The Book of Esther
Esther 1
Chapter I · Vol. II, pp. 924–926
1 Ahasuerus maketh royal feasts. 10 Vashti refuseth to come, when sent for by the king. 13 Ahasuerus, by the counsel of Memucan, maketh the decree of men's sovereignty over their wives.
1 Now it came to pass in the days of aAhasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, bover an hundred and seven and twenty1 provinces,)
2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus csat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in dShushan the palace,
3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feaste 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 fshowed the riches of his glorious kingdom, and the honour of his excellent majesty, many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.2
f Is.39.2. Da.4.30. 1 Sa.25.36.
2 i.e. half a year.—[We have records elsewhere of feasts not less protracted, and the custom seems still to obtain in Persia.—I.]
5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present3 in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
A.M. 3485 B.C. 519
3 Heb. found.
6 Where were white, green, and blue4 hangings, fastened5 with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the gbeds6 were of gold and silver, upon a pavement hof red, and blue, and white, and black marble.
4 Or, violet.
5 Palaces consisting merely of pillars, and covered with splendid awnings, are still found in Persia and India. Some idea of their magnificence may be formed from the famous Bargab? of the emperor Akber, which required for its erection the work of 1000 men during a week, and was capable of entertaining 10,000 guests.—C.
g Wherein they sat, ch.7.8. Eze.23.41. Am.2.8; 6.4. Jn.13.23.
6 The couches or sofas upon which the Persians reclined while feasting.—C.
h Or, porphyre, and marble, and alabaster, and stone of blue colour, 1 Ki.7.9.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal7 wine in iabundance, according to the state of the king.8
A.M. 3485 B.C. 519
7 Which the king used to drink.
i Jn.2.6-10.
8 Heb. according to the hand of the king.
8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did kcompel:9 for so the king had appointedl 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 women1 in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
1 Oriental etiquette still prohibits the promiscuous meeting of males and females at table. Ahasuerus and his nobles accordingly feast in the garden (ver.5), Vashti and her ladies in the royal house.—C.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was mmerry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, nHarbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven 2chamberlains3 that served in the presence of Ahasuerus 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 fair to look on.4
4 Heb. good of countenance.
12 But the queen Vashti refused5 to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains;6 therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
5 It is generally stated that Vashti refused to obey the command of the king because her appearance unveiled would have been accounted a degradation; but though such an opinion may have become prevalent in some parts of the East, Herodotus assures us that it was customary for the ancient Persians to exhibit the beauty of their women at feasts; but there is no need of his testimony to establish the fact of the custom, for in ver.15 the trial of Vashti's refusal is 'according to law.'—C.
6 Heb. which was by the hand of his eunuchs.
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 oseven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face,7 and which sat the first in the kingdom,)
o Ezr.7.14. Pr.11.14. 2 Ki.25.19.
7 This is not a mere figure for intimacy, but a literal fact; for during some periods of the Persian history none but a few were ever permitted to speak to the king.—C.
15 Whatp 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 Memucan8 answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrongq 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.
8 The youngest answers first according to a custom that prevails even in European law-courts. It affords the more experienced time to think on what is proposed, and it removes the delicacy of a young judge contravening the opinion of his senior.—C.
q 1 Co.6.7,8.
17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despiser 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 contempt9 and wrath.1
9 Wives will contemn their husbands, and husbands will deal outrageously with their wives.
1 Wherever there is an unnatural law or custom, it sooner or later punishes the enacter or observer. Such was the custom amongst the Persians of exposing their wives to the gaze of Bacchanalian revellers, and such the law of polygamy, which invariably establishes domestic tyranny, introduces jealousies and feuds, and slowly yet finally extirpates those classes whose riches enable them most extensively to follow their caprices, and indulge their passions. C.——The sense seems to be:—'And henceforth the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the act of the queen, will speak to (their husbands) the king's princes, with too much contempt and petulance.'—P.
19 If it please the king,2 let there go a royal commandment from him,3 and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered,4 That Vashti scome no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto 5another that is better than she.
A.M. 3485 B.C. 519
2 Heb. If it be good with the king.
3 Heb. from before him.
4 Heb. that it pass not away.
s Pr.18?.13; 27.4.
5 Heb. unto her companion.
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 tgive to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21 And the saying pleased the king6 and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
6 Heb. was good in the eyes of the king.
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 uthat it should be published according to the language of every people.7
u Heb. that one should publish it, according to the language of his people, ch.3.12; 8.9. Lu.16.8.
7 The latter part of this verse ought to be translated as follows:—'That every man should be ruler in his own house, and should speak in the tongue of his people.' The Targum gives this interpretation:—'Every man shall rule in his own house, and compel his wife to speak in the language of her husband and in the language of his people.' It appears that the Persians when they married foreign wives permitted them to rule the harem as they thought proper, and to use in it their own language. The decree of Ahasuerus was intended to put a stop to this practice.—P.
Notes
[Ver. 1. Three monarchs of this name are mentioned in the Bible:—1. The father of Darius the Mede, who is well known in history as Cyaxeres, the conqueror of Nineveh; and who began to reign in B.C. 634. 2. Ahasuerus, king of Persia, mentioned in Ezr. 4. 6; and who was the same as Cambyses. He began to reign in B.C. 529. 3. The Ahasuerus here spoken of, who has been identified with the Xerxes of classic historians. The traits of character described in this book accord well with those mentioned by Greek writers. He was a rash, unscrupulous, and sensual tyrant; easily influenced by passion, and thus open to the devices of crafty counsellors. It was in the third year of his reign he gave the grand feast to his nobles mentioned in ver. 3; and it was in the same year, probably at the very same time, he assembled his chief officers to deliberate on the invasion of Greece. P.]
Ver. 5. [Shushan, called by the Greeks Susa, was the ancient capital of Elam. It was captured by the Assyrians about B.C. 650. It was subsequently occupied by Cyrus, and was by him restored to Babylon. Daniel resided in it for a time, Da. viii. Under the Persian monarchy Shushan was a royal city, the king residing there for a portion of each year. Nehemiah was in Shushan when he heard of the desolation of Jerusalem, Ne. i. The site of the ancient capital is now marked by a number of large and desolate mounds, lying between the rivers Ulai, Da. 8. 2, and Dizful. The ruins cover an area nearly four miles in circuit. One of the largest of the mounds has been explored by Loftus, and he laid bare the foundations of the royal palace. One vast hall in it measures 343 feet by 244, and was ornamented by ranges of columns. Probably in this hall Ahasuerus held his great feast. P.]
Ver. 6. [The open courts of all eastern houses of the better class have tesselated pavement of marble. Some of those in Damascus are exceedingly rich and beautiful. The divans too are covered with cloth of gold or silver, with heavy fringe of gold. P.]
Ver. 13. [This expression appears to include both statute and common law; or, in other words, the law as written, and the ordinary practice followed in court. It is worthy of note that Ahasuerus, though a fickle and passionate tyrant, here thinks it right to consult his ministers. He threw upon them the responsibility. P.]
Reflections.—Insatiable is the nature of covetousness and ambition, which gathers to itself all people and countries, yet is nothing nearer contentment. Yea, kingdoms, when once they are overgrown, are near the brink of decay and ruin. What vast expenses do many sacrifice to the idol of pride—expenses which might have relieved many helpless families. In what awful manner shall those heathens, who would urge none to drink, rise up in judgment against those professed Christians who send round their healths, their toasts, and send round sin and death along with them! Yea, ordinarily hard drinking, however unforced, issues in the misery or shame of those who occasioned it. If persons be once intoxicated with liquor, how imprudent their conduct! they are ready to dishonour themselves or their nearest relations, and to require what cannot be decently granted. And when pride meets with pride the issue is contention and ruin. It is easier to govern a kingdom than to rule our own proud spirit. But especially unhappy are those contentions between married persons which happen before company. The bad consequences of them may never be cured. It is indeed dangerous for kingdoms to indulge disobedience in the wives of rulers; but death or divorce ought to be the last means used to prevent it. Nor ought even the general welfare of kingdoms to be founded in injustice to particulars. But O the wisdom and power of God! he makes all the follies and wickedness, as well as the counsels of mankind, to work for his own glory and the good of his church and people.