“And the maiden was of beautiful form and of beautiful appearance.”1

We know Esther was beautiful, but we don’t have a visual description of the features that so captivated King Ahasuerus, ruler of the entire Persian empire. Nevertheless, we can glean some fascinating details about her appearance from the rich Midrashic and Aggadic literature.

  1. The nature of her beauty. Ibn Ezra explains that “beautiful form” means that all of her features were perfectly proportionate.2 Ibn Yachya derives from the redundancy that not only were her specific features beautiful, but her general aura was beautiful.3
  2. Natural beauty, or Divine grace? The Sages debate this question.4 While some count her among the four most beautiful women in history(!), others argue she actually had a yellowish complexion.5 In this view, her success was truly miraculous: a “cord of Divine grace” accompanied her, making her irresistible despite her physical reality.6

    Her yellow complexion is derived from her name, Hadassah, meaning a myrtle, which also has a yellowish complexion. Others interpret Hadassah to be referencing her average height, like a myrtle bush, which is neither tall nor short.7 For more on Esther being yellowish like a myrtle, see Was Queen Esther Really Green?
  3. Miraculous appeal. The Megillah tells us that “Esther obtained grace in the eyes of all who beheld her.”8 One interpretation is that she miraculously appeared to each person as a native of their own country.9 Another interpretation is that everyone who looked at her found her beautiful, just like a portrait that appears to be looking at you from any angle.10

    The sages interpreted her name, Esther, to mean that she was beautiful like the moon (compared to sihara, which is moon in Aramaic) or like Venus (compared to Ishtar, which is Venus in Akkadian)11. For more on whether Mordechai and Esther were named after Pagan gods, see Are Mordecai and Esther Named for Pagan Gods?
  4. Modesty. According to the Targum,12 Esther was extremely modest, never looking at any other man’s face but Mordechai’s, the entire time she lived with him.

How Old Was Esther?

When Esther was taken into Ahasuerus’s palace, she was at least 40 years old. And according to some, she was up to 80 years old!13 This emphasizes that her appearance was a gift from G‑d.

In the end, Esther is a fascinating mystery. She may have been elderly or possessed a sallow complexion, yet she radiated a charm that no one could resist. Her beauty was more than just physical; it had a purpose. It was a Divine gift—a key that opened the doors of the Persian palace, allowing G‑d’s hidden plan to unfold and save her people.