The Absence of God's Name in the Book of Esther

Divine Providence through Plot Analysis

Abstract

The Book of Esther is distinctive because it never explicitly mentions the name of God. This study aims to analyze the theological function of the absence of God’s name and its relationship to divine providence. It employs a qualitative approach through library research, combining narrative analysis with theological inquiry. The primary data consist of the text of Esther, while secondary sources include biblical commentaries, monographs, and scholarly journal articles. The analysis focuses on plot, characterization, irony, reversal, and narrative gaps. This study argues that the absence of God’s name is not a theological void but a literary strategy that invites readers to recognize divine providence through seemingly ordinary events. The findings indicate that providence emerges through the interconnectedness of events, human decisions, and dramatic reversals. This study contributes to Esther scholarship by demonstrating that plot structure serves as a medium for shaping theological meaning. It further shows that God’s sovereign work can be discerned through historical developments and everyday circumstances without being depicted through explicit divine intervention.