Esther Script

How Do You Say That?

The Officers: Let’s make a plan to kill King Xerxes!
Xerxes: zerk-sees
Mordecai: more-deh-kigh Mordecai: (to Esther) Esther, you are my beloved
Haman: hay-mun cousin. Two men, who are the king’s officers, want
to kill your husband, the king. You should tell him!

Storyteller: Allow me to present today’s cast. As you King Xerxes: (to Officers) My wife told me what you
introduce each role, have that actor put his mask in are planning! Away with you forever! Officers 1 and
front of his face, walk forward, and strike a pose. 2 flee.

The King: Xerxes. Xerxes comes forward. Storyteller: Even though Mordecai had uncovered
the plot to kill King Xerxes, the king did nothing to
The Cousin: Mordecai. Mordecai comes forward. thank Mordecai. Still, Mordecai knew that God is
in control. Invite kids to clap, cheer, and make noise.
The Officers: Officer 1 and Officer 2. Officers come Encourage kids to open their Bibles to Esther 3:1–2
forward. and follow along with you as you read these verses.

The Villain: Haman. Haman comes forward. “After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman
son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him
The Queen: Esther. Esther comes forward. and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of
all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the
Storyteller: Today in The Big God story, an evil king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman,
villain tries to destroy God’s people. Little does he for the king had commanded this concerning him.
know that … God is in control. Invite kids to clap, But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him
cheer, and make noise. It all began when the king of honor.”
Persia, a man named Xerxes, decided he needed a
new queen. You see, his former queen had refused Haman: (to Mordecai) Because you won’t bow to
to obey the king’s command, so he sent her away me, I will look for a way to destroy all of your
forever! Who would be the new queen? people, “the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom”
(v. 6).
King Xerxes decided to hold a search—a contest—
to choose the next queen. Many beautiful women Storyteller: So Haman went to King Xerxes.
from across the Persian Empire were brought to the Encourage kids to follow along as you read
palace—including a woman named Esther. Esther Esther 3:8–9. “Then Haman said to King Xerxes,
was an Israelite—one of God’s people—but nobody ‘There is a certain people dispersed among the
knew this. When it came time for Esther to go to peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who
the king, the king liked Esther more than he liked keep themselves separate. Their customs are
any other woman. different from those of all other people, and they
do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s
King Xerxes: Esther, I want you to be my wife. best interest to tolerate them. If it pleases the king,
let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will
Esther: Okay, King Xerxes. I will marry you. give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s
administrators for the royal treasury.’”
Storyteller: Meanwhile, all was not well in the
kingdom.

© 2017 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
TS 2.11 Reproducible for church use only.
King Xerxes: (to Haman) Keep your money and do This made Haman even more upset. However,
what you want with these people. Haman still went to the dinner with the king.
There the king asked Esther about her request
Storyteller: Mordecai heard about Haman’s plot to again.
kill all the Jews, so he went to see Esther.
King Xerxes: Invite everyone to follow along in
Mordecai: (to Esther) Esther! Haman has convinced Esther 7:2. “Queen Esther, what is your petition?
the king to sign a decree to destroy the Jews! Please It will be given you. What is your request? Even up
go to him and beg for mercy for your people! to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

Esther: Invite everyone to follow along in Esther: Invite everyone to follow along in
Esther 4:11–16. “‘All the king’s officials and the Esther 7:3–4. “If I have found favor with you,
people of the royal provinces know that for any Your Majesty, and if it pleases you, grant me my
man or woman who approaches the king in the life—this is my petition. And spare my people—
inner court without being summoned the king has this is my request. For I and my people have been
but one law: that they be put to death unless the sold to be destroyed [and] killed.”
king extends the gold scepter to them and spares
their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was King Xerxes: Who ordered this? “Where is he—the
called to go to the king.’ When Esther’s words were man who has dared to do such a thing” (v. 5)?
reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer:
‘Do not think that because you are in the king’s Esther: Haman!
house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For
if you remain silent at this time, relief and Storyteller: Esther pleaded with the king to put an
deliverance for the Jews will arise from another end to Haman’s evil plan. And though it looked
place, but you and your father’s family will perish. like the king had the power to let the Jews live or
And who knows but that you have come to your die, the truth is that God is in control. Invite kids to
royal position for such a time as this?’ Then Esther clap, cheer, and make noise.
sent this reply to Mordecai: ‘Go, gather together all
the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not And so, the king granted her request and stopped
eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my Haman’s plan to have the Jews killed. In fact, King
attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, Xerxes had Haman put to death instead! Then, he
I will go to the king, even though it is against the issued an official order granting the Jews the right
law. And if I perish, I perish.’” to gather together and to protect themselves against
their enemies. Even today, the Jewish people
Storyteller: So, after three days, Esther went to King celebrate the signing of King Xerxes’ order as a
Xerxes’ palace. When the king saw Esther, he was holiday called Purim, as they remember that God is
pleased and extended his gold scepter to her. in control. Invite kids to clap, cheer, and make noise.
Dismiss characters to return to their seats.
King Xerxes: (to Esther) “What is it, Queen Esther?
What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,
it will be given to you” (Esther 5:3).

Storyteller: Queen Esther decided not to tell King

Xerxes about the Jews being in danger just yet.
Instead, she invited the king and Haman to dinner.
Before the dinner happened, King Xerxes found out
that Mordecai had saved his life before, so the king
honored Mordecai in the right way with a parade.

© 2017 David C Cook. TruResources are developed in partnership with ROCKHARBOR Church
and a national network of family and children’s ministry leaders. All rights reserved.
TS 2.11 Reproducible for church use only.