Story · 29 · The Queen
A book of the Bible that never mentions God
The Hebrew book of Esther has no God, covenant, temple, or prayer. Later Greek versions added prayers to make it more pious. The Hebrew canon kept the 'godless' version.
Peoplehood without piety.
Dig deeper
Set at the Persian court in Susa, Esther reads like a fairy tale from One Thousand and One Nights. But beneath its comedy lies a grave story of an empire abusing women and minorities, and a heroine who models how to survive.
Bible reference: Esther
Source: Why the Bible Began, pp. 452–453
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