The Book of Esther
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain the importance of the Book of Esther and how she can be seen as both a victim and a victor in her story.
Key learning points
- The Book of Esther was written at a time when many Jews were living in exile as a disapora in the Persian Empire.
- Esther can be seen as both a victim and a victor in her story.
- Esther heard of a plot to kill all Jewish people in Persia and intervened to prevent this happening.
- Considering the intended audience of the Book of Esther can help us better understand the significance of the story.
Keywords
Concubine - a woman who lives with a man, and has relations with him, but has a lower status than his wife or wives
Diaspora - the scattering of communities of Jews outside of ancient Israel after exile
Exile - the removal of people or a person from their homeland
Persia - an ancient empire where many Jews were living after exile from ancient Israel
Patriarchy - a society or culture where men generally hold positions of power and authority
Common misconception
That the story of Esther takes place in ancient Israel.
The story of Esther takes place in Susa, an important city in the Persian Empire.
Teacher tip
The Book of Esther explains the origins of the festival of Purim celebrated by Jews today. Students could explore how this festival is celebrated in the home, synagogue and in broader communities.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of sexual violence
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The story of Deborah is told in the Old Testament part of the Bible, in the Book of .
Q2.__________ ruled Israel for many years.
Q3.In the Israelites' battle against an enemy army, the final blow of the battle was delivered by .
Q4.A complementarian would view men and women as one another.
Q5.An egalitarian would view men and women as being in the eyes of God.
Q6.Dr Sandy Richter is an example of someone who holds an view about women and men in the Church.
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.The Book of Esther is a biblical story set in ...
Q2.The Jewish refers to the communities of Jews living outside of the land of ancient Israel following exile.
Q3.Esther, a Jew, was taken to be a __________ for King Xerxes and was then promoted to his wife.
Q4.When Esther heard of Haman's plot, she ...
Q5.The term is formed from words meaning 'father' and 'to rule'.
Q6.Feminist theologians interpret the concubines named in the Bible, with the exception of Esther, as victims because ...
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: The Book of Esther, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: The Book of Esther, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Matriarchs: are the women of the Bible victors or victims? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.