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Esther
'Achashverowsh of the book of Esther is a title for king. He says this is Xerxes, son of Darius I. So when Xerxes became king over Persia, he and his queen, Vashti, ruled over 127 provinces, the entire civilized world.
Later, at a banquet celebrating the Jewish people's demise, Xerxes ordered Vashti to appear at the feast unclothed so that he could show off her beauty to his entire kingdom. When she refused his command, Xerxes had her beheaded. Vashti's execution set the stage for Esther's appointment as queen, ultimately leading to the Jewish people's deliverance.
This Drama took place in the 5th century BC in the Persian Empire (Iran) - 465 BC. This is the story of a woman who wins a beauty contest, meets a handsome ruler, and ends up saving her people. The only difference from this story and a fairytale is that this is a true story.
The author of Esther is unknown. It may have been written by Mordecai. Esther is a Persian word meaning "star". The Hebrew name equivalent would be Myrtle. The book of Esther reminded the Jews of the day of the Lord's protection of them 'outside the land'. The book should also be an encouragement today for all believers today as we face anti-Semitism today.
Message of the Book of Esther:
1. Reminds us of the Lord's care of Jews persecuted outside the land.
2. Reminds us of God's commitment to the Abrahamic Covenant.
3. Reminds us that Jesus Christ controls History.
4. Book is also about us as believers in the Church Age.
Chapter 1
{Chapters
1-5: Danger of the Jews Extermination}
{Chapter
1: Dethroning of Queen Vashti}
{Verses
1-9: Splendor of Persian Empire of Xerxes}
1~~~Now
it came to pass in the days
of
'the king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh
{'Achashverowsh - title for king - RBT says is Xerxes,
son of Darius I},
(this
is 'the king' who reigned,
from
India even unto Ethiopia,
over
an hundred and seven and twenty
"provinces"
{m@diynah}).
{Note:
See Daniel 2:39. RBT says Persia was the 'arms of silver' in the
dream of Nebuchadnezzar. Darius I ruled from 522-486 BC and his son
Xerxes (Zurk-ceeze) called 'Achashverowsh (a title not a name).}
{Note:
A m@diynah is an administrative subdivision of a satrap. Herodias,
the historian, said there were 20 satraps (compare with US states) in
this day.}
2~~~That
in those days,
when
the king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh
sat/'dwelled
in prosperity' {yashab}
on
the throne of his kingdom {'holding court'},
which
was in Shushan the palace.
{Note:
Shushan was also the name of the citadel, around which the city of
Shushan was built - a very typical situation for the day. This is why
a lot of the warfare of the day was siege warfare.}
3~~~In
the third year of his {Xerxes'} reign {483 BC},
he
made a feast/banquet {mishteh}
unto
all his princes and his servants.
The
power of Persia and Media,
the
nobles and princes of the provinces,
being
before him.
{Note:
Xerxes was planning for his Greek campaign. It took 4 years to
prepare for the campaign. He took an army of a million men to go
against Greece (but he will lose!). He was persuading his nobles to
provide money and men for the campaign.}
4~~~When
he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom
and
the honor of his excellent majesty many days,
even
an hundred and fourscore days {a lavish 6 month party}.
{Note:
The Septuagint was a translation of the Hebrew bible into Greek in
circa 300 BC. It was used often as the OT source for NT writers and
is very valuable in clarifying the meaning of use of many ancient
Hebrew words. In verse 3, mishteh was translated into
"Doche" in the Septuagint translation of banquet, which was
the general term for banquet. But in the next verse mishteh was
translated potos in the Septuagint translation. This is the Greek
word for a drinking and carousing party. So, we can gather the first
was a formal 6 month political gathering and then followed a 7 day
'let off steam' party.}
{7
Day Relaxation Drinking Party}
5~~~And
when these days were expired,
the
king made a feast/banquet {mishteh}
unto
all the men { `am - no women at this party}
who
were present in Shushan the palace,
both
unto great and small, seven days,
in
the court of the garden of the king's palace.
{Fine
"Draping" of the Palace - Wealth and Power of Empire is Obvious}
6~~~There
where were white, green, and blue, hangings,
fastened
with cords of fine linen and purple
to
silver rings and pillars of marble.
The
'reclining couches for feasting' {mittah}
were
of gold and silver,
upon
a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7~~~And
they "caused them to drink"
{shaqah Hiphil stem - heavy drinking to get drunk}
in
vessels of gold,
(the
vessels being diverse one from another)
and
royal wine in abundance,
according
to the state of the king.
8a~~~And
the drinking was according to the law {dath}.
{Note:
Dath is the word used here not Torah. This is a Persian decree - no
one HAD to drink but you could drink as much as you wanted. And
remember, there were no women present at this time.}
8b~~~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,
{name in Persian means 'the best' or 'one who is desired'}
gave
a feast/banquet {mishteh}
for
the women in the royal house
which
belonged to king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh.
{Note:
Vashti was the daughter of King Belshazzar of Babylon and the
great-granddaughter of King Nebuchadnezzar, the man who destroyed the
first Temple in Jerusalem. The night her father was murdered (as
predicted by the famous "writing on the wall"); there was
much bloodshed and looting in the palace. Amidst the confusion,
Vashti was unaware of the death of her father and ran to his quarters
where she was captured by Darius, the succeeding king. Darius took
pity on the young Vashti and gave her to his son Achashveirosh as a wife.}
10-11~~~On
the seventh day,
when
the heart/'right lobe' of the king
was
'merry with wine' {gassed - barely coherent}
{he was drunk - at the end of a 7 day drinking binge},
he
commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha,
and
Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas,
the
seven eunuchs
{7 aristocrats who had been castrated - to serve in the harem of
the king}
who
served in the presence of {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh,
the
king, 11~~~
to
bring Vashti, the queen,
before
the king with the crown royal,
to
show the people and the princes her beauty . . .
for
she was extremely beautiful on which to look.
{Note:
This was not the king's finest hour. Maybe this meant for her to
appear nude. Maybe not. But no matter, she was being commanded to be
put on display before a large number of men and this offended his wife.}
12~~~But
the queen Vashti refused to come
at
the king's commandment
{via
a message delivered} by his chamberlains.
Therefore
was the king very angry,
and
his wrath burned in him.
{King
Consults His Cabinet}
13-15~~~Then
the king said to the
"wise
men"/"shrewd men"/astrologers,
{chakam - political men who supposedly
read the stars and made predictions - some
were demon possessed}
who
knew 'what was to happen'/'the times',
(for
so was the king's manner
toward
all that knew law and judgment 14~~~
and
those next unto him were
Carshena,
Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish,
Meres,
Marsena, and Memucan,
the
seven princes of Persia and Media,
who
saw the king's face,
and
who sat the first in the kingdom) 15~~~
"What
shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law,
because
she has not performed the commandment
of
the king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh
{via
a message delivered} by the eunuchs?"
{Note:
Remember that Xerxes is trying to show his nobles what a great ruler
he is and then his own wife refuses his command. This is a very
serious slight to the King at this point even though his request of
Vashti was unreasonable. The King has been embarrassed and he commits
the mental attitude sin of anger.}
16-20~~~And
Memucan answered before the king and the princes,
"Vashti
the queen has not done wrong/'a crime'
{`avah - a strong word - dramatizing incident for his own purposes
Memucan is trying to manipulate the King}
to
the king only,
but
also to all the princes,
and
to all the people who are in all the provinces
of
the king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh. 17~~~
{saying that this was a crime against all manhood in Persia -
this is a man with ulterior motives}
For
the conduct of the queen
shall
become known abroad unto all women,
so
that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes,
when
it shall be reported,
'The
king {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh
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 {all the men in the kingdom},
who
have heard of the deed of the queen.
Thus
shall there arise much contempt and wrath. 19~~~
{saying ALL the women of the kingdom will look with
contempt on their husbands!}
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 {Xerxes}'/'Achashverowsh.
And
let the king give her royal estate unto another who is better than
she. 20~~~
And
when the king's decree
which
he shall make
shall
be published throughout all his empire
(for
it {the empire} is great)
all
the wives shall give to their husbands honor,
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~~~Therefore
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.
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