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Question: The Book of Esther Is there a Hebrew acrostic for the name of God in this book? Esther 1:20, 5:4, 5:13, 7:7. Thanks Harold
Profile: Male, North America, Over 75, Christian
Answered by: Aaron Bartholome, who has been serving on our Q&A Answer Team since January 2024.
Answer: Thank you for your question, Harold. In the verses you mention, you can find the acrostic for YHWH spelled out in the initial four words in Hebrew. The letters are either the initial or final characters of the word, and read either forward or reverse. Here is a link to learn more.
However, I would advise a certain amount of skepticism and restraint. While it may be exciting to learn that God has possibly included hidden gems within the text of Scripture, it is important to remember three things.
- The exact words of the Hebrew text may have changed over time.
- You can “find” any words or patterns in anything if you’re looking for them.
- The main text of the Scriptures is our final authority, not its acrostics.
Is God’s personal name embedded across a couple words in a few verses? Maybe. Is His hand clearly seen in orchestrating the events in Esther and Mordecai’s lives? Absolutely.
Blessings to you.
