Chronology of
מגילת אסתר
MEGILAT ESTER
(Scroll of Esther)

מגילת אסתר MEGILAT ESTER traces how המן HAMAN's Jew-hatred acquired the Persian ruler's seal, and how אסתר ESTER, מרדכי MORDEHAI and communities of יהודים YEHUDIM answered with intercession, political authority and organized defense. The reversal did not end with המן HAMAN's death: the decree threatening their lives remained in force.1

מרדכי MORDEHAI and אסתר ESTER established annual commemoration through letters, feasting, gifts of food and gifts to the poor. פורים PURIM takes its name from the lot used to schedule their destruction: the calendar now memorializes the defeat of that plan.2

The royal court:
third through seventh regnal years

The court that displaced ושתי VAŜTI later elevated אסתר ESTER. Becoming queen gave her access to imperial power, not freedom from its threats. The month of her elevation is explicit; the linked numbered days below preserve later calendar traditions.3

01-08Precision: yearless-day · Basis: not-assessed

Persian ruler אחשורוש ACHASHVEIROSH's 180-day royal display ended, according to a later calendar tradition.

01-08: Persian ruler אחשורוש ACHASHVEIROSH's 180-day royal display ended, according to a later calendar tradition.

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01-15Precision: yearless-day · Basis: not-assessed

A later tradition places ושתי VAŜTI's execution on this day.

01-15: A later tradition places ושתי VAŜTI's execution on this day. The scroll describes her removal from queenship, not her execution.

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טבת TevetPrecision: recurring-month · Basis: not-assessed

אסתר ESTER was taken to the ruler and made queen in his seventh regnal year.

טבת Tevet: אסתר ESTER was taken to the ruler and made queen in his seventh regnal year.

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10-01Precision: yearless-day · Basis: not-assessed

One later calendar tradition assigns אסתר ESTER's arrival to this day.

10-01: One later calendar tradition assigns אסתר ESTER's arrival to this day.

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10-10Precision: yearless-day · Basis: not-assessed

Another later calendar tradition assigns her selection as queen to this day.

10-10: Another later calendar tradition assigns her selection as queen to this day.

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Between queenship
and the decree

מרדכי MORDEHAI's service to the ruler went unrewarded until the crisis. His earlier intervention later became the basis for public honor at המן HAMAN's expense.4

01-01Precision: yearless-day · Basis: not-assessed

מרדכי MORDEHAI exposed the assassination plot of בגתן BIGTAN and תרש TEREŜ.

01-01: מרדכי MORDEHAI exposed the assassination plot of בגתן BIGTAN and תרש TEREŜ. The numbered day comes from a later calendar tradition; the scroll does not assign a regnal year.

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The twelfth regnal year:
extermination and reversal

המן HAMAN cast lots in ניסן NISAN and selected אדר ADAR for the destruction of יהודים YEHUDIM. His accusation made their distinct laws a pretext for collective murder; אחשורוש ACHASHVEIROSH supplied the authority to carry it out.5

י״ג בניסן 13th 𝑜𝑓 NisanPrecision: unresolved-year-day · Basis: not-assessed

המן HAMAN's decree authorized killing יהודים YEHUDIM, including children, and plundering their possessions.

י״ג בניסן 13th 𝑜𝑓 Nisan: המן HAMAN's decree authorized killing יהודים YEHUDIM, including children, and plundering their possessions. The royal administration distributed it throughout the empire.6

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01-15Precision: yearless-day · Basis: not-assessed

אסתר ESTER approached the ruler without being summoned, risking death to begin her intervention.

01-15: אסתר ESTER approached the ruler without being summoned, risking death to begin her intervention. סדר עולם SEDER OLAM supplies this day.7

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ט״ז בניסן 16th 𝑜𝑓 NisanPrecision: unresolved-year-day · Basis: not-assessed

המן HAMAN was hanged on the structure he had prepared for מרדכי MORDEHAI.

ט״ז בניסן 16th 𝑜𝑓 Nisan: המן HAMAN was hanged on the structure he had prepared for מרדכי MORDEHAI. This follows סדר עולם SEDER OLAM's dating.8

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כ״ג בסיון 23rd 𝑜𝑓 SivanPrecision: unresolved-year-day · Basis: not-assessed

מרדכי MORDEHAI's counter-decree authorized יהודים YEHUDIM to assemble and fight for their lives.

כ״ג בסיון 23rd 𝑜𝑓 Sivan: מרדכי MORDEHAI's counter-decree authorized יהודים YEHUDIM to assemble and fight for their lives. It answered the first decree without revoking it.9

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The following אדר ADAR:
defense and commemoration

The day appointed for their destruction became the day יהודים YEHUDIM defeated their enemies. The narrative repeatedly states that they did not take plunder, although the counter-decree permitted it.10

י״ג באדר 13th 𝑜𝑓 AdarPrecision: unresolved-year-day · Basis: not-assessed

יהודים YEHUDIM assembled against those seeking to harm them; imperial officials assisted them as מרדכי MORDEHAI's authority grew.

י״ג באדר 13th 𝑜𝑓 Adar: יהודים YEHUDIM assembled against those seeking to harm them; imperial officials assisted them as מרדכי MORDEHAI's authority grew.11

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י״ד באדר 14th 𝑜𝑓 AdarPrecision: unresolved-year-day · Basis: not-assessed

Provincial communities rested and celebrated.

י״ד באדר 14th 𝑜𝑓 Adar: Provincial communities rested and celebrated. Fighting continued in שושן ŜUŜAN after אסתר ESTER requested another day.12

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ט״ו באדר 15th 𝑜𝑓 AdarPrecision: unresolved-year-day · Basis: not-assessed

יהודים YEHUDIM in שושן ŜUŜAN rested and celebrated after two days of fighting.

ט״ו באדר 15th 𝑜𝑓 Adar: יהודים YEHUDIM in שושן ŜUŜAN rested and celebrated after two days of fighting.13

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Annual commemoration

י״ג באדר ב׳ 13th 𝑜𝑓 Adar IIPrecision: recurring-day · Basis: not-assessed

תענית אסתר TAʾANIT ESTER precedes the annual celebration.

י״ג באדר ב׳ 13th 𝑜𝑓 Adar II: תענית אסתר TAʾANIT ESTER precedes the annual celebration. This later fast is distinct from the three-day fast אסתר ESTER called during the narrative's ניסן NISAN crisis.

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י״ד באדר ב׳ 14th 𝑜𝑓 Adar IIPrecision: recurring-day · Basis: not-assessed

פורים PURIM annually commemorates deliverance through feasting, gifts of food and gifts to the poor.

י״ד באדר ב׳ 14th 𝑜𝑓 Adar II: פורים PURIM annually commemorates deliverance through feasting, gifts of food and gifts to the poor.14

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ט״ו באדר ב׳ 15th 𝑜𝑓 Adar IIPrecision: recurring-day · Basis: not-assessed

שושן פורים ŜUŜAN PURIM preserves the later day of rest and celebration at שושן ŜUŜAN.

ט״ו באדר ב׳ 15th 𝑜𝑓 Adar II: שושן פורים ŜUŜAN PURIM preserves the later day of rest and celebration at שושן ŜUŜAN.15

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Footnotes

  1. Esther, 3:6–15, 7:10–8:11, 9:1–5 ↩
  2. Esther, 9:20–32 ↩
  3. Esther, 1:3–2:18, 4:10–16 ↩
  4. Esther, 2:21–23, 6:1–11 ↩
  5. Esther, 3:7–11 ↩
  6. Esther, 3:12–15 ↩
  7. Esther, 4:11–5:4; Seder Olam Rabbah 29, ↩
  8. Esther, 7:9–10; Seder Olam Rabbah 29, ↩
  9. Esther, 8:8–14 ↩
  10. Esther, 8:11, 9:1–16 ↩
  11. Esther, 9:1–5 ↩
  12. Esther, 9:13–17 ↩
  13. Esther, 9:18–19 ↩
  14. Esther, 9:19–22 ↩
  15. Esther, 9:18–19, 21 ↩