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The Book of Esther

Esther is book 34 of 39 in the Tanakh, part of Ketuvim. It has 10 chapters and 167 verses.

Updated September 19, 2026

אֶסְתֵּר

Section
Ketuvim
Chapters
10
Verses
167
Longest chapter
9 (32 verses)

What Esther is about

Esther is set in the Persian court. Haman plots to destroy the Jews of the empire, and Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai turn the plot on its head. The name of God never appears in the book. It is one of the five scrolls, read twice on Purim.

Opening verse

וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הוּא אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ הַמֹּלֵךְ מֵהֹדּוּ וְעַד־כּוּשׁ שֶׁבַע וְעֶשְׂרִים וּמֵאָה מְדִינָה׃

NOW IT came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, this is Ahasuerus who reigned, from India to Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces

Esther 1:1

Chapters