John Screnock is the Kennicott Fellow in Hebrew at the University of Oxford.Robert D. Holmstedt is Associate Professor of Ancient Hebrew and Northwest Semitics at the University of Toronto.

As an aid to understanding how the Hebrew in the book of Esther functions, and how the linguistic structures contribute to the book's meaning, this compact volume is worth its weight in gold. -- D.W. Rooke -- Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

• Acknowledgments IntroductionPart I: Esther Becomes Queen of Persia (1:1-2:23)Episode 1 Vashti's Downfall (1:1-22)The King's Banquet (1:1-9)Vashti's Removal (1:10-22)Episode 2 Esther is Chosen as Queen (2:1-23)Ahashverosh Seeks a Replacement for Vashti (2:1-4)Esther Wins the King's Favor (2:5-20)Mordecai Saves the King (2:21-23)Part II: Haman and Mordecai in Conflict (3:1-7:10)Episode 1 The Rise of Haman (3:1-15)Haman's Rage against Mordecai and the Jews (3:1-7)Haman's Plot (3:8-15)Episode 2 Mordecai's Response (4:1-17)Mordecai and the Jews Lament Haman's Plot (4:1-3)Mordecai Convinces Esther to Intercede (4:4-17)Episode 3 Esther's Plan (5:1-8)Esther Invites the King and Haman to a Banquet (5:1-4)Esther Issues a Second Invitation (5:5-8)Episode 4 Haman's Plan Implodes (5:9-6:14)Haman's Hubris (5:9-14)Mordecai's Fortunes Reversed (6:1-10)The Rise of Mordecai (6:11-14)Episode 5 The End of Haman (7:1-10)Esther's Banquet (7:1-8)Haman's Death (7:9-10)Part III: The Jews and the Peoples in Conflict (8:1-9:32)Episode 1 A Plan to Save the Jews (8:1-17)The King Empowers Mordecai and Esther (8:1-8)The Conter-edict Is Issued (8:9-17)Episode 2 The Jews Prevail (9:1-19)The First Day of Fighting (9:1-10)The Second Day of Fighting (9:11-19)Episode 3 The Jews' Victory Commemorated and Reprised (9:20-32)Mordecai Establishes the Festival (9:20-25)The Festival and Lots (Purim) (9:26-28)Esther and Mordecai Confirm the Festival (9:29-32)Part IV: Epilogue (10:1-3)Appendix A: Numeral Syntax in EstherAppendix B: Bergey's Features for Diachronic AnalysisAppendix C: Glossary of Linguistic IssuesBibliographyIndex of Linguistic Issues