Esther Outline
Italics denote the Deuterocanonical additions
I. Prologue: Mordecai's Dream (11:2-12:6)
II. King Ahasuerus Designates Esther Queen of Persia (1:1-2:23)
A. The King's Banquets for Officers and Common People (1:1-8)
B. Ahasuerus Orders the Dethronement of Queen Vashti (1:9-22)
C. Esther Enters the Royal Court and Becomes Queen (2:1-18)
D. Mordecai and Queen Esther Save the King (2:19-23)
III. Haman: The Threat of Oppression against Jews (3:1-7:10)
A. The Edict for Annihilation of the Jews (3:1-15)
- Mordecai Refuses to Pay Homage to Haman (3:1-6)
- Haman Initiates the Royal Edict against the Jews (3:7-13)
- The Text of the Edict (13:1-7)
- The Universal Promulgation of the Edict (3:14-15)
B. The Plans and Prayers of Mordecai and Esther (4:1-17)
- Mordecai Beckons Esther to Defend the Jews (4:1-17)
- Mordecai's Prayer (13:8-18)
- Esther's Prayer (14:1-19)
C. Esther's Audience with the King (5:1-14)
- The King Welcomes Esther into His Presence (15:4-19)
- The King Promises to Grant Esther's Request (5:1-8)
- Haman Plots the Execution of Mordecai (5:9-14)
D. The Outcome for Mordecai and Haman (6:1-7:10)
- The King Raises Mordecai to Prominence over Haman (6:1-14)
- Esther's Banquet and the Execution of Haman (7:1-10)
IV. The Guarantee of Jewish Civil Rights (8:1-10:3)
A. Mordecai Replaces Haman: Jewish Civil Rights (8:1-17)
- Esther and Mordecai Design the New Royal Edict (8:1-12)
- The Text of the New Edict (16:1-24)
- The Universal Promulgation of the New Edict (8:13-17)
B. The Feast of Purim (9:1-32) - The Jews Destroy Their Enemies (19:1-19 (19a))
- The Celebration of Purim (19:20-32)
C. Conclusion: Mordecai’s Greatness (10:1-3)