Three Versions of Esther: Their Relationship to Anti-Semitic and Feminist Critique of the Story (Contributions to Biblical Exegesis & Theology)

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.