English · KJV

Esther 1

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

Ahasuerus's Vast Kingdom and Great Feast 1–9

1
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) ​
2
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, ​
3
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: ​
4
When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. ​
5
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
6
Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble. ​
7
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
8
And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. ​
9
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

Queen Vashti Defies the King 10–12

10
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, ​
11
To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. ​
12
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. ​

Vashti Is Deposed by Royal Decree 13–22

13
Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: ​
14
And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) ​
15
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. ​
17
For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18
Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
19
If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. ​
20
And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22
For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Esther 1

Verse 1

Ahasuerus — Achashverosh, a Persian royal title rather than a personal name, here the king Strong's identifies as Xerxes. Ezra 4:6 places an accusation against Judah 'in the beginning of his reign'. 'Provinces' is medinah, a jurisdiction; under Darius there were 'an hundred and twenty princes' (Dan 6:1).

Verse 2

Shushan the palace — The seat of the throne; Nehemiah was there, 'as I was in Shushan the palace' (Neh 1:1), and Daniel saw a vision 'at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam' (Dan 8:2). 'Palace' is birah, a fortress or castle.

Verse 3

the power of Persia and Media — 'Power' is chayil, force, army, wealth: the guests are the military and noble ranks, 'nobles' being partam, a Persian word for grandees. A king's feast 'unto all his servants' marks a great occasion (Gen 40:20); compare Esther's own feast (Est 2:18).

Verse 4

the riches of his glorious kingdom — 'Glorious' is kabod, weight, splendour; 'excellent' is tiphereth, ornament, beauty; 'honour' is yeqar, costliness. The display lasted 'an hundred and fourscore days'. Kingdom, majesty, glory and honour are given by 'the most high God' (Dan 5:18).

Verse 6

white, green, and blue — Chur is white linen, karpas fine cotton (rendered 'green'), tekeleth the blue of the tabernacle hangings (Ex 26:36). The pavement of 'red, and blue, and white, and black, marble' names four stones: bahat, dar, shesh, socheret. The beds were 'of gold and silver'.

Verse 8

none did compel — Anas, to compel. The drinking was 'according to the law' (dath, a royal edict), the officers being told to follow 'every man's pleasure'. The same word dath is 'law' in vv.13, 15 and 19, where the king turns to the legal question of Vashti.

Verse 10

merry with wine — Literally the heart 'good' (tov) with wine; the same state precedes Absalom's order to strike Amnon (2 Sam 13:28). 'Chamberlains' is saris, a eunuch official, seven named here. 'Wine is a mocker' (Prov 20:1).

Verse 11

the crown royal — Kether, a diadem, the sign of her queenship. The purpose given is 'to shew the people and the princes her beauty' (yophi), 'for she was fair to look on'. Scripture's own measure: 'Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain' (Prov 31:30).

Verse 12

refused to come — Ma'en, to refuse; the verse gives no reason. The command came 'by his chamberlains' (v.10). The king was 'very wroth' (qatsaph), and his anger 'burned' (ba'ar), the verb of kindling fire. 'The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion' (Prov 19:12).

Verse 13

which knew the times — 'Wise men' is chakam; 'times' is 'eth. Issachar's sons likewise had 'understanding of the times' (1 Chr 12:32). The king's 'manner' was to bring matters of 'law and judgment' (dath and din) before those who knew them.

Verse 14

the seven princes of Persia and Media — Seven counsellors answer the seven chamberlains of v.10; Ezra was later sent 'of the king, and of his seven counsellors' (Ezra 7:14). They 'saw the king's face' and 'sat the first in the kingdom'; 'the next' is qarob, near.

Verse 16

Vashti the queen hath not done wrong — Memucan, named last in v.14, is the one who answers. 'Done wrong' is avah, to make crooked. He extends the offence beyond the king to 'all the princes' and 'all the people that are in all the provinces' (medinah), so a household matter becomes a matter of state.

Verse 19

that it be not altered — The decree is to be 'written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes', the law that 'altereth not' (Dan 6:8); 'laws' is dath. 'Another that is better than she' is answered in Est 2:4: 'let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.'

Verse 22

bear rule in his own house — Sarar, to exercise dominion. Letters went 'into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language' (lashon), the same method as later royal decrees (Est 3:12; 8:9), for the 127 provinces of v.1.