Context at a Glance
Author:Traditional Attribution
Topic:esther Chapter 1 Study
This chapter provides a foundational look at the theological themes of esther, analyzed across multiple historic translations for maximum scholarly depth.
Esther 1
New Revised Standard Version
1This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia.
2In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,
3in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were present,
4while he displayed the great wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and pomp of his majesty for many days, one hundred eighty days in all.
5When these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
6There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings tied with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, motherof-pearl, and colored stones.
7Drinks were served in golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.
8Drinking was by flagons, without restraint; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as each one desired.
9Furthermore, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the palace of King Ahasuerus. Queen Vashti's downfall
10On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended him,
11to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing the royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the officials her beauty; for she was fair to behold.
12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command conveyed by the eunuchs. At this the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.
13Then the king consulted the sages who knew the laws (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and custom,
14and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media, who had access to the king, and sat first in the kingdom):
15"According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus conveyed by the eunuchs?"
16Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, "Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but also to all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
17For this deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands, since they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.'
18This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will rebel against the king's officials, and there will be no end of contempt and wrath!
19If it pleases the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be altered, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
20So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, vast as it is, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike."
21This advice pleased the king and the officials, and the king did as Memucan proposed;
22he sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, declaring that every man should be master in his own house.
1It was after this that the following things happened in the days of Artaxerxes, the same Artaxerxes who ruled over one hundred twentyseven provinces from India to Ethiopia.
2In those days, when King Artaxerxes was enthroned in the city of Susa,
3in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for his Friends and other persons of various nations, the Persians and Median nobles, and the governors of the provinces.
4After this, when he had displayed to them the riches of his kingdom and the splendor of his bountiful celebration during the course of one hundred eighty days,
5at the end of the festivity the king gave a drinking party for the people of various nations who lived in the city. This was held for six days in the courtyard of the royal palace,
6which was adorned with curtains of fine linen and cotton, held by cords of purple linen attached to gold and silver blocks on pillars of marble and other stones. Gold and silver couches were placed on a mosaic floor of emerald, mother-of-pearl, and marble. There were coverings of gauze, embroidered in various colors, with roses arranged around them.
7The cups were of gold and silver, and a miniature cup was displayed, made of ruby, worth thirty thousand talents. There was abundant sweet wine, such as the king himself drank.
8The drinking was not according to a fixed rule; but the king wished to have it so, and he commanded his stewards to comply with his pleasure and with that of the guests.
9Meanwhile, Queen Vashti gave a drinking party for the women in the palace where King Artaxerxes was. The fall of Vashti and the king's first edict
10On the seventh day, when the king was in good humor, he told Haman, Bazan, Tharra, Boraze, Zatholtha, Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven eunuchs who served King Artaxerxes,
11to escort the queen to him in order to proclaim her as queen and to place the diadem on her head, and to have her display her beauty to all the governors and the people of various nations, for she was indeed a beautiful woman.
12But Queen Vashti refused to obey him and would not come with the eunuchs. This offended the king and he became furious.
13He said to his Friends, "This is how Vashti has answered me. Give therefore your ruling and judgment on this matter."
14Arkesaeus, Sarsathaeus, and Malesear, then the governors of the Persians and Medes who were closest to the king — Arkesaeus, Sarsathaeus, and Malesear, who sat beside him in the chief seats — came to him
15and told him what must be done to Queen Vashti for not obeying the order that the king had sent her by the eunuchs.
16Then Muchaeus said to the king and the governors, "Queen Vashti has insulted not only the king but also all the king's governors and officials"
17(for he had reported to them what the queen had said and how she had defied the king). "And just as she defied King Artaxerxes,
18so now the other ladies who are wives of the Persian and Median governors, on hearing what she has said to the king, will likewise dare to insult their husbands.
19If therefore it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, inscribed in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians so that it may not be altered, that the queen may no longer come into his presence; but let the king give her royal rank to a woman better than she.
20Let whatever law the king enacts be proclaimed in his kingdom, and thus all women will give honor to their husbands, rich and poor alike."
21This speech pleased the king and the governors, and the king did as Muchaeus had recommended.
22The king sent the decree into all his kingdom, to every province in its own language, so that in every house respect would be shown to every husband.