2 That in those days, H3117 when the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 sat H3427 on the throne H3678 of his kingdom, H4438 which was in Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002
The words H1697 of Nehemiah H5166 the son H1121 of Hachaliah. H2446 And it came to pass in the month H2320 Chisleu, H3691 in the twentieth H6242 year, H8141 as I was in Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002
And also Solomon H8010 sitteth H3427 on the throne H3678 of the kingdom. H4410
And it came to pass, when the king H4428 sat H3427 in his house, H1004 and the LORD H3068 had given him rest H5117 round about H5439 from all his enemies; H341
And let the king H4428 appoint H6485 officers H6496 in all the provinces H4082 of his kingdom, H4438 that they may gather together H6908 all the fair H2896 H4758 young H5291 virgins H1330 unto Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002 to the house H1004 of the women, H802 unto the custody H3027 of Hege H1896 the king's H4428 chamberlain, H5631 keeper H8104 of the women; H802 and let their things for purification H8562 be given H5414 them:
The posts H7323 went out, H3318 being hastened H1765 by the king's H4428 commandment, H1697 and the decree H1881 was given H5414 in Shushan H7800 the palace. H1002 And the king H4428 and Haman H2001 sat down H3427 to drink; H8354 but the city H5892 Shushan H7800 was perplexed. H943
Go, H3212 gather together H3664 all the Jews H3064 that are present H4672 in Shushan, H7800 and fast H6684 ye for me, and neither eat H398 nor drink H8354 three H7969 days, H3117 night H3915 or day: H3117 I also and my maidens H5291 will fast H6684 likewise; and so H3651 will I go H935 in unto the king, H4428 which is not according to the law: H1881 and if I perish, H6 I perish. H6
And the king H4428 said H559 unto Esther H635 the queen, H4436 The Jews H3064 have slain H2026 and destroyed H6 five H2568 hundred H3967 men H376 in Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002 and the ten H6235 sons H1121 of Haman; H2001 what have they done H6213 in the rest H7605 of the king's H4428 provinces? H4082 now what is thy petition? H7596 and it shall be granted H5414 thee: or what is thy request H1246 further? H5750 and it shall be done. H6213 Then said H559 Esther, H635 If it please H2896 the king, H4428 let it be granted H5414 to the Jews H3064 which are in Shushan H7800 to do H6213 to morrow H4279 also according unto this day's H3117 decree, H1881 and let Haman's H2001 ten H6235 sons H1121 be hanged H8518 upon the gallows. H6086 And the king H4428 commanded H559 it so to be done: H6213 and the decree H1881 was given H5414 at Shushan; H7800 and they hanged H8518 Haman's H2001 ten H6235 sons. H1121 For the Jews H3064 that were in Shushan H7800 gathered themselves together H6950 on the fourteenth H702 H6240 day H3117 also of the month H2320 Adar, H143 and slew H2026 three H7969 hundred H3967 men H376 at Shushan; H7800 but on the prey H961 they laid H7971 not their hand. H3027
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Esther 1
Commentary on Esther 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Es 1:1-22. Ahasuerus Makes Royal Feasts.
1. Ahasuerus—It is now generally agreed among learned men that the Ahasuerus mentioned in this episode is the Xerxes who figures in Grecian history.
3. made a feast unto all his princes and his servants—Banquets on so grand a scale, and extending over so great a period, have been frequently provided by the luxurious monarchs of Eastern countries, both in ancient and modern times. The early portion of this festive season, however, seems to have been dedicated to amusement, particularly an exhibition of the magnificence and treasures of the court, and it was closed by a special feast of seven days' continuance, given within the gardens of the royal palace. The ancient palace of Susa has been recently disinterred from an incumbent mass of earth and ruins; and in that palace, which is, beyond all doubt, the actual edifice referred to in this passage, there is a great hall of marble pillars. "The position of the great colonnade corresponds with the account here given. It stands on an elevation in the center of the mound, the remainder of which we may well imagine to have been occupied, after the Persian fashion, with a garden and fountains. Thus the colonnade would represent the 'court of the garden of the king's palace' with its 'pillars of marble.' I am even inclined to believe the expression, 'Shushan the palace,' applies especially to this portion of the existing ruins, in contradistinction to the citadel and the city of Shushan" [Loftus, Chaldaea and Susiana].
6. Where were white, green, and blue hangings, &c.—The fashion, in the houses of the great, on festive occasions, was to decorate the chambers from the middle of the wall downward with damask or velvet hangings of variegated colors suspended on hooks, or taken down at pleasure.
the beds were of gold and silver—that is, the couches on which, according to Oriental fashion, the guests reclined, and which were either formed entirely of gold and silver or inlaid with ornaments of those costly metals, stood on an elevated floor of parti-colored marble.
7. they gave them drink in vessels of gold—There is reason to believe from this account, as well as from Es 5:6; 7:2, 7, 8, where the drinking of wine occupies by far the most prominent place in the description, that this was a banquet rather than a feast.
9. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women—The celebration was double; for, as according to the Oriental fashion, the sexes do not intermingle in society, the court ladies were entertained in a separate apartment by the queen.
10-12. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine—As the feast days advanced, the drinking was more freely indulged in, so that the close was usually marked by great excesses of revelry.
he commanded … the seven chamberlains—These were the eunuchs who had charge of the royal harem. The refusal of Vashti to obey an order which required her to make an indecent exposure of herself before a company of drunken revellers, was becoming both the modesty of her sex and her rank as queen; for, according to Persian customs, the queen, even more than the wives of other men, was secluded from the public gaze. Had not the king's blood been heated with wine, or his reason overpowered by force of offended pride, he would have perceived that his own honor, as well as hers, was consulted by her dignified conduct.
13-19. Then the king said to the wise men—These were probably the magi, without whose advice as to the proper time of doing a thing the Persian kings never did take any step whatever; and the persons named in Es 1:14 were the "seven counsellors" (compare Ezr 7:14) who formed the state ministry. The combined wisdom of all, it seems, was enlisted to consult with the king what course should be taken after so unprecedented an occurrence as Vashti's disobedience of the royal summons. It is scarcely possible for us to imagine the astonishment produced by such a refusal in a country and a court where the will of the sovereign was absolute. The assembled grandees were petrified with horror at the daring affront. Alarm for the consequences that might ensue to each of them in his own household next seized on their minds; and the sounds of bacchanalian revelry were hushed into deep and anxious consultation what punishment to inflict on the refractory queen. But a purpose was to be served by the flattery of the king and the enslavement of all women. The counsellors were too intoxicated or obsequious to oppose the courtly advice of Memucan was unanimously resolved, with a wise regard to the public interests of the nation, that the punishment of Vashti could be nothing short of degradation from her royal dignity. The doom was accordingly pronounced and made known in all parts of the empire.