Esther 1

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Verse 1

1:1 The name Xerxes comes from the Greek transliteration of the Persian Xshayarshan, which the Hebrew text renders ’akhashwerosh (Ahasuerus). His father, Darius I (521–486 BC), was king when Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the people of Judah to finish building the Temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 4:24–6:22; Hag 1:1; Zech 1:1). • 127 provinces: Xerxes reigned over a vast empire stretching from India to Ethiopia.

Verse 2

1:2 The fortress of Susa was the king’s winter capital during the cold months.

Verse 4

1:4 The celebration lasted 180 days: Officials probably took turns attending different events planned during this six-month period of celebration, thus maintaining the nation’s military and infrastructure throughout the celebration. • This tremendous display of pomp and splendor was designed to impress others with the king’s greatness; it also illustrates Xerxes’ pride.

Verse 5

1:5 A second, briefer banquet allowed members of every level of society (from the greatest to the least) to experience the king’s majestic wealth. Because of the large numbers of people who could attend, this continuous open-house reception was held outdoors in the paved courtyard of the palace garden.

Verse 6

1:6 White and blue (or violet) were royal colors. Even the mosaic pavement was exquisitely opulent.

Verse 8

1:8 no limits were placed on the drinking: Often guests would drink only when the Persian king bade them with a toast (see Xenophon, Cyropaedia 8.8.18); at this banquet people were able to drink without restraint.

Verse 9

1:9 Since Vashti means the best, desired, beloved, this is possibly the title for a favored wife rather than her actual name. Ancient Greek historians refer to her as Amestris (e.g., Herodotus, Histories 7.114). Her son, Artaxerxes I, became king of Persia (465–424 BC) after Xerxes’ death (see Ezra 4:7-23; 6:14; 7:1, 7, 11-26; 8:1; Neh 1:1; 2:1; 5:14; 13:6).

Verse 10

1:10 Xerxes was in high spirits: He was probably fairly drunk and apt to do something foolish. • Eunuchs were servants who had been castrated because their roles brought them into frequent contact with the women of the royal harem.

Verse 11

1:11 she was a very beautiful woman: The king wanted to display one of his prized possessions.

Verse 12

1:12 she refused to come: The queen’s refusal is not explained. Perhaps she feared the drunken king would humiliate her in some way. • This made the king furious: The king’s anger was probably heightened by his drunken state and by his humiliation before his male friends.

Verse 13

1:13 The king did not react immediately but consulted with his wise advisers, following his normal custom of checking with Persian legal advisers to see what could be done about his disobedient wife (1:15).

Verse 15

1:15 What penalty does the law provide: In his humiliation, the king no doubt wanted to punish Vashti to the fullest extent.

Verse 16

1:16-18 Queen Vashti has wronged: The adviser Memucan did not quote Persian law as precedent to guide the king’s decision. His impetuous advice to the king turned Vashti’s action into a potential crime by all women.

Verse 17

1:17 Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands: Fear of consequences rather than facts or law motivated the council’s decision.

Verse 19

1:19 issue a written decree . . . that cannot be revoked: The written decree would become unalterable law that could not be changed (8:8; Dan 6:8, 12).

Verse 22

1:22 The decree was published in each region in its own script and language so that the decree would be understood by every language group in the vast Persian Empire. • every man should be the ruler of his own home: It was already the cultural norm throughout the ancient Near East at that time that men ruled their houses. The decree added legal enforcement of the custom.