“Perhaps this is the moment for which you have been created.” - Esther 4:14
The story of Esther is a famous one that has been recounted everywhere from Sunday school classes to the Hollywood big screen over and over again. The sort-of Reader’s Digest version is that an orphan girl from no means finds favor with the King and ultimately saves her people from mass genocide. But there is more to Esther’s than just that, right? I mean there are only two books of the bible that are named after women: Ruth and Esther. So we have to ask ourselves what it must be that makes these women so worthy.
Ruth’s story can be summed up in a sentence as well: A woman’s husband dies, she follows her elderly mother in law to a foreign land where she finds favor with a wealthy land owner and ultimately becomes something like the 28-times great grandmother of Jesus. The obvious commonalities in these two women’s stories are that they are both displaced from their homes, they both find favor with wealthy, powerful men- but risk their lives in doing so. These women stood in the face of impossible tasks and triumphed.
Simply put: both women exemplify courage and integrity while trusting in God to protect and provide for them. We are called to do exactly that. While we may not always understand our purpose in the big picture, we are called to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12). We are called to trust in Jesus even when we are unsure of his plans for our lives because, perhaps like Esther and Ruth, the moment for which we have been created may be right before us.
which bible translation is the verse from? I can't find it. thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Laura: It is the back-half of verse 14 from the NIV and ESV! The Message also paraphrases something similar. The entire verse reads, "14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” - ESV Translation of Esther 4:14. Hope this helps!
DeleteI feel very strongly we are to use God's Word as it is written, or please qualify what is stated with saying it's a paraphrase. Thanks for hearing me out on this.
DeleteI've been searching for an actual bible translation that this verse came from, and I honestly don't think one exists. I assume someone came up with a way they perceived the actual verse, and it just was spread like wildfire.
ReplyDeleteHey there Shelby! It is definitely a paraphrase of the KJV; however, the Message, ESV, and NIV all use almost identical language. It is the last half of verse 14.
DeleteMy ESV translation (the one I personally study from) says "And who knows whether you have not come into the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Hope this helps!
Laura and Shelby, the translation using the words "for which you have been created" does not exist. I'm not sure why it's been interpreted as such, except it sounds nice.
ReplyDeleteLove this write up thank you
ReplyDeleteThat translation doesn’t exist
ReplyDeleteI love how this verse was paraphrased but it really doesn't exist. So who ever paraphrased this did a great job to help others understand. And it touches the heart
ReplyDeleteSeems like a stretch to me.
ReplyDeleteI really don't see any argument regarding the paraphrase here. Esther was created to glorify God therefore whatever we do to glorify God is part of the purpose of creation.
ReplyDelete"for which you have been created" is not part of any accepted translation, nor is it an accurate translation in the context of this passage in Esther. "come to the kingdom" (King James) refers to when Esther was made queen of her kingdom, not when she was created. This is why others translate it "attained royalty" (NASB), "come to your royal position" (NIV), or "made queen" (The Message).
ReplyDelete