After the Babylonian Empire faded from history, a new power arose—the empire of the Medes and the Persians. During the rule of King Ahasuerus, there lived a Jewish man named Mordecai in the capital, Shushan. Mordecai’s family had moved to Shushan when Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians. In Mordecai’s care was Esther, his uncle’s daughter, whom he had adopted after the death of her parents.

At this time, many of the Jewish people had returned to Jerusalem, while Mordecai and others had chosen to stay in Persia. However, all was not well for the Jews in Persia, as Haman, the king’s prime minister, was always plotting to destroy them.

But God had a plan. He would save His people, not through the mighty power of an army, but through the love and courage of a young Jewish woman who risked her own life to save her people and defeat Haman’s evil plans.

In the book of Esther, you can read the exciting story of this Jewish orphan woman who became a Persian queen.