Esther 3-4 | Bible Study Questions

COVENANT HOPE CHURCH | 13 APRIL 2026

OBSERVATION

What does it say?

    1. What are the new characters introduced to us in Esther 3? What details about them does the author point out to us?
    2. What was the king's command in Esther 3:2 and how did Mordecai disobey it?
    3. When the officials questioned Mordecai about his behavior, what reason did he give them for his refusal to bow in Esther 3:4?
    4. What was Haman's response to Mordecai’s disobedience and what did he plan to do? (Esther 3:4-6)
    5. What did Haman tell the king about a “certain group of people”? (Esther 3:8-9)
    6. How did the king respond to Haman's request? (Esther 3:10-12)
    7. What did the letters sent throughout the empire command the people to do, and what was the atmosphere in Susa after the decree was issued? (Esther 3:13-15)
    8. How did Mordecai and the Jews respond to the king's decree? (Esther 4:1-3)
    9. What distresses Esther and what does she do about it? (Esther 4:4-5)
    10. What does Mordecai want Esther to do? (Esther 4:8)
    11. What is Esther's dilemma, and why does she have reasons for concern? (Esther 4:10-11)
    12. Mordecai’s appeal is meant to open Esther's eyes to a particular reality. What is it? (Esther 4:13)
    13. What confidence does Mordecai express in Esther 4:14?
    14. How did the rebuke and encouragement by Mordecai begin to change Esther's mind about the situation? (Esther 4:16-17)
    15. What words of Esther lets us know that she is realistic about the risk she is taking? (Esther 4:16)

INTERPRETATION

What does it mean?

    1. Why did Mordecai not have bowed down to Haman? (Esther 3:2)
    2. How and why does Haman’s hostility expand from Mordecai to encompass all of the Jewish people? (Esther 3:5-6) 
    3. Haman is identified as an Agagite, while Mordecai is a Benjamite. Why might that be significant? Why might it be an important detail which helps explain the intensity of their conflict? (Ref: Exodus 17, 1 Samuel 15)
    4. Observe Haman’s pitch to the King in Esther 3:8-9. Why would he never mention the Jews by name? What does the passage reveal about Haman’s character? 
    5. What does King Ahasuerus’s role in Ester 3 seem to be?How is this similar to or different from what we have seen in the previous chapters of Esther? How is the narrator continuing to show us the character of king Ahasuerus?
    6. What does the response of the Jews to the king's announcement tell us about their spiritual state? (Esther 4:3)
    7. What could be the reason for the confidence expressed by Mordecai to Esther in Esther 4:14? (God had promised long ago to preserve his people forever. Ref: Gen. 12:1-3, 2 Sam. 7:8-16, Isa. 43:1-7) 
    8. What does Mordecai want Esther to realize about herself and about God in this passage? (Esther 4:13-14)
    9. How is the promise of deliverance that we see in this passage fulfilled in Christ? (Ref: John 12:27-28, Gal. 1:3-4, Col. 1:13)

APPLICATION

What will I do?

    1. How have we observed similar hostility as in Esther 3 towards Christians in today's world?
    2. As we consider the stand that Mordecai takes against bowing to Haman, How are we challenged to stand more boldly for God, his Word and the Gospel in our daily life?
    3. In Esther chapter 4, she responds to the danger she faces with great courage. Like Esther, sometimes we find ourselves in situations that require boldness and courage in sharing our faith or in a specific path of costly obedience. How would we respond in such a situation? 
    4. Describe a time when you stepped out in obedience. What happened? Were you able to identify God’s delivering hand in that situation?
    5. How does Esther chapter 4 teach us to pray and depend on God in every situation?

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