Haggai 2:23

Hebrew Bible

21 “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: ‘I am ready to shake the sky and the earth. 22 I will overthrow royal thrones and shatter the might of earthly kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and those who ride them, and horses and their riders will fall as people kill one another. 23 On that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Sirach 49:11

Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon

9 For God also mentioned Job who held fast to all the ways of justice. 10 May the bones of the Twelve Prophets send forth new life from where they lie, for they comforted the people of Jacob and delivered them with confident hope. 11 How shall we magnify Zerubbabel? He was like a signet ring on the right hand, 12 and so was Jeshua son of Jozadak; in their days they built the house and raised a temple holy to the Lord, destined for everlasting glory. 13 The memory of Nehemiah also is lasting; he raised our fallen walls, and set up gates and bars, and rebuilt our ruined houses.

 Notes and References

"... As the narrative progresses, Mordecai is presented as a substitute king. Like Joseph in Genesis 41:42, Mordecai is given the signet ring in Esther 8:2, signifying the investiture of a “viceroy ... [or] vassal-king” who can act in the name of the king. (Compare Genesis 41:42; Esther 3:10, 12; 8:8, 10; Haggai 2:23; Sirach 49:11; ANET 295) He is then paraded through the streets again in regal fashion (8:15), before being given an official title for the highest ranked person other than the king.705 Presumably this is a higher position than the one held by Haman, as Haman was previously in a higher position than anyone-else (compare Esther 3:1), with all but regal authority; to be a šar puḫi was the only possible form of advancement. As part of the burlesque of the narrative, instead of Haman receiving this honour it is Mordecai who does ..."

Lees, D.M. Intertextual Ripples of the Book of Esther: An Evaluation of Σταυρωθήτω and Ἰουδαΐζω in the New Testament (p. 242) Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2018

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