Wife, Concubine, or Royal Favorite? Esther's Position at the Court of Xerxes

Abstract

This study examines Esther’s role at Xerxes’ court within the context of Achaemenid history. While the Esther story portrays its heroine as Xerxes’ queen (מַלְכָּה), extrabiblical evidence suggests that the Persian Empire did not maintain a clearly defined office of “queen.” Instead, royal women appear to have risen and fallen in prominence within the Persian harem primarily through gaining and losing their hold on the king’s affection. Considering Persian, Greek, and biblical evidence, this study argues for the possibility that the author of the Esther story employs מַלְכָּה to mark his heroine, not as Xerxes’ sole legal wife, but as his favorite concubine who rose to preeminence through personal favor rather than official rank. Identifying Esther as a concubine alleviates several problems frequently associated with classifying her as the sole reigning queen.