Single lesson
The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther
Esther (Greek) 4:18–47
This passage from Greek Esther places Mordecai’s prayer beside Esther’s prayer in a time of extreme danger. Both prayers speak to the Lord’s power, confess need, and ask for mercy, help, and deliverance for God’s people.
Before you teach
In this Greek source variant, Mordecai prays first and asks God to spare Israel. Then all Israel cries out. Esther takes refuge in the Lord, humbles herself outwardly, remembers what God has done for Israel, confesses sin, and pleads for help because danger is near.
Explain the central teaching of The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther, using two details from the reading. These two prayers turn to the Lord as the all-powerful ruler who knows all things and is asked to deliver his people in their distress.
Welcome: The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther
5 minIntroduce “The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther” and locate Esther (Greek) 4:18–47. These two prayers turn to the Lord as the all-powerful ruler who knows all things and is asked to deliver his people in their distress. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Esther (Greek) 4:18, Esther (Greek) 4:33, Esther (Greek) 4:47
Read and explain the passage
12 minMordecai starts by addressing the Lord as king ruling over all. He says everything is in God’s power and no one can oppose God’s purpose to save Israel. He also names God as maker of the sky, the earth, and the wonderful things under the sky. The prayer begins with God’s greatness, not human strength.
All Israel cries out because death is before their eyes. Esther takes refuge in the Lord and, in distress, removes glorious clothing and puts on mourning. Ashes, mourning garments, and bodily humbling show the seriousness of her situation before she speaks. Then she prays as one who is destitute and without another helper.
Esther asks God not to surrender his sceptre to those who do not exist, but to turn their counsel against them. She asks for courage and fitting speech before “the lion”. She also says God knows her distress, including her abhorrence of the signs of her proud station, and that she has not honoured Haman’s table but rejoiced only in the Lord.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Esther (Greek) 4:19, Esther (Greek) 4:20, Esther (Greek) 4:21, Esther (Greek) 4:28, Esther (Greek) 4:29, Esther (Greek) 4:30, Esther (Greek) 4:31, Esther (Greek) 4:32, Esther (Greek) 4:39, Esther (Greek) 4:40, Esther (Greek) 4:41, Esther (Greek) 4:42, Esther (Greek) 4:43, Esther (Greek) 4:44, Esther (Greek) 4:45, Esther (Greek) 4:46, Esther (Greek) 4:47
Discuss the details and their meaning
8 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What does Mordecai say about who God is before asking for rescue?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. These two prayers turn to the Lord as the all-powerful ruler who knows all things and is asked to deliver his people in their distress. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Esther (Greek) 4:19, Esther (Greek) 4:20, Esther (Greek) 4:21, Esther (Greek) 4:22, Esther (Greek) 4:23, Esther (Greek) 4:24, Esther (Greek) 4:34, Esther (Greek) 4:42, Esther (Greek) 4:47
Make and respond: Words and images response sheet
12 minWork on “The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther: Words and images response sheet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Esther (Greek) 4:18, Esther (Greek) 4:33, Esther (Greek) 4:47
Closing: return to The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther
3 minRevisit Esther (Greek) 4:18–47. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Esther (Greek) 4:18, Esther (Greek) 4:33, Esther (Greek) 4:47
Questions to explore
What does Mordecai say about who God is before asking for rescue?
Look for his words about God as king, creator, and the one no one can resist.
Esther (Greek) 4:19, Esther (Greek) 4:20, Esther (Greek) 4:21
How does Mordecai explain why he would not bow down?
Notice his contrast between the glory of man and the glory of God, and his refusal to worship anyone except the Lord.
Esther (Greek) 4:22, Esther (Greek) 4:23, Esther (Greek) 4:24
Which lines in Esther’s prayer show both confession for the people and distress in her own situation?
Find where she says “we have sinned” and where she asks for help because she is alone, afraid, and in danger.
Esther (Greek) 4:34, Esther (Greek) 4:42, Esther (Greek) 4:47
Make, think or respond
The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther: Words and images response sheet
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- a Bible or the source reading on this page
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “A repeated word or image”, “Its verse reference”, “What it expresses”.
- Read Esther (Greek) 4:18–47. Use “The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Compare your notes with a partner. Check that every quotation is accurate and every conclusion has support in the passage.
- Choose one image and add a short written response or a simple drawing. Explain how it connects with the passage.
The finished sheet keeps the details of The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For learners who need more support, prepare the reading headings “The Prayers of Mordecai and Esther” and let them match short quotations to the correct heading.
- For confident readers, compare two sections of Esther (Greek) 4:18–47. Ask for a written explanation with two supporting references and one question that the text leaves open.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Esther (Greek) 4:18–47. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Esther (Greek) 4
18 [He prayed to the Lord, making mention of all the works of the Lord.
19 He said, “Lord God, you are king ruling over all, for all things are in your power, and there is no one who can oppose you in your purpose to save Israel;
20 for you have made the sky and the earth and every wonderful thing under the sky.
21 You are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist you, Lord.
22 You know all things. You know, Lord, that it is not in insolence, nor arrogance, nor love of glory, that I have done this, to refuse to bow down to the arrogant Haman.
23 For I would gladly have kissed the soles of his feet for the safety of Israel.
24 But I have done this that I might not set the glory of man above the glory of God. I will not worship anyone except you, my Lord, and I will not do these things in arrogance.
25 And now, O Lord God, the King, the God of Abraham, spare your people, for our enemies are planning our destruction, and they have desired to destroy your ancient inheritance.
26 Do not overlook your people, whom you have redeemed for yourself out of the land of Egypt.
27 Listen to my prayer. Have mercy on your inheritance and turn our mourning into gladness, that we may live and sing praise to your name, O Lord. Don’t utterly destroy the mouth of those who praise you, O Lord.”
28 All Israel cried with all their might, for death was before their eyes.
29 And queen Esther took refuge in the Lord, being taken as it were in the agony of death.
30 Having taken off her glorious apparel, she put on garments of distress and mourning. Instead of grand perfumes she filled her head with ashes and dung. She greatly humbled her body, and she filled every place of her glad adorning with her tangled hair.
31 She implored the Lord God of Israel, and said, “O my Lord, you alone are our king. Help me. I am destitute, and have no helper but you,
32 for my danger is near at hand.
33 I have heard from my birth in the tribe of my kindred that you, Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our fathers out of all their kindred for a perpetual inheritance, and have done for them all that you have said.
34 And now we have sinned before you, and you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies,
35 because we honored their gods. You are righteous, O Lord.
36 But now they have not been content with the bitterness of our slavery, but have laid their hands on the hands of their idols
37 to abolish the decree of your mouth, and utterly to destroy your inheritance, and to stop the mouth of those who praise you, and to extinguish the glory of your house and your altar,
38 and to open the mouth of the Gentiles to speak the praises of vanities, and that a mortal king should be admired forever.
39 O Lord, don’t surrender your sceptre to those who don’t exist, and don’t let them laugh at our fall, but turn their counsel against themselves, and make an example of him who has begun to injure us.
40 Remember us, O Lord! Manifest yourself in the time of our affliction. Encourage me, O King of gods, and ruler of all dominion!
41 Put harmonious speech into my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate him who fights against us, to the utter destruction of those who agree with him.
42 But deliver us by your hand, and help me who am alone and have no one but you, O Lord.
43 You know all things, and know that I hate the glory of transgressors, and that I abhor the bed of the uncircumcised and of every stranger.
44 You know my necessity, for I abhor the symbol of my proud station, which is upon my head in the days of my splendor. I abhor it as a menstruous cloth, and I don’t wear it in the days of my tranquility.
45 Your handmaid has not eaten at Haman’s table, and I have not honored the banquet of the king, neither have I drunk wine of libations.
46 Neither has your handmaid rejoiced since the day of my promotion until now, except in you, O Lord God of Abraham.
47 O god, who has power over all, listen to the voice of the desperate, and deliver us from the hand of those who devise mischief. Deliver me from my fear.]
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.