Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

39 results found

Esther

(Encyclopedia)Esther ĕsˈtər [key], book of the Bible. It is the tale of the beautiful Jewish woman Esther [Heb.,= Hadassah], who is chosen as queen by the Persian King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I or II) after he has rep...

Duflo, Esther

(Encyclopedia)Duflo, Esther, 1972–, French-American economist, b. Paris, Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1999. She has been a professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology since...

Beecher, Catharine Esther

(Encyclopedia)Beecher, Catharine Esther, 1800–1878, American educator, b. East Hampton, N.Y.; daughter of Lyman Beecher. She first taught in New London, Conn., and in 1824 founded a girls' school in Hartford. Lat...

Purim

(Encyclopedia)Purim po͞oˈrĭm [key] [Heb.,=lots], Jewish festival celebrated on the 14th of Adar, the twelfth month in the Jewish calendar (Feb.–March). During leap years it is celebrated in Adar II. According ...

Mordecai

(Encyclopedia)Mordecai môrˈdēkī, môrˌdēkāˈī [key], cousin and guardian of Esther. ...

Haman

(Encyclopedia)Haman āˈ– [key], in the Bible, favored minister of Ahasuerus. He commanded that all Jews be put to death. Esther interceded for her people, and Haman was hanged on the gallows he had set up for Mo...

Hamadan

(Encyclopedia)Hamadan hämädänˈ [key], city, capital of Hamadan prov., W Iran, at the foot of Mt. Alwand. ...

Bigthan

(Encyclopedia)Bigthan bĭgˈthən [key], in the Bible, chamberlain who conspired with Teresh against King Ahasuerus. He is called Bigthana in the Book of Esther. ...

Abihail

(Encyclopedia)Abihail ăbəhāˈəl [key], in the Bible. 1 Father of Queen Esther. 2 Gadite. 3 Merarite woman. 4 Wife of Abishur. 5 Mother-in-law of Rehoboam. ...

Browse by Subject