The book of Esther is named after a Jewish female named Esther. Esther became queen of a Gentile King to whom the Jews were in captivity. She became queen when the previous queen rebelled against the King (Esther 1:12, 16-18). One of the King’s men, Haman, planned to kill and destroy the Jews because Mordecai, Esther first cousin with whom she had gone into captivity (Esther 2:5-7), would not bow to and reverence Haman. Haman convinced the King to write a decree to destroy the Jews. When Mordecai heard about that he became vert upset. When Esther heard about Mordecai agony she inquired. Mordecai told her what was going on and charged her (Esther 4:8) to go into the King and convince him to cancel his decree. By the King’s permission over time she and Mordecai devised and implemented a plan to over take Haman and have him destroyed. She and Mordecai issued a decree that the Jews would celebrate the Jews deliverance from the hands of Haman forever. This is called the decree of Esther (Esther 9:26-32) to honor her role in deliverance of the Jews. The celebration is called Purim. Note that it was Mordecai that charged or directed Esther and the King, her husband, gave her the permission. So Esther was not the senior leader in this though she exercised elements of leadership. So Esther was not the religious leader nor the military leader nor the civil leader in the book of Esther as the King and Mordecai served those roles
References:
Of Male Headship and Women in Ministry
