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BiblePlaces Newsletter

Vol 18, #3 - April 29, 2019

We are excited to announce today a double-release: Esther and Daniel! These two books are fascinating accounts of God’s faithfulness to his people while in exile. For most of his life, Daniel was a subject of the Babylonian Empire. Esther lived in the Persian royal palace in Susa. These locations in modern-day Iraq and Iran, along with the nature of Daniel’s visions, make it more difficult to find illustrations for these books. But that has motivated us all the more, and we believe we have created useful resources that will increase your understanding and enjoyment of these books which highlight God’s providential care of his people and his sovereignty over the nations.

Keep reading to see some highlights from these two books. When you’re ready to grab Esther and Daniel at the introductory special of $59 (including shipping in the US), click here to order the DVDs (with immediate download).

We hope that these resources serve you well. If you find them useful, we would be grateful if you would recommend them to your friends.

Todd Bolen
Photographer, BiblePlaces.com
Professor of Biblical Studies, The Master’s University

17-Esther-frontback-3d-200
27-Daniel-frontback-3d200

We are excited to announce today a double-release: Esther and Daniel! These two books are fascinating accounts of God’s faithfulness to his people while in exile. For most of his life, Daniel was a subject of the Babylonian Empire. Esther lived in the Persian royal palace in Susa. These locations in modern-day Iraq and Iran, along with the nature of Daniel’s visions, make it more difficult to find illustrations for these books. But that has motivated us all the more, and we believe we have created useful resources that will increase your understanding and enjoyment of these books which highlight God’s providential care of his people and his sovereignty over the nations.

Keep reading to see some highlights from these two books. When you’re ready to grab Esther and Daniel at the introductory special of $59 (including shipping in the US), click here to order the DVDs (with immediate download).

We hope that these resources serve you well. If you find them useful, we would be grateful if you would recommend them to your friends.

Todd Bolen
Photographer, BiblePlaces.com
Professor of Biblical Studies, The Master’s University

17-Esther-frontback-3d-200
27-Daniel-frontback-3d200

Esther and Daniel: A Quick Summary

The Photo Companion to Esther includes more than 700 photos in PowerPoint format. The Photo Companion to Daniel includes more than 1,000 photos. That is an average of more than 70 photos per chapter. To give you a few examples:

  • Esther 1 (Vashti-less banquet) has 155 slidesReliefs in Esther Photo Companion to the Bible.
  • Esther 3 (Haman’s conspiracy) has 80 slides.
  • Daniel 2 (statue of four parts) has 100 slides.
  • Daniel 11 (final vision) has 190 slides.

Every photograph is identified and explained:

  • A verse and verse reference are associated with each photo.
  • A description line quickly tells you exactly what you are looking at.
  • Explanatory notes provide background detail.

Highlights of Esther include:

  • The exact spots where Mordecai overheard the conspiracy, Ahasuerus sat on his throne, and Haman waited early in the morningMarkings in Esther Photo Companion to the Bible
  • Contemporary Persian reliefs depicting Ahasuerus, his officials, and his soldiers
  • Plans and models of the city of Susa and its palace that bring the story to life

Highlights of Daniel include:

  • Inscriptions, reliefs, and artifacts that shed light on the ancient Babylonian and Persian empires which Daniel served
  • Ancient images of lions, beasts, and human statues that provide the context for Daniel’s persecution and his visions
  • A march through Daniel 11, with images of nearly every king and queen prophesied by Daniel hundreds of years in advanceCoins in Daniel Photo Companion

As always:

  • Satisfaction is guaranteed
  • Shipping in the US is free
  • Immediate download of everything you order
  • Our introductory special provides outstanding value: Esther: $34; Daniel: $39; Both: $59

Top scholars are enthusiastic:

“The Photo Companion to Esther is an excellent resource for professional-quality digital photos, maps, and illustrations that will enhance any presentation of that biblical book or historical period. Hundreds of slides organized chapter by chapter of the book of Esther, this photo companion is a treasure trove of visual aids. Conveniently packaged as PowerPoint slides, it is particularly suitable for easy classroom use. Highly recommended.”

—Karen H. Jobes, Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor Emerita of New Testament Greek & Exegesis, Wheaton College and Graduate School; author of Esther (NIV Application Commentary)

“The Daniel volume in the Photo Companion to the Bible series is simply terrific! These high-quality PowerPoint slides include pictures with descriptions and commentary arranged for a verse-by-verse study of the biblical text. The Photo Companion will make the Bible come alive for your class or church group. I highly recommend it.“

—Stephen R. Miller, Associate Dean of Doctoral Programs and Chairman of the Old Testament and Hebrew Department, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary; author of Daniel (New American Commentary)

The Photo Companion to Esther includes more than 700 photos in PowerPoint format. The Photo Companion to Daniel includes more than 1,000 photos. That is an average of more than 70 photos per chapter. To give you a few examples:

  • Esther 1 (Vashti-less banquet) has 155 slides.
  • Esther 3 (Haman’s conspiracy) has 80 slides.
  • Daniel 2 (statue of four parts) has 100 slides.
  • Daniel 11 (final vision) has 190 slides.

Every photograph is identified and explained:

  • A verse and verse reference are associated with each photo.
  • A description line quickly tells you exactly what you are looking at.
  • Explanatory notes provide background detail.

Highlights of Esther include:

  • The exact spots where Mordecai overheard the conspiracy, Ahasuerus sat on his throne, and Haman waited early in the morning
  • Contemporary Persian reliefs depicting Ahasuerus, his officials, and his soldiers
  • Plans and models of the city of Susa and its that bring the story to life

Highlights of Daniel include:

  • Inscriptions, reliefs, and artifacts that shed light on the ancient Babylonian and Persian empires which Daniel served
  • Ancient images of lions, beasts, and human statues that provide the context for Daniel’s persecution and his visions
  • A march through Daniel 11, with images of nearly every king and queen prophesied by Daniel hundreds of years in advance

As always:

  • Satisfaction is guaranteed
  • Shipping in the US is free
  • Immediate download of everything you order
  • Our introductory special provides outstanding value: Esther: $34; Daniel: $39; Both: $59

Top scholars are enthusiastic:

“The Photo Companion to Esther is an excellent resource for professional-quality digital photos, maps, and illustrations that will enhance any presentation of that biblical book or historical period. Hundreds of slides organized chapter by chapter of the book of Esther, this photo companion is a treasure trove of visual aids.Conveniently packaged as PowerPoint slides, it is particularly suitable for easy classroom use. Highly recommended.”

—Karen H. Jobes, Gerald F. Hawthorne Professor Emerita of New Testament Greek & Exegesis, Wheaton College and Graduate School; author of Esther (NIV Application Commentary)

“The Daniel volume in the Photo Companion to the Bible series is simply terrific! These high-quality PowerPoint slides include pictures with descriptions and commentary arranged for a verse-by-verse study of the biblical text. The Photo Companion will make the Bible come alive for your class or church group. I highly recommend it.“

—Stephen R. Miller, Associate Dean of Doctoral Programs and Chairman of the Old Testament and Hebrew Department, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary; author of Daniel (New American Commentary)

reliefs-esther
Markings in Esther Photo Companion to the Bible
Coins in Daniel Photo Companion

A Photo Every Day

Every weekday I choose an interesting photo from the biblical world and post it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Follow us to see our latest photos as well as some classics.

Featured BiblePlaces Photos: Esther and Daniel

The featured photos this month come from our new releases. We hope that the sampling below gives you an idea for why we are so excited about these photo collections.

Enjoy the photos below and download for free the Esther 4 PowerPoint and the Daniel 3 PowerPoint.

Esther 1: Persian Queens

Women are never depicted in the reliefs at Susa or Persepolis, so it can be inferred that Ahasuerus’s desire to show off his queen was unusual. In fact, depictions of women are rare across all Achaemenid Persian art. This artifact, discovered at Persepolis, is a rare depiction of a Persian queen. It may be a portrait of Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus the Great and wife of Darius I. In any case, the crenelated crown on her head likely signifies royalty. For more photos from Esther 1, see this page.

Esther 1: Persian Queens

Women are never depicted in the reliefs at Susa or Persepolis, so it can be inferred that Ahasuerus’s desire to show off his queen was unusual. In fact, depictions of women are rare across all Achaemenid Persian art. This artifact, discovered at Persepolis, is a rare depiction of a Persian queen. It may be a portrait of Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus the Great and wife of Darius I. In any case, the crenelated crown on her head likely signifies royalty. For more photos from Esther 1, see this page.

Esther 4: The King's Gate and the City Square

Mordecai was unable to enter the King’s Gate because of his state of mourning, so the nearest he was able to approach was the edge of the royal city, across the moat to the east of the King’s Gate. The “city square,” shown in the foreground of this photo, was situated between the King’s Gate and a monumental gate called the Propylaeum. Mordecai was in the city square when Hathach approached him. For more photos from Esther 4, see this page, or download the complete Esther 4 PowerPoint.

Esther 5: The King on His Throne

Mordecai advised Esther that it was “for such a time as this” that she had been made queen, despite the great risk to her life in approaching the king. This relief shows Ahasuerus’s father, Darius I, sitting on his throne while one of his subjects approaches him with a request. The hand-to-mouth gesture depicted in this relief is a symbol of deference being shown to the king. The man standing behind the king is the crown prince Ahasuerus who would later marry Esther. For more photos from Esther 5, see this page.

Esther 5: The King on His Throne

Mordecai advised Esther that it was “for such a time as this” that she had been made queen, despite the great risk to her life in approaching the king. This relief shows Ahasuerus’s father, Darius I, sitting on his throne while one of his subjects approaches him with a request. The hand-to-mouth gesture depicted in this relief is a symbol of deference being shown to the king. The man standing behind the king is the crown prince Ahasuerus who would later marry Esther. For more photos from Esther 5, see this page.

Daniel 1: Entering Babylon

Daniel and his friends would have certainly passed through this gate in Babylon (known as the Ishtar Gate) during their lifetimes. It may even have been the gate through which they entered Babylon for the first time after being carried off from Jerusalem. This reconstruction, located in the Museum of the Ancient Near East in Berlin, was made using original bricks from the ancient city. For more photos from Daniel 1, see this page.

Daniel 3: The Fiery Furnace

The Babylonians had huge kilns for firing tens of thousands of mudbricks at a time, with which they built their city and its walls. Remains of numerous such brick kilns have been found in the plains around Babylon. These kilns had an opening at the top for smoke to escape, and one or more openings at the bottom to insert bricks or to control the heat of the furnace. This Iraqi brick kiln was photographed in 1932. For more photographs from Daniel 3, see this page, or download the complete Daniel 3 PowerPoint.

Daniel 3: The Fiery Furnace

The Babylonians had huge kilns for firing tens of thousands of mudbricks at a time, with which they built their city and its walls. Remains of numerous such brick kilns have been found in the plains around Babylon. These kilns had an opening at the top for smoke to escape, and one or more openings at the bottom to insert bricks or to control the heat of the furnace. This Iraqi brick kiln was photographed in 1932. For more photographs from Daniel 3, see this page, or download the complete Daniel 3 PowerPoint.

Daniel 6: Greater Than Lions

Remains of two once-fierce lion sculptures are part of this jumble of architectural fragments at Persepolis. Lions were chosen to adorn the palaces because they embodied strength and inspired fear, but they were no match for Daniel’s God. These fragments were photographed near the palace of Ahasuerus.

For more than 1,700 images of these books, order the Photo Companion to Esther and the Photo Companion to Daniel, on sale today for $59 for both volumes, with free shipping as well as immediate download.

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All contents © 2019 Todd Bolen. Text and photographs may be used for personal and educational use with attribution. Commercial use requires written permission.