Latest / The Chosen People / Esther the Hero

Transcript

Esther the Hero · The Chosen People

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Previously on The Chosen People.
• 0:03
  Speaker 2: My Queen, I can no longer wait. What is your petition?
• 0:10
  Speaker 2: Whatever you desire, up to half my kingdom, it shall
• 0:14
  Speaker 2: be given.
• 0:16
  Speaker 3: My people are the Jews of Israel, and we have
• 0:18
  Speaker 3: been marked for extermination by royal edict on the thirteenth
• 0:22
  Speaker 3: day of Adar, in the twelfth month of the year.
• 0:26
  Speaker 3: But the man who authored the edict in the king's
• 0:29
  Speaker 3: authority is here. The adversary and enemy of my people
• 0:34
  Speaker 3: is this evil Haman.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Haman's ensnared me in one of his political schemes.
• 0:42
  Speaker 4: My king, a gallows stands at Haman's estate, 70 feet high.
• 0:48
  Speaker 4: It was built just last night. It was built for what?
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: Moments later, across town, the gallows outside Haman's home held
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: its builder. The banquet hall was still and silent now,
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: the echoes of fury and dark revelation lingering in the
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: gold-plated columns. Hester sat back on her seat. Relieved, but
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: still trembling at the violence and treachery that had taken
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: place around her. Her heart still raced, and her hands
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: trembled in her lap. The weight of what she had
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: done pressed on her chest, but there was also a
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: strange lightness. The secret was out. She no longer had
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: to conceal who she was, and their enemy had fallen.
• 1:49
  Speaker 1: But the danger was not yet gone. The courtiers and
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: attendants were still abuzz, but the king's anger had subsided
• 1:58
  Speaker 1: somewhat as justice had been enacted and Haman had been
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: put to death.
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: At his order.
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: He approached, his steps heavy, but his eyes surprisingly soft
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: as he looked upon her. He knelt beside her couch,
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: gently taking her trembling hands.
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: My queen, you have shown courage beyond measure. You have
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: revealed a snake in the grass. For uncovering his conspiracy,
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: you should be rewarded. You should have Amon's estate. It
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: is the finest in all of Susa.
• 2:38
  Speaker 1: The crowd hushed at the king's proclamation and then cheered Esther.
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: She gave them all a weak smile in gratitude, but
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: she tugged on her husband's hand to get his attention again.
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: When she spoke, Her breath was still shaky.
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: My king, you are so generous. I thank you, but
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: you deserve to know the whole truth. Mordecai, the judge
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: who uncovered the conspiracy against you all those years ago,
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: is my adopted father. He is my cousin and raised
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: me as his own child. It was at his urging
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: that I kept my heritage hidden. For my safety. And
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: as you can see, his fears were not unfounded. Haman's
• 3:29
  Speaker 3: plot has made them real. But my people, your subjects,
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: are still in danger.
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: Xerxes' brow furrowed as he processed this news. He nodded solemnly.
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: Rest tonight, my queen. Tomorrow, I will summon more decay.
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: Esther nodded as the king rose. He turned and signaled
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: to Hethark waiting at the edge of the hall. Esther
• 4:01
  Speaker 1: had not even seen him come in in all the commotion,
• 4:04
  Speaker 1: but she could have wept in relief to see a
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: familiar face after her ordeal. The loyal eunuch moved quickly
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: to her side.
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: Come, my queen.
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: Let me help you.
• 4:16
  Speaker 1: Esther allowed herself to be led from the banquet hall.
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: Behind her, The heavy doors closed with a thundering finality,
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: and at once murmurs again rippled among the nobles in attendance.
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: But she knew the danger was not yet gone. The
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: king's edict still hung over her people like an executioner
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: holding a sword suspended over a doomed prisoner. But for now,
• 4:43
  Speaker 1: for this moment, she allowed herself the quiet satisfaction of
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: having unmasked Haman's treachery. Tomorrow, she would need all her strength. Tomorrow,
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: she would plead for her people's lives. At dawn, Mordecai
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: was summoned to the palace. He had heard whispers, wild,
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: unbelievable rumors of what had unfolded in the banquet hall.
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: But the sight that met him on the road to
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: the palace erased all doubt. Haman's mangled body. hanging lifeless
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: from the towering gallows outside his own estate, the gallows
• 5:26
  Speaker 1: that had been meant for him. Mordecai's stomach turned as
• 5:31
  Speaker 1: the truth settled in. He was still reeling from the
• 5:34
  Speaker 1: extravagance of the king's parade in his honour just the
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: day before, but now he needed only to recall the
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: image of Haman's wide, unseeing eyes and twisted body swaying
• 5:48
  Speaker 1: in the morning breeze. already food for Carrion, to understand
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: how quickly favor could turn to death. And so he
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: walked with measured steps, heart pounding, unsure of what awaited
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: him in the audience chamber with the king. Guards opened
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: the grand doors and he stepped into the throne room.
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: King Xerxes sat tall, regal, but with a smile that
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: eased Mordecai's fear. He extended his golden scepter and Mordecai
• 6:21
  Speaker 1: stumbled forward to stand before his king.
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: You have been forgotten too long, Mordecai, but no more.
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: He removed the signet ring, the very one stripped from
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: Haman's hand only hours before, and placed it into Mordecai's palm.
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: With this ring, Mordecai, I give you authority, and I
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: give you.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: Trust Astonished and honored beyond belief, Mordecai bowed low. His
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: heart swelled with awe and gratitude.
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: My king, I have no words.
• 7:03
  Speaker 4: You honor me. Thank you. I hope I serve you well.
• 7:08
  Speaker 1: But more was yet to come. The king smiled and continued.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: I have given the traitor Haman's estate to my queen.
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: And Queen Aster has revealed... That you are her cousin,
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: her adopted father. I am my king. Queen Esther has
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: placed the estate under your charge.
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: Mordecai was stunned yet again at this overwhelming generosity and
• 7:35
  Speaker 1: sudden ascent. He was then whisked from the king's presence
• 7:40
  Speaker 1: and driven to the estate on the other side of
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: the city where Queen Esther would meet him. As the
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: carriage drove up to the towering gate, he ignored the
• 7:50
  Speaker 1: horrific sight of Haman's corpse still hanging on the gallows,
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: a cautionary tale of cruelty, hate and pride. Inside, Mordecai
• 8:01
  Speaker 1: wept the instant he saw Esther standing in the grand entryway.
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: They embraced. For a long while, they were overcome with
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: emotion and did not speak. But when they did speak,
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: They shared every moment, every heartache, every triumph that had
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: taken place in the years since they had seen one another.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: Esther introduced Mordecai to Hetharch and her loyal handmaidens as well,
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: and Mordecai was overwhelmed with emotion at the family she
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: had found within the cold, dangerous walls of the palace.
• 8:39
  Speaker 4: Lord Hetharch, all of you, I cannot express my gratitude
• 8:44
  Speaker 4: for your support of my daughter or of our people.
• 8:48
  Speaker 4: May our God, the God of Israel, bless you for
• 8:52
  Speaker 4: all your faithfulness.
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: Hetar bowed deeply to Mordecai and answered on all of
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: their behalf.
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: It is your adopted daughter, Queen Esther Hadassah, who has
• 9:06
  Speaker 3: inspired us all.
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: Her courage and faith in your God is what has.
• 9:11
  Speaker 1: Prevailed Mordecai's eyes widened at the sound of her Hebrew name.
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: Esther met his gaze and nodded.
• 9:19
  Speaker 3: Our God has blessed me with true friends. I could
• 9:24
  Speaker 3: not have gone before the king and unmasked Haman without them.
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: Even as her heart swelled with gratitude, the weight of
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: unfinished business pressed in. But that did not change the
• 9:36
  Speaker 1: fact that Haman's edict was still in place. It could
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: not be overturned. For the king's word, once spoken, was law.
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: It was as if Haman's hatred haunted them from beyond
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: the grave, intent on their destruction. They would need to
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: be clever to come up with a solution to get
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: around it. It would not be easy.
• 9:59
  Speaker 3: Hurrah!
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: Eyes drifted to Mordecai's right hand and the ring upon
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: his finger, the symbolic source of the power.
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: Of the king.
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: But our people are still in grave danger. On your hand,
• 10:12
  Speaker 3: dear cousin, is the ring that was used to mark
• 10:16
  Speaker 3: the edict set to destroy us. It now rests on
• 10:20
  Speaker 3: your hand. The question that remains is this. How will
• 10:26
  Speaker 3: we use it?
• 10:28
  Speaker 1: Mordecai nodded, but said nothing. Brow furrowed. She could tell
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: that he was weighing their options and considering all that
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: he knew of the law. The others remained in the
• 10:40
  Speaker 1: entryway while Mordecai and Esther surveyed the rest of Haman's estate,
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: now eerily silent. The opulence felt cold, touched by the
• 10:50
  Speaker 1: shadow of evil. Once more in the Grand Hall, Mordecai
• 10:55
  Speaker 1: lifted his eyes to the vast tapestries.
• 10:58
  Speaker 4: The Egypt authorized the citizens of Persia to not only
• 11:01
  Speaker 4: destroy us, but also to seize our property and possessions
• 11:06
  Speaker 4: for themselves. Isn't it ironic that the very man who
• 11:13
  Speaker 4: would steal from our people... has had all his riches
• 11:17
  Speaker 4: given to one of us. The Lord's hand is, if anything,
• 11:23
  Speaker 4: not subtle.
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: They shared a moment of wonder, and then determination.
• 11:29
  Speaker 3: The danger remains. The decree still stands.
• 11:32
  Speaker 4: Then we must act. Adasa, I fear the only way
• 11:40
  Speaker 4: forward is to prepare our people to defend themselves. We
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: cannot reverse the law Haman wrote, but we can authorize
• 11:49
  Speaker 4: our people to stand against any who would attack them.
• 11:53
  Speaker 4: Our God has granted us time, time to spread word
• 11:57
  Speaker 4: to every province, every Jewish household, so they may rise
• 12:02
  Speaker 4: and fight when the day comes.
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: Hester nodded solemnly. Violence was not her desire, but if
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: survival required it, so be it.
• 12:13
  Speaker 4: But my dear Hadassah, I will not act in secret
• 12:20
  Speaker 4: as Haman did. Though the king has given me his
• 12:24
  Speaker 4: ring and authority, I must act with his knowledge and blessing.
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: You must go before your husband once more. Plead for
• 12:34
  Speaker 4: our people's lives and gain his favor so that we
• 12:38
  Speaker 4: may stand.
• 12:41
  Speaker 1: And so... Esther gathered her courage once more. Clothed in
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: her most regal garments, the crisp whites and deep blues
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: of Persian royalty, her royal crown upon her head, she
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: approached the throne room once again, unbidden. Her heart pounded
• 13:01
  Speaker 1: in her chest, but when the great doors opened, King
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: Xerxes lifted his gaze and extended the golden scepter without hesitation.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: My queen. What is your request?
• 13:15
  Speaker 1: Esther lowered herself to her knees, no easy feet in
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: her heavy finery, and begged before the king.
• 13:23
  Speaker 3: If it pleases the king, and I have found favor
• 13:25
  Speaker 3: with him, if the matter seems right to the king
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: and I am pleasing in his eyes, let a royal
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: edict be written. Let it revoke the documents the scheming Haman,
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: son of Hamadatha the Agagite, wrote to destroy the Jews
• 13:42
  Speaker 3: who are in all the king's provinces. For how could
• 13:45
  Speaker 3: I bear to see the disaster that would come on
• 13:48
  Speaker 3: my people? How could I bear to see the destruction
• 13:52
  Speaker 3: of my relatives?
• 13:54
  Speaker 1: The king's expression darkened, and he shook his head. Esther's
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: heart pounded as she prayed, not only that he would
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: see the truth, but that he would come to it himself.
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: She dared not push him, lest he feel manipulated, as
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: Haman had once deceived him. For if this moment was ordained,
• 14:15
  Speaker 1: it must be by his hand, not by her persuasion.
• 14:19
  Speaker 1: She dared not press. She could only trust.
• 14:23
  Speaker 2: You know I cannot undo what has been sealed with
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: my ring. But in my name? Write whatever pleases you
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: concerning the juice, and seal it with the royal signet ring.
• 14:38
  Speaker 2: For as you know, a document written in the king's
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: name and sealed with the royal signet ring cannot be revoked.
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: Esther could have wept in relief and joy, but she
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: knew the hardest part was still to come. She and
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: Mordecai would need to prepare their people for the danger
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: to come. Within the hour of gaining the king's permission,
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: Mordecai and Esther sat together in the royal scribe's chamber.
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: Scrolls stretched before them, wax and seals ready. Mordecai dipped
• 15:12
  Speaker 1: the quill, his hands steady.
• 15:15
  Speaker 4: For generations they will know this was not chance. God
• 15:20
  Speaker 4: of our people watches and delivers!
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: Esther nodded as she recalled all her story's strange twists
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: and turns that led them to this very moment. The
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: scribes worked quickly. The new edict spread across the empire.
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: The Jews could defend themselves. They were permitted to rise
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: against those who sought their destruction. Months later, Esther stood
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: at the window in the royal palace, watching the city awaken.
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: The weight of millions pressed on her heart. Mordecai entered,
• 15:57
  Speaker 1: his robes flowing with regal weight, the signet ring glinting
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: on his finger.
• 16:03
  Speaker 4: The day approaches.
• 16:05
  Speaker 3: Too quickly.
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: He stood beside her, the silence full of shared resolve.
• 16:12
  Speaker 4: You've given them the right to defend themselves. Yes. Now
• 16:16
  Speaker 4: we pray that they will have courage to do so.
• 16:20
  Speaker 1: The day finally arrived, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: the month of Adar, the day Haman marked for death,
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: now a fighting chance. Across the empire, from the gates
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: of Susa to the farthest provinces, the Jews had gathered
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: and fortified against all who sought to destroy them. Because
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: of Esther's courage and Mordecai's cleverness, they were no longer
• 16:47
  Speaker 1: a people hiding in fear. They stood shoulder to shoulder
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: and were armed with courage and unity. Those who had
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: once plotted their destruction now trembled before them. In Susa,
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: palace balconies overflowed with spectators. The city held its breath.
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: But the chaos many feared did not come. The Jews
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: defended themselves with precision, striking only those who rose against them.
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: In the citadel of Susa alone, 500 men fell that day,
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: along with Haman's ten sons. The next morning, a breathless
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: messenger arrived in the palace court.
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: My king, the Jews have prevailed.
• 17:33
  Speaker 4: 500 have fallen in Susa, and Haman's ten sons among them.
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: The king turned to Queen Esther, who was waiting beside him.
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: What is your request?
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: Her voice was steady and determined. It had come to
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: violence between the Jews and their enemies after all, but
• 17:51
  Speaker 1: let justice be complete.
• 17:53
  Speaker 3: If it pleases the king, let the Jews and Susa
• 17:57
  Speaker 3: defend themselves for one more day, and let the bodies
• 18:01
  Speaker 3: of Haman's sons be displayed on the gallows. a warning
• 18:06
  Speaker 3: to any who would rise against us.
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: The king nodded.
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: It shall be done.
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: And so, on the fourteenth day of Adar, the Jews
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: of Susa defended themselves once more. Seventy-five thousand fell across
• 18:24
  Speaker 1: the provinces of Persia, but they did not lay hands
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: on the plunder. Justice was delivered, not greed. In the
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: days that followed, Joy swept through the empire. From the
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: grandest courts to the humblest villages, the Jewish people celebrated.
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: What had been a day marked for destruction became a
• 18:46
  Speaker 1: day of triumph, feasting and thanksgiving. Mordecai and Esther decreed
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: that every generation would remember these days, a celebration of deliverance,
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: divine reversal and God's faithfulness. They called it Purim, after
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: the poor, the lot Haman had cast in secret when
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: he first devised his genocidal scheme, believing he could control
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: the fate of a people. But the God of Israel
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: had cast his own lot, and it had fallen in
• 19:20
  Speaker 1: their favor. Esther and Mordecai sat side by side in
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: the quiet courtyard of Haman's former estate as the sun
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: dipped below the horizons. The air was filled with the
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: laughter of all their friends and trusted attendants, the scent
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: of sweet wine and roasted meats drifting from the still-celebrating
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: streets beyond. Mordecai broke the comfortable silence between them first.
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: Who would have thought?
• 19:51
  Speaker 5: The chances of you being selected all those years ago,
• 19:55
  Speaker 5: the chances of me uncovering that plot, and the chances
• 19:59
  Speaker 5: of you finding such courage, such favor with the king.
• 20:04
  Speaker 1: Hester smiled and laughed softly. her eyes bright with gratitude.
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: It was never chance.
• 20:16
  Speaker 4: Yes, I suppose not. Our god has shown himself faithful,
• 20:22
  Speaker 4: even here, far from home.
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: In the years that followed, Mordecai's name became known throughout
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: the empire. Clothed in royal robes of blue and white,
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: he rose to second-in-command, His wisdom and justice brought peace
• 20:40
  Speaker 1: and prosperity not only to the Jews but to all
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: the king's subjects. But those who knew the story best understood.
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: It was not Mordecai's brilliance, nor the might of armies,
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: nor the wealth of Persia that saved them. It was
• 20:58
  Speaker 1: the unseen hand of their God. weaving through palace corridors
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: and city streets, through whispered plots and royal decrees, through
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: sleepless nights and scribal records, guiding every detail. And at
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: the center of it all was one young woman, hidden
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: in plain sight, an orphan girl who became crowned queen,
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: a young woman who stepped forward in trembling courage and faith,
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: trusting that the moment she feared most was the very
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: reason she had been placed where she stood for such
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: a time as this. So, the story of Esther, Hadassah,
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: became more than history. It became a mighty testimony of providence, courage,
• 21:54
  Speaker 1: and the God who watches over his people in every generation.
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: the God who still holds the power to reverse every fate.
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: This Pray.com production is only made possible by our dedicated
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Schellewager
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People,
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: narrated by Paul Colter-Fianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton,
• 22:31
  Speaker 1: Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradok,
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: Thomas Copeland Jr., Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Lashinsky. Music by
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: Andrew Morgan Smith. Written by Aaron Salvato, Brie Rosely, and
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey.com productions on the
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: Prey.com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People, please rate
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: and leave a review.