Esther in the Bible: Characteristics That Make Her a True Queen
Published May 5, 2023
If there’s one character in the Bible who deserves to be called “queen”, it’s probably Esther. She’s not only a queen in name but also at heart.
In this post, we’ll list down some of the characteristics of Esther in the Bible that make her a true queen. But before that, let’s refresh our knowledge of Queen Esther and her story.
The Story of Esther in the Bible
As a young orphan, Esther was raised by her cousin Mordecai who treated her as his own daughter. When Esther was a young woman, she was sent to the harem of King Xerxes I.
In the harem, Esther quickly caught the king’s eye and he made her his queen. However, she had to hide her Jewish nationality. King Xerxes I had a very volatile temper and her being a foreigner could prove to be dangerous.
One day, Haman, the grand vizier at that time, had an altercation with Esther’s cousin, Mordecai. During this, the latter refused to bow to the former.
Being the vindictive person that he is, Haman coerced King Xerxes to decree that all Jews be killed. Upon hearing this, Mordecai went to Esther and pleaded with her to save her people.
At that time, the law forbids anyone from approaching the king without being summoned. Doing so would have meant a certain death.
At first, Esther was hesitant about Mordecai’s request. If she approached the king without being summoned, she could end up losing her head – literally. But in the end, her true character prevailed and she famously said: “If I perish, I perish”.
So she ordered her people to fast for three days and three nights. Afterward, she went to see the King. But instead of being killed, the King promised to honor her yet unsaid wish.
Surprisingly, Esther invited the king to a banquet. After two banquets, the king was completely smitten with her.
Seizing her moment, Esther told the king that she, along with her people, will soon be killed. She also revealed Haman’s treachery to the king. Enraged, the king ordered that Haman be executed instead.
And so, with her wit and bravery, Esther was able to save her people from what would have been a genocide.
Characteristics of Esther in the Bible
Now that you know her story, let’s look at some of the character traits that prove Esther is a true queen.
1. Courage
Risking your life for others requires courage – a lot of it. Thankfully, Esther seemed to be in no short supply.
Plus, if you think about it, she lived in a very dangerous time. Merely saying the wrong thing or annoying the king could land you in prison, or worse. She was also a foreigner in a land that treats foreigners with disdain.
Yet, despite all that, she managed to become queen. And for years, she slept with the man who could potentially send her to the gallows if he learned of her true identity. Pulling off something like that definitely takes a lot of guts.
2. Humility
Even though she was already the queen, Esther remained humble. She never indulged in excesses and even fasted with her people.
Besides, she had always been described as a beautiful woman. But as we’ve seen in the Bible, her status and praises about her beauty never went to her head. She still listened to her uncle who had raised her and never forgot her roots.
3. Piety
Like most blessed women in the Bible, Esther is also known for her devotion to the Lord. She’s what we would call today a prayer warrior. Despite her status, she never forgot the importance of prayer. It’s no wonder, then, that God entrusted her with such a very important task.
4. Faithfulness
The fact that she went to see the king despite knowing the danger of doing so shows Esther’s great faith in the Lord. She knew her actions could put her life at stake but she chose to put her trust in God.
Yes, she hesitated at first. I mean, we all would if given the punishment that awaits. Yet, she came through and her faith in God won out.
5. Selflessness
If she so chose, she could have just ignored her uncle’s plea. She’s the queen after all and a favored one at that. Besides, the king doesn’t know of her true lineage. She could have just chosen to save herself and left her people to die – and yet, she didn’t.
She chose to risk her life, her position, and all the privileges she’s enjoying to save her people.
6. Loyalty
Another trait that makes Esther a true queen is her loyalty – to her people and to her God.
Despite all the luxury and privilege she’s enjoying, she remained loyal to her roots. She’s even prepared to sacrifice her life for her people.
7. Wisdom
In a world dominated by men, Esther’s wisdom and wit saved her and, ultimately, her people.
As you know, palace life at that time is full of intrigues and conspiracies. Women also had very few rights and their only chance of surviving or ever having power is by using their wits and charms.
The fact that Esther was able to navigate the complicated politics of the palace and even got the king to kill his grand vizier shows her wisdom and intelligence. She knows how to use whatever little right she had to her own advantage.
8. Obedience
Esther is not only an obedient servant of God. She was also an obedient niece.
From the start of her story, she’d always been obedient to Mordecai who is like a father to her. Even when she became royalty, she still listens to Mordecai and continued to show filial piety to the man who raised her.
9. Compassion
With her actions, it’s undeniable that Esther’s compassion for her people is bigger than her sense of self-preservation.
As refugees in the Persian empire, she knows that they’ve been through enough. They were forcibly taken from their homeland and forced to assimilate into a culture they were not familiar with. And now, they are facing threats of extermination from the very same people who uprooted them.
If not for her courage and compassionate heart, history would have been very different.
10. Strong Will
If you think about it, Queen Esther’s story was like the biblical version of Cinderella, minus the evil stepmother, of course.
She was an orphan and she came to Persia as a refugee. Then she was forcibly taken to the king’s harem. Like most women of her time, she never had a say in her life.
Yet, despite all these, she became the hero of her people. This just shows that she has a will of steel. She didn’t let her circumstances determine her future and rose above her difficulties to become one of the most revered women in the Bible.
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About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer for the Lay Cistercians blog and a devoted Catholic. She works hard to ensure her work uses accurate facts by cross checking reputable sources.
