The Theological Character of the Old Latin Version of Esther

Abstract

The Old Latin version of Esther is witness to a lost Greek Vorlage. It differs significantly from other ancient (Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic) Esther stories as it includes, for instance, a prayer of the Jewish community as well as several additional cases of divine intervention; it also omits any mention of the ‘massacre episode’. Previous research on the Old Latin Esther has largely focused on text-historical questions. This article intends to broaden the discussion by examining the theological character of the text. A close comparison with the extant Hebrew and Greek Esther versions reveals that the Old Latin emphasizes the importance of the Jewish community and presents Mordecai as its prototypical leader in both religious and political matters. In addition, the Vetus Latina emphasizes the crucial role of divine action, induced by acts of religious observance and petitionary prayer.