Chapter 1

1:7-11 - The king throws a party and encourages his guests to drink to excess. Then, when they are all drunk, he orders Queen Vashti to show her stuff before him and his guests.

* This passage states that the king wanted Queen Vashti to come before him because she was beautiful.  She denies his request.

1:10-12 - Vashti refuses to entertain the kings drunken guests by dancing before them. For this she is no longer to be queen, to be replaced by someone better (prettier?).

* Dancing is never mentioned in this passage.

* The subsequent verses outline her disobedience to the pagan King Ahasuerus and his decision to replace her.

1:13-22 - Because of Vashti's disobedience, the king decrees that "all the wives shall give to their husbands honor, both the great and the small" and "that every man should bear rule over his own house."

* This pagan king decreed that the husbands should have dominion over their wives.  The Bible simply recorded a request made by a pagan king.  This doesn't mean that the Bible or God approves of the husband dominating the wife.  Rules for husband/wife relationships have been taught in many passages of scripture and selfish dominion is not part of them.

Chapter 2

2:2-4 - So "all the fair young virgins" throughout the kingdom are brought before the king, and the one that "pleaseth" the king the most will replace Vashti.

* This is correct.

2:8-9, 12-17 - When it was Esther turn to "go in unto the king," she pleases the king the most. So, having won the sex contest, she is made queen in Vashti's place.

* Sex was not mentioned in this passage.  Actually, nothing of a sexual nature was mentioned.

2:9, 12 - But since women are inherently dirty, she must be "purified" for twelve months before she can be made queen.

* This pagan king wasn't following God's laws for the Israelites.  However, Esther was becoming beautiful for this king because this was the law in his kingdom.

2:23 - Esther has two men "hanged on a tree."

* According to the scriptures, Bigthan and Teresh plotted to kill the king.  Esther simply told the king about their plan.  Consequently, the king had them hung.

Chapter 6

6:6 - "Haman thought in his heart." Most people think with their heads, but biblical folks think with their hearts.

* This Hebrew word for "heart" is used figuratively.

Chapter 7

7:6, 10 - Esther has another man (Haman) hung.

* The king clearly has Haman hung on the same gallows this criminal made for Mordecai.

Chapter 9

9:13-14 - Our heroine (queen Esther) suggests that the ten sons of Haman should also be hanged (She already got Haman hung 7:10). So "they hanged Haman's ten sons.

* These sons were wicked.  They hated the Jews and sought to kill them.  Hanging on the gallows was their punishment.

9:16 - The Jews kill 75,000. Praise God!

* It is clear from Esther 9:1 that there were evil people that sought to kill the Jews.  However, the Jews overpowered them and conquered them.  Death was God's judgment on these pagan people that sought to kill the Jews.