Esther 1:4

Verse

And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.

American Standard Version (1901)

when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and fourscore days.

Bible in Basic English

And for a long time, even a hundred and eighty days, he let them see all the wealth and the glory of his kingdom and the great power and honour which were his.

Free Bible Version

He put on display his wealth and the glory of his kingdom, showing how majestic, splendid, and glorious he was, for 180 days.

Geneva Bible 1599

That he might shewe the riches and glorie of his kingdome, and the honour of his great maiestie many dayes, euen an hundreth and foure score dayes.

King James (Authorized) Version

When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

Translation for Translators

The celebration lasted for six months. During that time the king showed his guests all his wealth and other things that showed how great his kingdom was (OR, how great a king he was).

Unlocked Literal Bible

He displayed the wealth of the splendor of his kingdom and the honor of the glory of his greatness for many days, for 180 days.

Noah Webster Bible

When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and eighty days.

World English Bible

He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days.

Young's Literal Translation

in his shewing the wealth of the honour of his kingdom, and the glory of the beauty of his greatness, many days — eighty and a hundred days.

Context

Xerxes’ Royal Feast

³In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.⁴And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.

Summary

Esther 1:4 sets the stage for the grandeur and opulence of King Xerxes' banquet, showcasing his wealth and power as ruler of the Persian Empire. The verse highlights the duration of the feast, which lasted for 180 days, demonstrating the king's extravagance and desire to impress his guests. This lavish event was not only a display of luxury but also a political strategy to solidify alliances and maintain control over his vast kingdom. The verse foreshadows the events that will unfold in the book of Esther, revealing the backdrop against which God's providence and deliverance will be manifested.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

The riches of his glorious kingdom - Luxury was the characteristic of the Eastern monarchs, and particularly of the Persians. In their feasts, which were superb and of long continuance, they made a general exhibition of their wealth, grandeur, etc., and received the highest encomiums from their poets and flatterers. Their ostentation on such occasions passed into a proverb: hence Horace: - Persicos odi, puer, apparatus: Displicent nexae philyra coronae; Mitte sectari, rosa quo locorum Sera moretur. I tell thee, boy, that I detest The grandeur of a Persian feast; Nor for me the linden's rind Shall the flowery chaplet bind. Then search not where the curious rose Beyond his season loitering grows. Francis.

John Gill Bible Commentary

When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom,.... Xerxes was the fourth king of the Persian monarchy, and was "far richer than all" that went before him, all their riches coming into his hands, Dan 11:2, and now that prophecy began to be fulfilled, "that by his strength, through his riches, he should stir up all against the realm of Grecia"; which he began to do in the third year of his reign, and for which these his nobles might be called together, as to have their advice, so to animate them to come in the more readily into the expedition, by showing them the riches he was possessed of; for to none of the kings of Persia does this largeness of riches better belong than to Xerxes: and the honour of his excellent majesty; the grandeur he lived in, the pomp and splendour of his court; he was the most grand and magnificent of all the kings of the Medes and Persians (i): and this he did many days, even an hundred and fourscore days; to which seven more being added, as in the following verse, it made one hundred and eighty seven, the space of full six months; though some think the feast did not last so long, only seven days, and that the one hundred and eighty days were spent in preparing for it; but the Persian feasts were very long, large, and sumptuous. Dr. Frye (k) says, this custom of keeping an annual feast one hundred and eighty days still continues in Persia. Cheus (l), a Chinese emperor, used frequently to make a feast which lasted one hundred and twenty days; though it cannot be well thought that the same individual persons here were feasted so long, but, when one company was sufficiently treated, they removed and made way for another; and so it continued successively such a number of days as here related, which was six months, or half a year; a year then in use consisting of three hundred and sixty days, as was common with the Jews, and other nations, and so the Persians (m). (i) Pausan. Laconica, sive, l. 3. p. 165. (k) Travels, p. 348. apud Patrick in loc. (l) In Martin. Sinic. Hist. l. 3. p. 78. (m) Prideaux's Connect. par. 1. p. 197.

Esther 1:4

Xerxes’ Royal Feast

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.

American Standard Version (1901)

when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and fourscore days.

Bible in Basic English

And for a long time, even a hundred and eighty days, he let them see all the wealth and the glory of his kingdom and the great power and honour which were his.

Free Bible Version

He put on display his wealth and the glory of his kingdom, showing how majestic, splendid, and glorious he was, for 180 days.

Geneva Bible 1599

That he might shewe the riches and glorie of his kingdome, and the honour of his great maiestie many dayes, euen an hundreth and foure score dayes.

King James (Authorized) Version

When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

Translation for Translators

The celebration lasted for six months. During that time the king showed his guests all his wealth and other things that showed how great his kingdom was (OR, how great a king he was).

Unlocked Literal Bible

He displayed the wealth of the splendor of his kingdom and the honor of the glory of his greatness for many days, for 180 days.

Noah Webster Bible

When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and eighty days.

World English Bible

He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days.

Young's Literal Translation

in his shewing the wealth of the honour of his kingdom, and the glory of the beauty of his greatness, many days — eighty and a hundred days.

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Esther 1:4

Verse

Context

Xerxes’ Royal Feast

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Esther 1:4

Xerxes’ Royal Feast

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes