p>Another joyous festival that lasted for eight days was the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple (1 Macc 4:52-59; 2 Macc 10:6-8), familiar to modern readers as Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights. The specific dedication that prompted the feast occurred in 164 <span>BC<\/span>, when Judas Maccabeus reconsecrated the temple in Jerusalem after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The celebrations commenced on the 25th day of the ninth month (Kislev) and were marked at night by blazing lights and lanterns. The stories of brave opposition by the Maccabees to the crushing forces of paganism were recounted, and the feast was one of praise to God for his marvelous deliverance of the Jews during the Maccabean period.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"NewTestamentFestivals\">New Testament Festivals<\/p>\n<p>In Christ’s time the Sabbath was observed rigorously and was the occasion for synagogue worship (cf. Lk 4:16; Acts 13:14; 18:4). Pharisaic law prohibited all work, and Jesus came into conflict with the authorities periodically for breaches of the Sabbath regulations (cf. Mt 12:1-4; Mk 3:1-5; Lk 13:10-17). In the primitive church, worship occurred on “the first day of the week” (i.e., Sunday) to commemorate Christ’s resurrection. The early Christians initially participated in Jewish ceremonies (cf. Acts 20:16; 1 Cor 16:8). It was during the Feast of Pentecost, after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, that the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:1-4), fulfilling Joel 2:28-32 and commencing the history of the Christian church as such.<\/p>\n<p>The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread were of great significance in the life of Christ (cf. Jn 4:45; 5:1; 6:4; 12:1-26), for the occasion was a very popular one in NT times (cf. 12:20). On the Passover, Pilate had instituted the custom of clemency to a prisoner nominated by the populace (Mt 27:15; Mk 15:6). Jesus participated actively in the Passover rituals (cf. Lk 2:42; Jn 2:13; 6:4). The Last Supper with his disciples occurred just prior to the Passover (Jn 13:1), when Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the Pharisees (Lk 22:4-6). The breaking of bread and the drinking of wine at that Passover celebration (Mk 14:22-25) were related directly to Christ’s forthcoming death on the cross in a sacramental manner. Christ’s disciples were instructed to observe this rite as a memorial of his suffering and death for human sin (1 Cor 11:24-26) and as a proclamation of the power of the cross until the Lord returns in glory. Some scholars have suggested that Christ was actually hanging on the cross when the Passover lamb was being slaughtered, and if that chronology is correct, it would represent Jesus graphically as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29, <span>rsv<\/span>). Jesus was also present once when the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated (7:10). In his day water was carried in procession from the pool of Siloam as an offering to God, and the ceremony most probably prompted Christ’s discourse on living water and eternal life (vv 37-39). On at least one occasion Jesus was in Jerusalem when the Festival of Lights occurred (Jn 10:22) and narrowly missed death by stoning.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus was entertained occasionally at private feasts (cf. Lk 5:29), and once remedied an emergency situation when the wine ran out at a wedding ceremony (Jn 2:8-10). He was critical of the Pharisees for securing the chief seats at feasts (Mt 23:6; Mk 12:39; Lk 20:46) and taught that festivals ought to benefit the poor (Lk 14:13).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"SymbolismofFeasts\">Symbolism of Feasts<\/p>\n<p>Many aspects of the ancient Hebrew feasts were interpreted symbolically in the early church. Paul regarded the earliest Hebrew Christians as the firstfruits of the Israel of God (Rom 11:16). In Romans 8:23, the Holy Spirit as possessed by Christians was regarded as only a token of what was to come, and as such was the firstfruit of the Spirit. Christians themselves were described in James 1:18 as the firstfruits of God’s creatures who were brought forth by the Word of Truth. The resurrection of Jesus was considered by Paul to be the firstfruits of those who slept (1 Cor 15:20, 23). In an allusion to OT festivals, Paul spoke of the Sabbaths, new moons, and feasts as merely being a shadow of good things to come (Col 2:16-17). The Passover was used figuratively to emphasize that Christ our Passover Lamb had been sacrificed for us. Believers were urged to keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, and not with the old leaven of malice and evil (1 Cor 5:7-8).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Calendars, Ancient and Modern; Offerings and Sacrifices; Tabernacle; Temple.<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>FEASTS AND FESTIVALS OF ISRAEL<\/h3>\n<p>Occasions of public or private rejoicing to commemorate some significant event or personage. The element of celebration has a special meaning in the cycle of religious occasions and the rites and ceremonies associated with these particular days. While the idea of a feast commonly implies a banquet with plenteous food and drink, this element is not indispensable. Sometimes there is only a token amount, as in the celebration of Holy Communion.<\/p>\n\n<p>In contemporary usage “festival” usually refers to activities extending over a period of time, while “feast” indicates one part of the celebration, often a meal. However, in religious usage, both ancient and modern, the two words are used interchangeably. The ancient Hebrews employed the words <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">mo’ed<\/span> (“seasons”) and <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">hag<\/span> for their great public celebrations, while feasts of a more private nature were commonly described by the term <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">mishteh<\/span><em>.<\/em> The majority of English translations of Scripture do not differentiate between these words.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"FeastsandTheirFunctions\">Feasts and Their Functions<\/p>\n<p>Each festival places great emphasis on community participation and on the continuity of social or religious tradition, especially where the celebrations are elements of a regular civil or religious calendar. Without community backing, even in a family celebration, no festival can be successful. When there is communal participation, a festival can reinforce the individual and community memory of specific occasions, and can perpetuate that store of recollection over years and generations. Such shared memory has a cohesive effect upon a cooperating community, large or small, and serves to establish the traditions by which the group lives. If the festival commemorates a particular event or celebrates some lofty ideal, that theme becomes more firmly embedded in the minds of the participants by being associated repeatedly with the rites and ceremonies performed. The feasts of the ancient Hebrews had this positive function. The great festivals of their religious calendar commemorated specific occasions when God had reached out in power to intervene for his people or had provided for them in their distress. By celebrating these feasts on a regular basis, the Hebrews continually affirmed that their God had directed their destiny. Their repeated rehearsal of God’s help and love for them reminded them that he was still able to sustain them. Especially in times of hardship, it pointed to the reality of God’s presence and activity among them. Faith sustained by this means furnished an invaluable spiritual dimension to the life of the nation and provided a sense of continuity under divine provision and guidance. Only when corrupt or pagan elements were introduced into festive occasions did this important ingredient of national life begin to lose its vitality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"OldTestamentFestivals\">Old Testament Festivals<\/p>\n<h5>General Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>These occasions were surprisingly numerous in Israel, considering the rather austere mode of life reflected in much of the OT. No doubt such celebrations offset or compensated for the hardships and insecurities of existence in the ancient Near East, and the Israelites made the most of every opportunity. A wedding was one of the most obvious occasions for celebration, and it is not surprising that a feast was prepared for the marriage of Rachel and Jacob (Gn 29:22) in which the whole neighborhood participated. Just how long this particular feast lasted is unknown, but some marriage festivals continued for a week, as in the case of the marriage between Samson and the woman of Timnah (Jgs 14:17). Wine that makes glad man’s heart (Ps 104:15) was consumed freely on such occasions.<\/p>\n<p>Birthdays were often observed in a festive spirit, especially where a royal person was concerned (Gn 40:20). Solomon’s dream was commemorated with a feast provided for his servants (1 Kgs 3:15), and when the temple was dedicated, the occasion was celebrated for a full week (8:65). Kings and queens held feasts periodically to mark certain occasions or to express goodwill (cf. Est 1:3; 2:18; 5:4, 14; 7:2, 7; Dn 5:1). Herdsmen traditionally made a feast for the shearing of the first sheep (Dt 18:4).<\/p>\n<h5>Preexilic Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>In addition to the general festivals, which were frequently of a secular nature, communal feasts were prescribed for the Israelites that had a specifically spiritual significance. They were meant to emphasize the activity of God on behalf of his people and to remind them that continued divine blessing depended upon their obedience to his will. The catalog of festivals in Leviticus 23:2 began with an injunction to observe the Sabbath. The seventh day, in which God ceased from creating (Gn 2:3), was holy, though it is difficult to determine the extent to which it was kept until the time of Moses (Ex 20:8-11). From that time on, Sabbath observance stressed refraining from all work so as to commemorate properly God’s own rest from creative activity (31:17) and his deliverance of his people from bondage in Egypt (Dt 5:12-15). Sabbath celebration was the sign of a special relationship between God and the Israelites. During this 24-hour period, even trivial tasks like making a fire (Ex 35:3) or gathering wood (Nm 15:32-33) were prohibited on pain of death. Journeys of any distance also came under the Sabbath ban (Ex 16:29). Special offerings were part of the observance (Nm 28:9-10), and the bread of the Presence was replaced in the tabernacle (Lv 24:5-8). Despite the restrictions on activity, the Sabbath was meant to symbolize a time of happiness and security in the presence of God (cf. Is 58:13-14), since its observance would bring blessing to the individual and to the whole land.<\/p>\n<h6>Festival of the New Moon<\/h6>\n<p>The new moon was a monthly celebration based on the lunar calendar. It was especially appropriate for an agricultural people, since everyone could tell when the moon was new. Special offerings were prescribed for this festival, consisting of a burnt sacrifice, a grain offering, and a drink offering (Nm 28:11-15). In addition, a male goat was sacrificed to God as a sin offering, and trumpet blasts were sounded over the sacrificial offerings as a memorial before God (10:10). The sacrifices prescribed for the new moon festival were significantly greater than those required in Numbers 28:9-10 for the weekly Sabbath.<\/p>\n<p>This lunar feast was popular throughout Israelite history. During the monarchy, the Levites were required to assist the Aaronic priests at the new moon festival, as well as on the Sabbath (1 Chr 23:29-31). The preexilic prophets may well have taken advantage of the large gatherings to give guidance to the people or proclaim prophetic oracles (cf. 2 Kgs 4:23), though to what extent this was done is uncertain. Not everyone found the period of rest and celebration valuable, however, and Amos (Am 8:5) complained about those avaricious Israelites who felt that such observances interfered with the business of making a living. The feast could not be observed when the Judeans were in exile in Babylonia (cf. Hos 2:11), but under Ezra and Nehemiah, its observance was restored (Neh 10:33). In Isaiah 66:22-23 it was related to Israel’s final destiny and was an accepted part of the ordinances for Ezekiel’s ideal temple (Ez 45:17).<\/p>\n<p>The purpose of the festival was to enhance the unity of national life by reminding the Israelites that God’s covenant with their ancestors was permanent and still binding upon the nation. It also stressed the loving nature and providence of a God who could begin such a relationship and carry out his promises with complete faithfulness (cf. Ps 104:19).<\/p>\n<h6>The Festival of Trumpets<\/h6>\n<p>The Festival of Trumpets was celebrated on the first day of the seventh new moon. This month, subsequently named Tishri, was especially holy, and for this reason was governed by certain regulations different from those of ordinary new moon festivals. The trumpets were blown on the first day (Lv 23:24) as the animal and cereal sacrifices were offered. From Numbers 29:2-6 it appears that the offerings required for this particular feast exceeded those prescribed for normal Sabbath sacrifice, but were somewhat less than those required for the regular new moon festival (cf. Nm 28:11). This feast was to be observed as a day of solemn rest and as a holy convocation, and the trumpets were sounded as a triumphant memorial to God’s great provision for his people through the Sinai covenant.<\/p>\n<p>The seventh month was particularly sacred, partly because of its place in the hallowed cycle of sevens, but also because the Day of Atonement (or Yom Kippur) and the Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths (Shelters), occurred during this period. The latter feast followed the Day of Atonement by some five days (Lv 23:33), and its joyful character served to offset somewhat the solemnity of the annual penitential occasion when the nation confessed its collective sins and saw them banished symbolically into the wilderness as the scapegoat was driven from the congregation.<\/p>\n<h6>The Sabbatical Year<\/h6>\n<p>Another festival closely connected with the institution of the Sabbath was the sabbatical year. At the end of each cycle of six years, the following 12 months were observed as a “sabbath of rest for the land.” During this interval, the ground was to lie fallow (Ex 23:11) without any form of cultivation, and whatever sprouted and grew from it naturally was assigned to the poor and needy (Lv 25:6). This provision for the land itself constituted one of the most important ecological principles of Scripture. Like God’s people, the land was holy, and just as they needed to have regular intervals of rest from daily work in order to regain their energy and spiritual vitality through worship, so the ground needed to rest and recuperate from the strain of constant cultivation. The festival reminded the Israelites that the land on which they lived had been given to them by God in fulfillment of his covenant undertaking to provide richly for their physical needs (cf. Dt 8:7-10). To keep the Israelites from experiencing any shortages or other hardships during the Year of Sabbath, God promised that in the year immediately preceding the sabbatical period, the land would bear fruit to suffice for the next three years (Lv 25:21). This assurance was based upon the experience of the wilderness wanderings, when on the sixth day of the week sufficient manna appeared to last through the Sabbath (Ex 16:5).<\/p>\n<p>In this festival period, God’s absolute claim over the land was reaffirmed (cf. Lv 25:23), and the faith of the nation in God’s ability to provide for future needs was reinforced. The provisions that freed the land for a year from agricultural bondage were paralleled in the seventh year of rest by those requiring liberation of slaves and debtors. These underprivileged members of society were to be released from their obligations of servitude. As a result, men and women who had become slaves for one reason or another were given personal liberty (Ex 21:2-6), and under proclamation of the Lord’s release, the provisions applying to debt were rescinded (Dt 15:1-6). The sabbatical year seems to have been a regular part of preexilic Israelite life, although some abuses were noted in Jeremiah 34:8-22. There the prophet took advantage of the opportunity presented to instruct the people in the nature and purpose of the sabbatical year ordinance. He also warned the wayward Judeans that because they had disobeyed the commands of God in denying proper liberty to their slaves, they would have their own freedom taken away in a far more serious manner by being carried captive to Babylonia after seeing their land destroyed. The lesson was not lost upon those who returned from exile, for under the administration of Nehemiah, the Jews bound themselves by a covenant to observe the principle of the sabbatical year (Neh 10:31). This undertaking evidently took its impetus from the reading of the law of Moses at the Feast of Booths (Shelters), which coincidentally occurred at the beginning of the sabbatical year (Neh 8:13-18).<\/p>\n<h6>Jubilee<\/h6>\n<p>Still another feast based on the principle of the sabbath was the Year of Jubilee, or Pentecostal year (Lv 25:8-55; 27:17-24). As the sabbatical year was related to the concept of the seventh day, so the Pentecostal (50th) year marked the completion of a cycle of seven sabbatical years. The commencement of a jubilee year was proclaimed on the Day of Atonement throughout the land by means of trumpet blasts (Lv 25:9). The activities that took place during the Pentecostal year were similar to those prescribed for the sabbatical year. A special feature was that land that had been sold during the preceding 49 years was returned to its original owners, a procedure that sometimes involved financial adjustments. To prevent abuse of the process through opportunism or speculation, the Hebrews were instructed to deal fairly and honestly with one another in the fear of God, who was the real owner of the land (Lv 25:14-17). As with the sabbatical year, God promised to make provision before the jubilee year so that no one would suffer hardship. It was during the Year of Jubilee that those who were slaves in Hebrew households were given their liberty, so that everyone in the land would commence a new cycle of sabbatical years on the same footing, as free persons under God.<\/p>\n<h5>Seasonal Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>Three annual festivals that followed the seasons of the year rather than phases of the moon furnished important occasions for commemorating God’s power and provision in national life. These festivals were designated by the term <span class=\"hebrew\" lang=\"he\">hag<\/span><em>,<\/em> indicating a festival usually observed by some sort of pilgrimage. These three festivals were prescribed in Exodus 23:14-17 and Deuteronomy 16:16, and consisted of the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Festival of Booths (Tabernacles). On these occasions, all the males of Israel were commanded to make pilgrimage to the sanctuary and celebrate these festivals (Ex 12:14). The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were originally separate ordinances, but since the latter always followed immediately upon the Passover rite, they naturally blended into a single festival.<\/p>\n<h6>Passover<\/h6>\n<p>The Passover was of supreme theological significance for the Israelites, since it marked one of the most momentous acts of divine intervention in their history, the beginning of their deliverance from bondage in Egypt when, in the final plague, God destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians but spared those Israelites whose homes had blood smeared on the doorposts (Ex 12:11-30). God commanded that the day was to be observed as a memorial feast (v 14), and the next Passover celebration occurred in the Sinai Desert (Nm 9:1-5). In the Hebrew calendar the Passover festival came in the first month, called Abib in Deuteronomy 16:1, but known after the exile as Nisan (cf. Neh 2:1). The Passover rite took place the 14th evening (Lv 23:5), and this was followed by a seven-day period during which nothing leavened was to be eaten. The principle for removing all leaven from bread was similar to that underlying the draining of blood from animal flesh. Both leaven and blood had quickening power and were to be kept separate as an offering to God. The first and seventh days of this period were marked by a holy assembly, during which the only work permitted was the preparation of food (Ex 12:16). This period when unleavened bread was eaten was described as a festival because it opened the seven-week period of grain harvest (Dt 16:9). During this feast, special burnt sacrifices were offered, followed with a sheaf of newly harvested barley at the Feast of Firstfruits. By NT times the festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread were well-attended celebrations and were known as the “days of unleavened bread” (Lk 22:1; Acts 12:3). The theme of Israel’s deliverance from the power of Egypt by divine intervention assured the Israelites that God was always ready to act on behalf of a faithful and obedient covenant people. It also reminded them that they had once been slaves (Dt 16:12). In Israelite life the early Passover and Unleavened Bread observances were comparatively simple in character, but during the monarchy more elaborate Passover rituals came into use (cf. 2 Kgs 23:21-23; 2 Chr 35:1-19).<\/p>\n<h6>Pentecost<\/h6>\n<p>The second great festival, Pentecost (or Weeks) lasted one day only and was observed on the 50th day after the newly harvested barley sheaf had been waved before the Lord at the end of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Dt 16:9-12). The festival marked the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest, the beginning of the period when firstfruits could be offered (cf. Ex 23:16; 34:22; Nm 28:26). The feast day was marked by the presentation of two wheat-flour loaves along with sacrifices of seven lambs, two rams, and a bull (Lv 23:15-20). Freewill gifts to God were presented to reflect gratitude for his blessings, and the entire occasion was one of communal rejoicing (Dt 16:10-11). Since Pentecost was essentially a harvest festival (Ex 23:16), the Israelites were called on to recognize that they depended entirely upon God for their material prosperity. In Deuteronomy 26, specific instructions were given for the ritual of presenting firstfruits from the harvest. It comprised a great confession of faith set within the framework of Israel’s history, and it recounted God’s deliverance of the nation from Egyptian oppression and his provision of a land that could amply supply the needs of his people.<\/p>\n<h6>Festival of Tabernacles<\/h6>\n<p>This festival, known variously as the Feast of Booths, Tabernacles, Shelters (Lv 23:34; Dt 16:13), or Ingathering (Ex 34:22), was the third great occasion that all Hebrew males were required to observe annually. It began on the 15th day of the seventh month (Tishri), shortly after the observance of the Day of Atonement, which fell on the 10th day. The Feast of Booths lasted for one week and involved pilgrimage. It was associated initially with the end of the year (Ex 34:22), when the agricultural work had been completed. The first day was marked by a symbolic cessation from all activity, after which burnt offerings were presented to the Lord. The eighth day was also one on which the congregation of Israel abstained from manual work and again offered burnt sacrifices. Leviticus 23:39-43 furnished details for the rituals that gave the festival its special name of booths or shelters or tabernacles. The fruit of “goodly trees” was to be gathered on the first day of the feast, along with palm fronds, willow branches, and boughs from trees in full leaf. From these, rough shelters or booths were to be constructed in which the people lived for the week of the feast. Every seventh year the observances were marked by a public recital of the covenant provisions to which the Israelites under Moses had committed themselves, a procedure designed to keep fresh in their minds the obligations as well as the blessings of the covenant relationship. A particularly significant observance of the Feast of Tabernacles took place in the time of Ezra, when the Judean community returned from Babylon—a celebration of a kind unknown for centuries (Neh 8:13-18). From the context it appears that observance of the feast had lapsed during the monarchy. The feast at Shiloh where Hannah was mistaken for a drunken woman and the feast referred to in Judges 21:19 were evidently the Feast of Booths. In a prophetic vision in which he saw all nations coming to Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Booths, Zechariah warned that those who did not continue this tradition could expect hardship and shortages of food (Zec 14:16-19).<\/p>\n<h5>Postexilic Festivals<\/h5>\n<p>There are a few minor festivals that were created in the period after the Jews returned from exile; some of these festivals had their origin in specific historical occasions.<\/p>\n<h6>The Festival of Purim<\/h6>\n<p>The Festival of Purim, also known as the Festival of Lots, was a joyful occasion occurring on the 14th day of the 12th month (Adar). It celebrated the way in which Esther and Mordecai were used by God to deliver his people in the Persian Empire from extermination by Haman (Est 9:21, 24-28). The feast was observed on the 14th day of Adar by those living in villages, and on the 15th by the inhabitants of walled towns and cities. The explanation of the name of the festival is given in Esther 9:24-26, and its observance reminded the Hebrews of God’s ability to save them during a time of anti-Semitic activity in Persia. The deliverance memorialized in this festival has consoled the Jews on other occasions when they have suffered persecution. Traditionally the scroll of Esther was read aloud in the synagogue on the evening before the feast, and there was a great outcry, especially among the children present, whenever the names of the hated Haman and his sons were mentioned.<\/p>\n<h6>Festival of the Dedication of the Temple<\/h6>\n<p>Another joyous festival that lasted for eight days was the Feast of the Dedication of the Temple (1 Macc 4:52-59; 2 Macc 10:6-8), familiar to modern readers as Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights. The specific dedication that prompted the feast occurred in 164 <span>BC<\/span>, when Judas Maccabeus reconsecrated the temple in Jerusalem after it had been defiled by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The celebrations commenced on the 25th day of the ninth month (Kislev) and were marked at night by blazing lights and lanterns. The stories of brave opposition by the Maccabees to the crushing forces of paganism were recounted, and the feast was one of praise to God for his marvelous deliverance of the Jews during the Maccabean period.<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"NewTestamentFestivals\">New Testament Festivals<\/p>\n<p>In Christ’s time the Sabbath was observed rigorously and was the occasion for synagogue worship (cf. Lk 4:16; Acts 13:14; 18:4). Pharisaic law prohibited all work, and Jesus came into conflict with the authorities periodically for breaches of the Sabbath regulations (cf. Mt 12:1-4; Mk 3:1-5; Lk 13:10-17). In the primitive church, worship occurred on “the first day of the week” (i.e., Sunday) to commemorate Christ’s resurrection. The early Christians initially participated in Jewish ceremonies (cf. Acts 20:16; 1 Cor 16:8). It was during the Feast of Pentecost, after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, that the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:1-4), fulfilling Joel 2:28-32 and commencing the history of the Christian church as such.<\/p>\n<p>The Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread were of great significance in the life of Christ (cf. Jn 4:45; 5:1; 6:4; 12:1-26), for the occasion was a very popular one in NT times (cf. 12:20). On the Passover, Pilate had instituted the custom of clemency to a prisoner nominated by the populace (Mt 27:15; Mk 15:6). Jesus participated actively in the Passover rituals (cf. Lk 2:42; Jn 2:13; 6:4). The Last Supper with his disciples occurred just prior to the Passover (Jn 13:1), when Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus to the Pharisees (Lk 22:4-6). The breaking of bread and the drinking of wine at that Passover celebration (Mk 14:22-25) were related directly to Christ’s forthcoming death on the cross in a sacramental manner. Christ’s disciples were instructed to observe this rite as a memorial of his suffering and death for human sin (1 Cor 11:24-26) and as a proclamation of the power of the cross until the Lord returns in glory. Some scholars have suggested that Christ was actually hanging on the cross when the Passover lamb was being slaughtered, and if that chronology is correct, it would represent Jesus graphically as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29, <span>rsv<\/span>). Jesus was also present once when the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated (7:10). In his day water was carried in procession from the pool of Siloam as an offering to God, and the ceremony most probably prompted Christ’s discourse on living water and eternal life (vv 37-39). On at least one occasion Jesus was in Jerusalem when the Festival of Lights occurred (Jn 10:22) and narrowly missed death by stoning.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus was entertained occasionally at private feasts (cf. Lk 5:29), and once remedied an emergency situation when the wine ran out at a wedding ceremony (Jn 2:8-10). He was critical of the Pharisees for securing the chief seats at feasts (Mt 23:6; Mk 12:39; Lk 20:46) and taught that festivals ought to benefit the poor (Lk 14:13).<\/p>\n<p class=\"h2\" id=\"SymbolismofFeasts\">Symbolism of Feasts<\/p>\n<p>Many aspects of the ancient Hebrew feasts were interpreted symbolically in the early church. Paul regarded the earliest Hebrew Christians as the firstfruits of the Israel of God (Rom 11:16). In Romans 8:23, the Holy Spirit as possessed by Christians was regarded as only a token of what was to come, and as such was the firstfruit of the Spirit. Christians themselves were described in James 1:18 as the firstfruits of God’s creatures who were brought forth by the Word of Truth. The resurrection of Jesus was considered by Paul to be the firstfruits of those who slept (1 Cor 15:20, 23). In an allusion to OT festivals, Paul spoke of the Sabbaths, new moons, and feasts as merely being a shadow of good things to come (Col 2:16-17). The Passover was used figuratively to emphasize that Christ our Passover Lamb had been sacrificed for us. Believers were urged to keep the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, and not with the old leaven of malice and evil (1 Cor 5:7-8).<\/p>\n<p><em>See also<\/em> Calendars, Ancient and Modern; Offerings and Sacrifices; Tabernacle; Temple.<\/p>","summary_ro":"FEASTS AND FESTIVALS OF ISRAEL Occasions of public or private rejoicing to commemorate some significant event or personage. The element of celebration has a special meaning in the cycle of religious occasions and the rites and ceremonies associated with these particular days. While the idea of a feast commonly implies a banquet with plenteous food and drink, this element is not indispensable. Sometimes there is only a token amount, as in the celebration of Holy Communion. In contemporary usag...","summary_en":"FEASTS AND FESTIVALS OF ISRAEL Occasions of public or private rejoicing to commemorate some significant event or personage. The element of celebration has a special meaning in the cycle of religious occasions and the rites and ceremonies associated with these particular days. While the idea of a feast commonly implies a banquet with plenteous food and drink, this element is not indispensable. Sometimes there is only a token amount, as in the celebration of Holy Communion. In contemporary usag...","source":"Articles\/F.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":48328,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:4","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","summary_en":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":75954,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:4","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","summary_en":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":103580,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:4","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","summary_en":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":131206,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:4","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:4","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:4<\/strong> <em>If it please the king:<\/em> Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","summary_en":"5:4 If it please the king: Esther showed proper deference (cp. 1:12).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"8":[{"id":48329,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:8","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","summary_en":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":75955,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:8","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","summary_en":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":103581,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:8","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","summary_en":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":131207,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:8","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:8","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:8<\/strong> <em>please come . . . tomorrow:<\/em> It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","summary_en":"5:8 please come . . . tomorrow: It was a customary protocol not to appear anxious about asking for a favor or negotiating an agreement. The delay provided opportunity for Xerxes to discover Mordecai’s act of loyalty, which led to the foiling of Haman’s plot (see 6:1-14).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"9":[{"id":48330,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","summary_en":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":48331,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","summary_en":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":75956,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","summary_en":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":75957,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","summary_en":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":103582,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","summary_en":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":103583,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","summary_en":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":131208,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9-14<\/strong> This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","summary_en":"5:9-14 This brief interlude emphasizes the depth of Haman’s hatred for Mordecai.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":131209,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:9","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:9","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:9<\/strong> <em>Mordecai<\/em><em>’<\/em>s fasting had ended and he was back at the <em>gate<\/em> operating in his official capacity. <em>Not standing up or trembling<\/em> was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","summary_en":"5:9 Mordecai’s fasting had ended and he was back at the gate operating in his official capacity. Not standing up or trembling was an even stronger refusal to show Haman honor (cp. 3:2-6).","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"10":[{"id":39262,"type":"article","type_label":"Articol","type_icon":"📖","type_color":"#d4af37","title_ro":"Zeresh","title_en":"Zeresh","content_ro":"<h3>ZERESH<\/h3>\n<p>Wife of Haman the Agagite who advised him to build the gallows for hanging Mordecai (Est 5:10, 14).<\/p>","content_en":"<h3>ZERESH<\/h3>\n<p>Wife of Haman the Agagite who advised him to build the gallows for hanging Mordecai (Est 5:10, 14).<\/p>","summary_ro":"ZERESH Wife of Haman the Agagite who advised him to build the gallows for hanging Mordecai (Est 5:10, 14).","summary_en":"ZERESH Wife of Haman the Agagite who advised him to build the gallows for hanging Mordecai (Est 5:10, 14).","source":"Articles\/Z.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}],"14":[{"id":48332,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:14","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","summary_en":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":75958,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:14","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","summary_en":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":103584,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:14","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","summary_en":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false},{"id":131210,"type":"study_note","type_label":"Notă de studiu","type_icon":"📝","type_color":"#06b6d4","title_ro":"Notă de studiu: Estera 5:14","title_en":"Study Note: Estera 5:14","content_ro":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","content_en":"<p><strong>5:14<\/strong> <em>A sharpened pole<\/em> was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • <em>Seventy-five feet<\/em> is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—<em>fifty cubits<\/em> is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.<\/p>","summary_ro":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","summary_en":"5:14 A sharpened pole was a common device of execution (see also 2:23; Gen 40:19, 22; Josh 8:29). • Seventy-five feet is unusually high, but Haman wanted to make an example out of Mordecai, with everyone viewing his dead body. The number might be a hyperbole for effect—fifty cubits is an obviously round number—or it might reflect a stake placed high atop the city wall for public viewing.","source":"StudyNotes.xml","external_url":null,"has_map":false,"has_picture":false}]},"labels":{"article":"Articol","map":"Hartă","chart":"Diagramă","textbox":"Notă explicativă","picture":"Imagine","profile":"Profil","study_note":"Notă de studiu","theme_note":"Temă biblică"},"icons":{"article":"📖","map":"🗺️","chart":"📊","textbox":"💡","picture":"🖼️","profile":"👤","study_note":"📝","theme_note":"🎯"},"typeColors":{"article":"#d4af37","map":"#2d7d46","chart":"#3b82f6","textbox":"#8b5cf6","picture":"#ec4899","profile":"#f59e0b","study_note":"#06b6d4","theme_note":"#ef4444"}}
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