Abstract
This essay examines the function of clothing and related accoutrements in the book of Esther. The motif of dressing and undressing oneself or another signals a shift in the investment or divestment of power andstatus. Identity, agency, and authority are also signified by vestments and appurtenances. Through synchronic and diachronic exegetical methodologies, Mordecai’s regalia of Esth 8:15 is the focus of this essay. This regalia evokes both princely and priestly ideology; therefore, the regalia is a significant symbol for the diasporic, post-monarchic Jewish people in the Persian period. The closest post-exilic analogue to Mordecai’s royal vestments and accessories is the diarchic portending prophecies of Zech 6; thus, extrapolations are made accordingly. Ultimately, a definite determination of the significance of Mordecai’s regalia cannot be made; nevertheless, the royal vestments are likely imbued with a complex intention—to ignite the imagination of the possibilities for the Jewish people’s open-ended future.
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