The Book Of Proto-Esther

Synposis
Every book from the Bible, including apocrypha, were recovered in some form in Qumran, in the form of the Dead Sea Scrolls. All documents except the Book Of Esther. Instead, what was found was a document very similar to the aforementioned text. Sadly, it is heavily damaged, but follows a narrative like that of Esther, but with different characters.

The name Esther has also disputably been found in the many fragments. It is not fully like the canonical text, nor like the Greek version of it.

There is also another fragment possibly from this text. But, the fragment seems to be a apocalyptic vision, and/or a prophecy by an unknown person. It’s style is reminiscent of prophecies give by Daniel and Isaiah, making it likely to be not part of it.

Canonicity
It is uncertain if it has ever been held as canon by any group or people, though the Essenes may have done so.

Dating
Unknown

4Q550 (4QProto-Esther/a/ar)
''1 [and] they [ob]eyed your father Patireza [...] 2 [and] among the attendants of the royal wardrobe [...] performing 3 the service of the King according to all that they (?) rece[ived ...] ... In the same year 4 the King’s spirit was suffering [... the bo]oks of his father [we]re read in front of him; and among 5 the books was found a scroll, [sea]led with the seven seals of the ring of Darius, his father. Its title: 6 [« ... of Dar]ius the King to the attendants of the Empire /of the who[le e]arth,/ peace». It was opened, it was read, it was found written in it: « Darius the King 7 [to the ... who will] rule after me and to the attendants of the Empire, p[ea]ce. Let it be known to you that every violent and deceitful person''

4Q550a (4QProto-Esther/b/ar)
''1 a man; but the King kno[ws] whether there is [...] 2 and his good name will not pass away, [and his] loyal[ty ...] 3 (of) the King will be for Patireza, son of ... [...] 4 there fell upon him the dread of the house of Safra [...] 5 Ushay the King of Tama[r,] and it will be given [...] 6 my house and my belongings to all, that which ... [...] 7 will be measured; and you shall receive your father’s service [...]''

4Q550b (4QProto-Esther/c/ar)
''1 [...] Ushay the King of Tamar to the princess [...] ... [...] 2 [...] Patireza [your] father, of Hama, who was in charge of the service of the [kingdom] before the King [...] 3 [...] ... [...] served with justice and with fi[delity be]fore him [...] 4 [...] ... and Ushay said [...] 5 [...] him (with) purp[le ...] 6 [...] to [the th]ird of [the] em[pire ...]''

Col. i
''1 Look, you know [...] ... [...] and because of the failings of my fathers 2 who had sinned before you, and [...] ... [...] and I left [... of] your [attendant]s, a 3 Jew, from the nobles of [the] K[ing ...] of the diaspora, stands up for an accusation and wi[sh]es [... a] good [divi]ner, 4 a good man, doing [the service of] the [Ki]ng. What can I do for you? You know [... it is] possi- ble 5 to a Kutean man to return [...] your [kin]gdom, standing in the place where you stand [...] ... [...] 6 How[ev]er, what you w[is]h command it of me, and when [you d]ie I will bury you in [...] 7 ravaging (?) everything. Is it possible that the rise of my service [... a]ll that [...]''

Col. ii
''1 [...] ... the decision of [... And] the sec[ond ones] went [...] 2 [...] ... [... and] the [t]h[i]rd ones went [...] in the [royal] wardrobe [...] 3 [...] a crown of go[ld upon] his [hea]d. And fi[ve] years passed [...] 4 [...] alone [... and] the sixth ones went, ... [...] 5 ... [... si]lver and /[al]l/ gold [and the wea]lth which [bel]ongs to Bagoshe, doubled, [...] 6 and the seve[nth ones went ... Then] Bagasro entered in p[ea]ce into the court of the King [...] 7 Bagosh[e retur]ned to [... his jud]gment was jud[ged ...] ... [... and he was ki]lled. Then [Ba]gasro entered the c[ou]rt of the King ... [...] 8 And he took [his] ha[nd ...] on [his] head [...] and kissed him. He started speaking and said: «In [...] Bagasro of [...]''

Col. iii
''1 [...] the Most High whom you revere and [ve]nerate, he is the one who governs the [whole ear]th. All that he wants is near [...] ... [...] 2 [...] every man who utters a [ba]d word against Bagasro [... will be] killed, because there is not a[ny ...] 3 [...] ... a barrier for [e]ver. [...] that he had seen [...] the two. And the King said: «He should wri[te ... ] 4 [...] ... [... Em]pi[re ...] they in the inner courtyard of the royal palace [...] 5 [... they shall s]tand up after Bagasr[o,] reading from thi[s] writing [...] 6 [... e]vil, his evil has returned upon his [head ...] 7 [...] ... Blank''

Frag. 1
''1 [...] before the King [...] 2 [...] he walks in the area [...] 3 [... up]on yo[ur] faces [...] 4 [... Ba]gasro [...]''

4Q550e (4QProto-Esther/e?)
''1 [...] Look, from the North comes the evil [...] 2 [...] build Zion, and there all the poor of his people will take refuge. 3 [...] Blank [...] 4 [they] rose above him, they grew great between Media and Persia, Assyria and the Sea. 5 [...] Blank [...]''