Three Versions of Esther
Their Relationship to Anti-Semitic and Feminist Critique of the Story
By (author) T. Miller
Hebrew Esther tells the story of a woman who assumes responsibility to save her people from attempted genocide. Old Greek and Alpha Text Esther are examples of Jewish apologetic and polemic literature that addressed Greek and Latin perceptions of Jewish xenophobia and misanthropy. However, in spite of the fact that Hebrew Esther gives an account of a woman’s leading role in the prevention of the genocide of the Jews of Persia, and the fact that the authors of the Greek versions reinterpreted the Hebrew for the purpose of addressing anti-Semitic sentiment in the Greco-Roman world, the story of Esther is the object of significant anti-Semitic and feminist critique. In contrast to most past and current scholarship, this work uses a combination of critical methods to question both forms of critique, and contrasts Hebrew Esther’s character and actions with her character and actions portrayed in the two Greek versions.
Hebrew Esther tells the story of a woman who assumes responsibility to save her people from attempted genocide. Old Greek and Alpha Text Esther are examples of Jewish apologetic and polemic literature that addressed Greek and Latin perceptions of Jewish xenophobia and misanthropy. However, in spite of the fact that Hebrew Esther gives an account of a woman’s leading role in the prevention of the genocide of the Jews of Persia, and the fact that the authors of the Greek versions reinterpreted the Hebrew for the purpose of addressing anti-Semitic sentiment in the Greco-Roman world, the story of Esther is the object of significant anti-Semitic and feminist critique. In contrast to most past and current scholarship, this work uses a combination of critical methods to question both forms of critique, and contrasts Hebrew Esther’s character and actions with her character and actions portrayed in the two Greek versions.
- By (author) T. Miller
"The book is well researched, and the arguments presented are generally compelling. By tying all three versions of Esther to demonstrable instances of anti-Semitism in antiquity, Miller offers a welcome counterweight to interpretations that would rob the narrative of any and all ties to historical reality. [...] ...[Miller's] detailed account of early as well as contemporary forms of anti-Semitism remains relevant and well worth reading." --Anne-Mareike Wetter, Leiden University, Review of Biblical Literature 8.10.16
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