"... Our second example is the Esther story. In the sixties and seventies of the previous century, Gillis Gerleman developed and published the thesis that the Book of Esther is a remodeling of the Exodus story. Although working thoroughly within the framework of the historical-critical paradigm and using none of the technical jargon on intertextuality that has since become the vogue, he convincingly demonstrated the presence of what is no less than an exquisite example of intentional intertextuality. Both Esther and Moses are Israelites/Jews who come into a key position at a foreign court. At the beginning the identity of both remains unnoticed. In both stories two main characters act on behalf of their threatened people (Moses and Aaron in the one and Esther and Mordecai in the other case). Aaron speaks for Moses (Exodus 4:10-16) and Mordecai is the silent power behind Esther (he only speaks in Esther 4:13-14). Esther is at first daunted by her task like Moses (Exodus 4), but both afterwards become the heroes of their people ..."