Both Judith and Esther are strong women that come up with intelligent plans to help their people. Esther knows that she must persuade the king to save her people and Judith must persuade the leader if the army to save her people. They are both brave women that accomplish the same task in different manners. The Esther in the Book of Esther seems to be more independent and confident in the decisions that she makes while the Esther in the additions is much more dependent on God and constantly praying to him to get his help and opinion. When she hears that the King wants to get rid of the Jews she goes into action because she knows that she has the power to change the King’s mind. However in the additions she “…fled to the lord… she utterly humbled her body” (add. Est. 14:1-2).
The additions portray her as being much more reliant on God. In the Book of Esther in the bible she tells Mordecai what the plan is. She is in control and tells him that “…I will go without food. After that I will go to the king, contrary to the law, even if I must die” (Esther 4:16). She does not say that God has told her what will happen, she prayed and decided that this is what needed to be done and will be done. I think that the Esther in the Book of Esther is the one that seems to be less dependent on men. The book does mention that she prays to God but it makes it seem like she prays about it and then she decides what they will do to keep the king from killing the Jews. She doesn’t let anyone tell her what to do she just does it. She knows what needs to be done and no matter what she will get it done.
I interpreted these stories in a similar way. I think the Esther additions to indeed portray her as someone who is much more reliant on God than on herself. I think your blog was good, but it seems that you just wrote about Esther and not Judith.
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