Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 68:3 (Sep 2025)
Article: A Touch Of Wisdom: The Literary Role Of Esther 6:13 In Bridging To A Biblical Theology Of Scripture’s Least “Theological” Book
Author: Paul A. Himes

JETS 68:3 (September 2025) p. 495

A Touch Of Wisdom: The Literary Role Of Esther 6:13 In Bridging To A Biblical Theology Of Scripture’s Least “Theological” Book

Paul A. Himes

Paul A. Himes is Professor of Bible and Ancient Languages at Baptist College of Ministry, N69W12703 Appleton Ave., Menomonee Falls, WI. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Abstract: The lack of constructive discussion in Old Testament theologies on the book of Esther is lamentable yet understandable, given its status as the only canonical book not to mention God. Those few scholars who discuss Esther theologically generally focus on the theme of hidden sovereignty or the virtues or vices of its characters, while a few also note the significance of the survival of the Jewish people. In support of that latter theme, this article proposes that the theological center of the book can be found in Esther 6:13b, a sentence that stands out both in its intense alliteration and in the odd relabeling of Haman’s “friends” as “wise men.” Esther 6:13 deliberately evokes echoes of sapiential material to put a theological spin on the story, namely, that those seeking to destroy the Jewish people will fall into the pit that they themselves have dug. This article focuses on how Esther 6:13 within its literary context can legitimately be said to fashion a biblical theology for the book with practical significance even today.

Key words: Esther, biblical theology, character labeling, survival, wisdom

At first glance, one may be excused for suggesting that the notion of a “theology” of Esther, the only book in the Bible that does not mention God, is somewhat oxymoronic.1 Appeals to hidden providence or sovereignty, while valid, do not totally solve the problem. The deliberate omission of God means that “the persistent hole” in Esther, while “God-shaped,” is nonetheless “still a hole” that cannot be ignored.2 The apparently Torah-negligent behavior of her characters (at a minimum involving marriage to a pagan, cf. Neh 13:25–27), combined with the unique focus on diaspora Judaism at the expense of Israel, further complicates any attempted theological interpretation.3 Indeed, the lack of mention of God caused both the A-text and B-text Greek translations to add significant theological material, demonstrating how the book may have caused concern for its early interpreters.