2 ESDRAS: The Hidden Book of Prophecy With 1st Esdras - Book - Page 45
T H E
T O R A H
T E S T
remain in the service of the King. It fits Mordecai from Esther too but not with Patireza
whom cannot be Mordecai or anything else we reviewed thus far.
“In that hour the king could not go to sleep (literally, his spirit was stretched)”
–4QProto-Esthera, p. 619 [48]
Though this appears in Esther’s story indeed (Est. 6:1), this also matches 1st Esdras
which says the same as Darius could not sleep.
1 Esdras 3:3
“And when they ate and drank, and being satisfied were gone home, then Darius the
king went into his bed chamber, and slept, and soon after awakened.”
Thus the king could not sleep in both stories and the assumption that this detail
again only exists in the Esther saga is incomplete and erroneous. 1st Esdras also fits this
fragment as well as the first especially Patireza (Priest Ezra) where Esther already failed.
The remaining portion of this fragment attributed to Esther does no more to bolster
the case for Esther which already fails and here it falls flat on it’s face. This also coalesces
with 1st Esdras. Scholars insert portions into this fragment in assumption as well which
we feel are likely inaccurate but anyone claiming this represents Esther is ignoring the
story completely. They don’t even know it. King Artaxerxes never calls for his father’s
scrolls in Esther. He calls for his own law from recent years and discovers Mordecai’s
reporting his attempted assassination during his own administration. How can that be
missed by someone calling themselves a scholar?
“[and he commanded that the b]ooks of his father be read before him. And among the books
there was a scroll [the mou]th of which [was] s[ealed] with seven seals by the signet-ring of
his father Darius the heading of which ... [Dar]ius the king to the officials of the kingdom,
Peace. It was opened and read and in it was found: [... Dar]ius the King to the kings who
will reign after me and to the officials of the kingdom, Pe[ac]e. It should be known to you that
every tormentor and liar...” –4QProto-Esthera, p. 619 [48]
This is not Esther. In the story of Esther, the King seeks the scroll that he commissioned
not his father’s nor does he have his father’s read but his own (Est. 6:1-2). He was
affirming Mordecai was the one whom reported the plot against him and his response
is to honor Mordecai as a result. So Esther is wrong for this no matter what.
You can see two of the three times Darius is mentioned here, the fragment is not
complete nor is that clear. There is enough to determine this is not Esther and better
matches Esdras. However, the very odd omissions both times in this fragment for the
43
