The Canonical Column, Book 17: Esther

We continue our journey through the Canonical Column with the seventeenth book of the biblical canon—Esther. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the mystery, the Canonical Column is the name I have given to a framework embedded within the Bible that bears dual-witness to the divinely sanctioned biblical canon through an organized network of witnessing chapters in three key books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Leviticus, and Isaiah.¹ For a deeper understanding of this framework, I highly recommend reading the introductory article linked above, which provides the foundational context for the insights explored in this post.²

Suffice it to say that the Canonical Column refers to a divinely designed structural framework and prophetic network embedded within the Bible which bears witness to the final form of the biblical canon—testifying to its 39–27 book division, identifying all 66 books within it, and even delineating the exact order in which they would appear. In this sense, it may be likened to an internal measuring line that God deliberately placed within his Word, allowing us to determine objectively which canon of Scripture is the correct one.

As established in previous installments, every book of the Bible is confirmed by two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column—one drawn from the Law (Genesis 12–50 or Leviticus) and the other from the Prophets (Isaiah).³ In the case of Esther, its two witnesses are Genesis 28 and Isaiah 157. Both of these chapters function within their respective branches of the Canonical Column as figurative types of the book of Esther. To this end, each has been divinely embedded with textual allusions to specific passages within Esther and intentionally sequenced as the seventeenth chapter in its branch of the framework, reflecting Esther’s ordinal position as the seventeenth book of the Old Testament and of the Bible at large. As we will see, it is by the testimony of these two witnesses that the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordained placement of the book of Esther are firmly established.

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The book of Esther

The book of Esther recounts how a Jewish woman named Hadassah—better known by her Persian name, Esther—rises to become queen of Persia and is providentially used by God to deliver her people from annihilation. Set during the reign of Ahasuerus (commonly identified with Xerxes I), the narrative unfolds in the aftermath of the Babylonian exile, during a time when many Jews remained dispersed throughout the provinces of the Persian Empire. The plot centers on a royal edict engineered by Haman, the king’s chief minister, to exterminate the Jews, and Esther’s courageous intercession that reverses the decree and brings salvation to her people.

Thematically, Esther is unique among the books of the Bible. Nowhere in its ten chapters is the name of God explicitly mentioned. Yet divine providence is evident throughout, as seemingly coincidental events converge to fulfill a greater redemptive plan. The story highlights God’s unseen hand orchestrating history through human decisions, political shifts, and royal decrees—all of which align to preserve the covenant people. The book thus serves as a subtle yet powerful testimony to God’s sovereignty, even when He appears hidden.

In the context of the biblical canon, Esther completes the narrative arc of the Jewish people’s exile and restoration. It portrays not the rebuilding of the temple or the reinstitution of the Law—as seen in Ezra and Nehemiah—but the protection of the covenant seed itself. The survival of the Jewish people during this perilous episode becomes a type and shadow of the preservation of God’s promises in the face of existential threats. And though it lacks overt religious language, the book of Esther is deeply theological in its implications: it affirms the invincibility of God’s plan, the enduring nature of His covenant, and the mysterious workings of divine providence behind the veil of history.

Authorship & Dating

The book of Esther is formally anonymous, with no explicit author named in the text. Jewish tradition has long held that the book was written by Mordecai himself, one of its principal figures, or at least compiled from records and letters he authored (cf. Esther 9:20). Some scholars suggest that a later Jewish scribe may have edited or finalized the text, incorporating Persian court records and additional narrative structure. The intimate knowledge of Persian customs, palace procedures, and administrative details—such as the issuing of decrees in every language of the empire (Esth. 1:22; 3:12; 8:9)—strongly supports the view that the author was a contemporary of the events described.

In terms of composition, most conservative scholars date the writing of Esther to the late 5th or early 4th century BC, likely during or shortly after the reign of Xerxes I (Ahasuerus), who ruled from 486–465 BC. Modern-critical scholars propose a similar, albeit slightly broader, date range of 450–300 BC. The events themselves likely took place over a span of about a decade (circa 483–473 BC), with the book’s completion sometime thereafter. Its historical credibility is supported by numerous Persian-era details, including royal names, bureaucratic procedures, and cultural customs that closely align with what is known of Achaemenid rule.

The book’s canonicity was never seriously disputed within Jewish tradition. It forms the foundation for the annual festival of Purim, which commemorates the Jews’ deliverance from destruction. The enduring significance of the text, coupled with its internal consistency and clear historical framework, has secured its place in both Jewish and Christian Scripture. Despite the absence of God’s name, the book of Esther was recognized for what it was: a divine record of God’s hidden hand preserving His people during their exile among the nations.

Esther’s witnessing chapters in the Canonical Column

The two witnessing chapters of Esther within the Canonical Column are Genesis 28 and Isaiah 17. These chapters have been divinely embedded with various allusions to scenes, imagery, and language from the book of Esther. As with every book attested by the Canonical Column, these chapters have been intentionally designed and meticulously placed within their respective branches of the Canonical Column to bear witness to the canonicity of the book of Esther–establishing it as the seventeenth book of the divinely sanctioned biblical canon.⁴

Context of Genesis 28

Genesis 28 marks a pivotal turning point in the patriarchal narrative, shifting the focus fully onto Jacob following his deception of Isaac and Esau’s threat to kill him. At Rebekah’s urging, Isaac sends Jacob away to Padan-aram to find a wife from among his relatives—both to avoid intermarriage with the Canaanites and to protect him from Esau’s wrath (vv.1–7). This chapter establishes Jacob’s transition from a schemer under his mother’s guidance to a solitary pilgrim fleeing into exile, echoing motifs of displacement and divine providence that will characterize much of his life.

The centerpiece of the chapter is Jacob’s dream at Bethel (vv.10–22), in which he sees a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending upon it. God appears above the ladder and reiterates the Abrahamic covenant, promising Jacob land, descendants, and divine protection. Upon awakening, Jacob recognizes the place as sacred and renames it Bethel (“House of God”), vowing that if the LORD fulfills His promises, he will serve Him and tithe a tenth of all he receives.

Structurally, Genesis 28 introduces a new era in redemptive history, wherein the covenant is reaffirmed to the next generation under circumstances of flight and uncertainty. The imagery of the ladder linking heaven and earth anticipates themes of divine mediation and hidden providence—both of which are prominent in the book of Esther. Like Jacob, the Jewish people in Esther find themselves in a form of exile, seemingly distant from God’s visible presence, yet ultimately guided by His unseen hand. In this way, Genesis 28 serves as a foundational shadow of the redemptive patterns later unveiled in the book of Esther.

Genesis 28 -> Esther

As the seventeenth chapter of The Circumcision (which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the Old Testament canon), Genesis 28 has been deliberately designed by God to function as a figurative type of the book of Esther–which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the seventeenth book of the Old Testament (and the Bible). Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be found in the book of Esther. The comparative table below documents just a few of what I deem to be the most notable of these (explanations provided in the footnotes).

Genesis 28	Esther
And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people.5 (Genesis 28:3)	And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them. (Esther 8:17)
And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.6 (Genesis 28:4)	Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree, drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them😉 (Esther 9:1)
And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.7 (Genesis 28:13-14)	The Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon them their seed, and upon all such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that they would keep these two days according to their writing, and according to their appointed time every year; And that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish from their seed. (Esther 9:27-28)
And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.8 (Genesis 28:17)	And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate (Esther 2:19; cf. 2:21; 3:2; 3:3; 4:2; 4:6; 5:1; 5:9; 5:13; 6:10: 6:12).
And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. . . . And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.9 (Genesis 28:22)	Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house. (Esther 5:1; cf. 2:13; 4:13; 6:4)
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on.10 (Genesis 28:20)	Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour. (Esther 6:11)

One additional verse from Genesis 28 worth mentioning—though not included in the comparative table above—is Genesis 28:16: “And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.” Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this verse functions as a subtle allusion to the book of Esther, which is famously the only book of the Bible in which the name of God is never mentioned. Despite this, the divine hand of Providence is unmistakably present throughout the narrative, orchestrating a dramatic reversal of fortune for the Jewish people. Just as Jacob was unaware of God’s presence until after awakening, so too is God’s presence hidden—but powerfully active—throughout the events of Esther.

Context of Isaiah 17

Isaiah 17 is a prophetic oracle against Damascus, the capital of Syria, but it also encompasses judgment upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel (referred to as Ephraim). This dual condemnation reflects the historical alliance between Israel and Syria against Judah during the Syro-Ephraimite War (cf. Isaiah 7:1–2). The prophecy begins with the pronouncement that Damascus will cease from being a city (v.1), and continues with a depiction of Israel’s coming desolation—its cities abandoned, its strength diminished, and its people brought low (vv.2–6).

Verses 7–8 briefly offer a glimmer of hope, describing a future remnant that will turn away from idolatry and back to their Maker. However, the chapter quickly returns to imagery of judgment: cities forsaken like thickets (v.9), sudden destruction overtaking nations (vv.12–13), and enemies vanishing “before the morning” (v.14). Notably, the name of God appears multiple times in this chapter, contrasting sharply with the absence of His name in the book of Esther—an irony not lost within the Canonical Column framework.

Stylistically, Isaiah 17 is marked by striking poetic imagery: a lean and fading Jacob (v.4), gleanings left like an olive tree after harvest (v.6), and tumultuous multitudes roaring like many waters (vv.12–13). These images—of destruction reversed, of survival amid chaos, and of enemies vanishing overnight—resonate deeply with the events of the book of Esther. Though God’s hand is veiled in Esther, His providence is no less active than in Isaiah’s declarations. Within the Canonical Column, Isaiah 17 serves as a veiled prophetic reflection of Esther’s narrative arc: a threatened people, a hidden Deliverer, and a sudden reversal of fate that exalts the humbled and destroys the proud.

Isaiah 17 -> Esther

As the seventeenth chapter of First Isaiah (which functions within the Canonical Column as a figurative type of the Old Testament canon), Isaiah 17 has been deliberately designed by God to function as a figurative type of the book of Esther–which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the seventeenth book of the Old Testament (and the Bible). Accordingly, this chapter has been divinely embedded with allusions and echoes of various kinds to specific scenes and passages that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be found in the book of Esther. The comparative table below documents just a few of what I deem to be the most notable of these (explanations provided in the footnotes).

Isaiah 17	Esther
And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.11 (Isaiah 17:4)	Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16)
In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: . . .12 (Isaiah 17:11a)	For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed. (Esther 10:3)
. . . but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.13 (Isaiah 17:11b)	And in every province, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. (Esther 4:3)
Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.14 (Isaiah 17:12-13)	Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s commandment and his decree drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) The Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon all people. And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. (Esther 9:1-3)
And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.15 (Isaiah 17:14)	Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. (Esther 9:24-25)

Canonical Column Significance of the absence of God’s name in the book of Esther

There is yet another allusion to the book of Esther in Isaiah 17 that I was unable to include in the comparative table above due to its nature, but it is one that I can’t just not mention. One of the most well-known literary features of the book of Esther is the complete absence of any explicit mention of God’s name, or even of the title “God.” Though His providence is clearly at work throughout the narrative, he is never directly mentioned and His presence remains veiled—hidden beneath the surface of events. Remarkably, this very absence of the mention of God in the book of Esther appears to be prophetically alluded to in Isaiah 17:10, which reads: “Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength…” Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this verse functions as a clever literary echo of Esther’s most defining characteristic. The charge of having “forgotten” God and not being “mindful” of Him functions as a very clever allusion to the narrative structure of Esther itself, in which divine intervention is never directly named, yet is unmistakably present behind the scenes. Thus, Isaiah 17:10 prophetically anticipates the book of Esther by replicating its divine silence and drawing attention to the hiddenness of God’s hand in history.

Conclusion: The Canonical Column Affirms the Canonicity and Ordinal Position of Esther as the Seventeenth Book of the Canon

The canonicity of the book of Esther is affirmed by its two witnessing chapters within the Canonical Column: Genesis 28 and Isaiah 17. These two chapters have been deliberately structured and sequenced as the seventeenth chapter within their respective branches of the Canonical Column, in order to function as individual figurative types of the book of Esther–the seventeenth book of the Old Testament and the Bible at large. To this end, both chapters have been divinely embedded with direct allusions to specific passages and content that God in his perfect foreknowledge knew would be contained within the book of Esther, which was ordained before the foundation of the world to become the seventeenth book of the Old Testament and biblical canon. Accordingly, the divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement of the book of Esther are established by the Canonical Column–being witnessed by both the Law & the Prophets.

1. I received the knowledge of this great mystery by the light of divine revelation way back in 2009 (1 Chron. 28:19; Num. 8:4; cf. 1 Cor. 2:10; Gal. 1:12). ↩︎
2. Alternatively, if that article is too long, you can read a summarized version here. ↩︎
3. Every book of the Bible has two chapters which correspond to it within the Canonical Column–one in Genesis 12-50 or Leviticus (the Law), and one in Isaiah (the Prophets). Genesis 12-50 (known in the Canonical Column as “The Circumcision”) and Isaiah 1-39 (known in the Canonical Column as “First Isaiah”) are both figurative types of the Old Testament canon–each containing 39 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 39 books of the Old Testament canon. Similarly, Leviticus (known in the Canonical Column as “An Holy Priesthood”) and Isaiah 40-66 (known in the Canonical Column as “Second Isaiah”) function as figurative types of the New Testament canon–each containing 27 chapters which have been divinely designed to prefigure the 27 books of the New Testament canon. The individual chapters within these four scaffolding branches of the Canonical Column are known as witnessing chapters, so called because they have been divinely embedded with textual allusions of various kinds to the content of the specific biblical book which occupies the same numerical position within the canonical sequence. Thus the witnessing chapters function as divinely designed figurative types of whatever biblical book they numerically correspond to within their specific branch of the framework–testifying to their divine inspiration, canonicity, and ordinal placement within the completed biblical canon. ↩︎
4. The Canonical Column testifies that the Protestant biblical canon is the divinely sanctioned form of the Christian Bible that is stamped with the Lamb’s seal of messianic approval. ↩︎
5. In Genesis 28:3, Isaac blesses Jacob with the promise of fruitfulness and multiplication, declaring that he would become a multitude of people. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this is an obvious allusion to Esther 8:17, where the Jews experience a sudden reversal of fortune, marked by joy and favor in every province—and significantly, “many of the people of the land became Jews.” This surge in Jewish identity and population echoes the fulfillment of Isaac’s blessing in Genesis 28, showing how the covenantal seed continued to multiply even in exile—becoming, quite literally, a “multitude of people” from far-flung regions of the Persian Empire. ↩︎
6. In Genesis 28:4, Isaac blesses Jacob with the inheritance of Abraham’s covenant, promising him and his seed possession of the land despite being a stranger in it. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Esther 9:1, where the enemies of the Jews—who dwelled in a foreign land under Persian rule—hoped to overpower them. Instead, the Jews gain dominion over those that hated them. Though still “strangers” in the Persian Empire, the Jewish people inherit dominion through divine reversal, echoing the inheritance theme of Genesis 28:4 and the ongoing fulfillment of the Abrahamic blessing. ↩︎
7. In Genesis 28:13–14, the LORD reaffirms to Jacob the covenant made with Abraham and Isaac—promising him the land, innumerable descendants, and that through his seed all the families of the earth would be blessed. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this is an obvious allusion to Esther 9:27–28, where the Jewish people—now spread throughout the provinces of the Persian Empire—ordain the annual observance of Purim “upon them and upon their seed,” ensuring that the memorial will not perish from their descendants. The repeated emphasis on “seed,” “every generation,” and “every family” echoes God’s promise of covenantal perpetuity, while the widespread reach across “every province” mirrors the fourfold directional expansion foretold in Genesis 28. ↩︎
8. In Genesis 28:17, Jacob is awestruck by his dream of the ladder reaching into heaven, declaring the place to be “none other but the house of God” and “the gate of heaven.” Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this is an obvious allusion to the recurring motif of the king’s gate in the book of Esther—first referenced in Esther 2:19 and repeatedly emphasized throughout the narrative (cf. 2:21; 3:2–3; 4:2, 6; 5:9, 13; 6:10, 12). The king’s gate in Esther represents the threshold between common society and royal authority—between the earthly realm and the ruling court—just as Jacob’s vision frames Bethel as the earthly intersection of heaven’s rule. The repeated mention of Mordecai at the king’s gate reinforces this symbolic correspondence, casting the royal gate as a literary echo of the “gate of heaven” in Jacob’s vision. ↩︎
9. In Genesis 28:22, Jacob names the place Bethel (“House of God”) and sets up a stone pillar as a physical marker of divine encounter, vowing that it shall be God’s house and pledging to give a tenth of all he receives. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Esther 5:1, where Esther presents herself before King Xerxes in the inner court of the royal house—a sacred and dangerous threshold space over against the king’s gate and throne. The scene evokes imagery of royal presence and divine judgment, just as Jacob’s pillar marks the intersection between heaven and earth. The architectural repetition of “house,” “court,” and “gate” in Esther parallels the language and structure of Genesis 28, reinforcing the symbolic identification of the royal house with God’s house, and Esther’s approach with an act of sacrificial intercession akin to Jacob’s vow. ↩︎
10. In Genesis 28:20, Jacob vows that if God will be with him and provide “bread to eat and raiment to put on,” he will serve the Lord faithfully. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Esther 6:11, where Mordecai—once overlooked and sitting in sackcloth—is arrayed in royal apparel and led through the streets on the king’s horse as a public display of favor. The “raiment” mentioned in Jacob’s vow a direct allusion to the garments provided to Mordecai, representing divine provision and elevation. ↩︎
11. In Isaiah 17:4, the prophet declares that “the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean,” evoking imagery of emaciation, affliction, and voluntary deprivation. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this is an imagistic allusion to Esther 4:16, where Esther commands all the Jews in Shushan to fast for three days, abstaining from both food and drink, as she prepares to risk her life by approaching the king. The leanness of flesh in Isaiah corresponds to the self-imposed physical weakness of the Jewish community in Esther. ↩︎
12. In Isaiah 17:11, the prophet speaks of a day in which a plant is made to grow and seed made to flourish—imagery that conveys blessing, prosperity, and multiplication. Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this is an allusion to Esther 10:3, which concludes the book by highlighting Mordecai’s greatness, his pursuit of the welfare of his people, and his advocacy for “all his seed.” The flourishing seed in Isaiah mirrors the enduring legacy of the Jewish people at the close of Esther, where the covenantal seed is seen not only preserved but thriving under divine favor. Both verses emphasize the prospering of a people once under threat, now flourishing like a plant that has been nurtured to maturity. ↩︎
13. In Isaiah 17:11b, the prophet warns that although the seed may flourish in the morning, the ultimate outcome is a “heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.” Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this functions as an allusion to Esther 4:3, where the Jews mourn and lament with fasting, weeping, and wailing upon hearing Haman’s decree. The language of grief and sorrow in Isaiah echoes the emotional devastation in Esther, capturing the moment before deliverance, when the fate of the covenant people hangs in the balance. The “heap” anticipates a day of judgment or reckoning—paralleled by the weight of impending destruction that prompts Esther’s intercession. ↩︎
14. In Isaiah 17:12–13, the prophet describes a chaotic multitude of nations rising like the roaring of many waters: “Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas… The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters…” This metaphor of surging waters is a common biblical symbol for multitudes of people and languages (cf. Rev. 17:15). Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this functions as a deliberately crafted allusion to the geopolitical context of the book of Esther—where Haman’s genocidal decree is disseminated to all 127 provinces of the Persian Empire, translated into every language and tongue (Esth. 1:1; 3:12; 8:9). Just as the nations are stirred up in Isaiah, so too are the diverse peoples of the empire stirred to action against the Jews in Esther. But God “rebukes” them (Isa. 17:13)—a poetic reflection of how divine providence overturns Haman’s plan, resulting in the Jews’ victory and the fear of them falling upon the nations (Esth. 9:2–3).
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15. In Isaiah 17:14, it is written, “And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.” Within the framework of the Canonical Column, this is a striking allusion to Esther 7:10, where Haman—who sought to destroy and plunder the Jews—is suddenly executed: “So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai.” His downfall occurs swiftly, effectively “between evening and morning,” just as the verse in Isaiah describes. The concluding line, “the lot of them that rob us,” is a multi-layered reference to the book of Esther: not only does it allude to Haman’s plan to rob the Jews of their possessions and enrich the Persian treasury (Esth. 3:13), but it also evokes the casting of Pur (lots) to determine the date of their destruction (Esth. 3:7; 9:24). The term lot thus functions both as a symbol of divine reversal and a literal nod to the origin of the feast of Purim. The presence of all three motifs—overnight downfall, robbery of the Jews, and the casting of lots—renders this verse one of the clearest allusions to the book of Esther in the entire chapter. ↩︎

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