Ester 1
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Ester 1:1-4
1:1 "Now it took place in the days of" The UBS Handbook on the Book of Esther mentions that this was a common opening phrase used to link the current events (or story) with previous events (p. 13). The same phrase introduces the biblical books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I & 2 Samuel, Nehemiah, Ezekiel, and Jonah. Esther also concludes with a standardized ending used in 1 Kings (cf. Est. 14:19,29; 15:23). The author obviously expects it to be understood as history. ▣ "Ahasuerus" This is the Hebrew spelling of the name (cf. Ezra 4:6, BDB 31, KB 37). He is known in history by his Greek name, Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.). The Persian name is Khshayarsha. He is the son of Darius I Hystapes (522-486 B.C.) and grandson of Cyrus (550-530 B.C.). Both the Septuagint and Josephus identify him as Xerxes' successor, Artaxerxes I. Most historians and Bible commentators agree that Esther relates to the reign of Xerxes I. Special Topic: Kings of Persia ▣ "India" This (BDB 213) would refer to the land of the Indus River, which for us would be in the area of modern Pakistan. It was conquered by Darius I (Herodotus 3.94-106). ▣ "Ethiopia" This would refer to the large territory south of the First Cataract of the Nile, including southern Egypt, Sudan, and parts of Ethiopia (BDB 468 I), which was conquered by Cambyses (530-522 B.C.). ▣ "over 127 provinces" The Persian Empire covered most of the ancient Near East. It included many ethnic groups and nationalities (cf. Esth. 9:30). The Persians allowed these groups much local autonomy. Over several provinces there was a regional administrator called a satrap and many lesser officials. Xerxes I's father, Darius, had 20 satraps (cf. Herodotus, Hist. 3.89). 1:2 "Susa" Susa (called Sushan in Hebrew, BDB 1004) was originally the capital of Elam, located on the Kerkha River. It is an ancient city, even mentioned in early Sumerian documents (3000 B.C.). It became the eastern regional capital of the Persian Empire. The city was expanded and beautified under Darius I. Its climate was so hot that the Persian kings used it primarily in winter. NASB (1970) "the capital" NASB (1995), NKJV, NRSV, NJB "the citadel" "capital city" "the fortress" "the city" "the palace" This Hebrew term (BDB 108, KB 123, from an Assyrian loan word) could refer to a city fortress (cf. Ezra 6:2; Neh. 2:8; Dan. 8:2), a palace, or even a fortified temple (cf. Neh. 7:2; 1 Chr. 29:1,19). Here it refers to the inner fortress in a large, walled city. This city is also the location of chapter 1 of Nehemiah. 1:3 "in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all" We know from history that Xerxes I gave a great feast to plan his military campaign against Greece (cf. Herodotus, Hist. 7.19). This occurred after his conquest of Egypt. The third year of Xerxes I would be 483 B.C. ▣ "Persia and Media" Cyrus is the first king of the combined Media-Persian Empire. The term Media (BDB 552) comes first in Daniel because Cyrus was king of Media before he became king of Babylon and Persia. Persia was the more powerful of the two nations and by Esther's time the order of the names had switched (cf. Esth. 1:3,14,18,19), however, in Esth. 10:2 they are reversed. 1:4 "180 days" Some see here two different feasts, one lasting 180 days (Esth. 1:4) and one lasting 7 days (Esth. 1:5). A better understanding of the Hebrew text is that these Persian leaders were given 180 days to assemble on a certain day for a seven day feast in Susa, the capital.
Ester 1:5-9
1:5 "seven days" Apparently seven was a special number for Persians as it was for Jews (e.g., Esth. 1:5,10,14; 2:9). Special Topic: Symbolic Numbers in Scripture, #4 "the greatest to the least" "from great to small" NRSV, Peshitta "both great and small" "rich and poor" NJB, JPSOA "to high and low" Literally it is "great and small." The same two terms (BDB 152 & 881 I) are used in Esth. 1:20 and 1 Sam. 30:19; 2 Chr. 15:13 (BDB 152 & 882). In this context it means that all of the people who worked and served in the fortified, upper city (acropolis) were invited to the palace for a seven day feast. 1:6 NASB, JPSOA, Peshitta "There were hangings" "There were. . .curtains" NRSV, LXX "There were. . .curtains" --------- "There were. . .hangings" The italics (NASB, NKJV) show how this verse intrudes into the context in a grammatically unrelated way. When moderns read this verse we think of wall hangings (term not in MT), but in this hot and windy climate they may have served as shade canopies or walls (cf. James M. Freeman, Manners and Customs of the Bible, pp. 201-202). Persia's colors were white and purple/blue. ▣ "a mosaic pavement" The list of the stones used in the pavement are NASB, NRSV, NJB, "porphyry" NKJV, "alabaster TEV, "red feldspar" BDB has "porphyry, which denotes a reddish to purple color mixed in with other darker rock. NASB, NRSV, NJB, "marble" NKJV, TEV, "white marble" (?) another hapax legommenon (BDB 1010 II ) NASB, NRSV, NJB, "mother of pearl" NKJV, "black marble" (?) TEV, "shining mother of pearl," another hapax legommenon (BDB 204) NASB, NJB, "precious stones" NKJV, NEB, "turquoise" (?) NRSV, "colored stones" TEV, "blue turquoise," another hapax legommenon (BDB 695) ▣ Archaeology has confirmed the wealth of the Persian court (cf. also Herodotus, Hist. 7.27; 9.82). The Persian kings wanted to impress their people and foreign visitors with their wealth, culture, and power! There are several words in this verse found only here in the OT. Often the only way to translate these hapax legommenon are cognate languages ancient translations context 1:7 "in golden vessels of various kinds" This also shows an eyewitness detail. Many of these golden vessels were found when the Greeks overran the Persian military camps (cf. Herodotus, Hist. 3:96). 1:8 "The drinking was done according to the law" This ambiguous phrase has caused much confusion. The meaning could be: no one could drink the King's wine, but an exception was made for this event all guests could drink as much as they wanted with no restrictions (TEV) usually all guests drank when the king drank (Herodotus, Hist. 1.13 and Xenophon Cyropaedia 8.8), but on this occasion this rule was not in effect NASB, NJB "official of his household" "the officers of his household" "the officials of the palace" "police servants" "every palace steward" This title (BDB 913 II) can refer to several types of leaders (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 1029). royal officials or administrators (cf. Dan. 1:3; 2:48; 5:1) palace stewards (cf. Esther 1:8; Peshitta) military commanders (e.g., Jer. 39:3,13; Dan. 2:14) professionals (cf. Dan. 4:6; 5:11) ship captain (cf. Jonah 1:6) 1:9 "Vashti" The precise etymology of this word is uncertain (BDB 255, KB 260), but it may come from: a misspelling of Avestan term for "best" (BDB 255) FEMININE PASSIVE PARTICIPLE of Avestan term "the beloved" or "the desired one" (H. S. Gehman, taken from Carey A. Moore, Anchor Bible, "Esther," vol. 13, p. 8) some scholars think that both Amestris and Vashti are attempts to translate one Persian name ▣ "gave a banquet for the women in the palace" This either refers to the harem (seven eunuchs mentioned in Esth. 1:10) or, more probably, to the wives of the guests of the king.
Ester 1:10-12
1:10 "On the seventh day" The use of the number 7 in Esther 1 is recurrent. See note at Esth. 1:5. ▣ "the heart of the king was merry with wine" This context shows the problem of alcohol abuse. The phrase itself was an idiom describing the satisfaction of wine and a full dinner (cf. Jdg. 16:25; 1 Sam. 25:36; 2 Sam. 13:28; Prov. 15:15, or satisfaction in general, 1 Kgs. 8:66). Special Topic: Wine and Strond Drink ▣ "eunuchs" This Akkadian term can refer to castrated males (later usage, but possible here because of their dealings with the harem). It was quite common for administrators in the ancient world to have eunuchs and it was a title (e.g., 2 Chr. 18:8; Jer. 39:3,13). It was used of a married man in Genesis 39, which shows it was not always taken literally. Some of these personal names have been found in Persian documents and monuments. They do not have any connection with Greek names (refuting a supposed second century Greek authoriship) and are probably Persian in origin. This helps substantiate the historical setting as fifth century B.C. from Persia. 1:11 "to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown" Older Jewish commentators suggest that she was commanded to appear in "only" her crown! Josephus says that in Persia strangers were not allowed to look at a man's wife. Whatever the reason (cultural or personal), Vasti would not come before this large number of drunken men. Placing the royal crown on someone's head was a sign of affirmation (cf. Esth. 6:8) and status (cf. Esth. 1:11; 2:17). It was a symbol of Persian royal authority and power. Herodotus (Hist. 9.108-113) says the king was married to a strong willed woman named Amestris. Her father was one of the seven special families and an army general. He had helped Darius I (Xerxes I's father) during a time of rebellion (cf. Herodotus, Hist. 3.61-84). She was the mother of Artaxerxes I, who was born the very year of Vashti's demotion, 483 B.C. She had great influence with her son, even when he became king. The name Vasti does not appear anywhere outside of Esther. 1:12 Kings were not accustomed to being rebuffed (cf. Esth. 1:15). The two VERBS (BDB 893, KB 1124, Qal IMPERFECT and BDB 128, KB 145, Qal PERFECT) describe the king's rage growing within him and becoming a settled wrath!
Ester 1:13-20
1:13 "the wise men who understood the times" This same idiom is used in 1 Chr. 12:32. Maybe the best way to make it contemporary would be "they understood the cultural impact" (cf. Esth. 1:15-18). Some scholars assert that this refers to the seven special family counselors of the Persian kings (cf. Ezra 7:14,15,28; 8:25). ▣ "before all who knew law and justice" This phrase either characterizes the wise men mentioned above or is a second group of wise men who were specialists in the law (cf. Est. 1:15). Herodotus says there was a group of judges who were appointed for life who advised the Persian kings on matters of law. 1:14 "the seven princes of Persia" We learn from Herodotus, Hist. 3.84 that there were seven special families who made up Persian nobility (cf. Ezra 7:14; Herodutus, Hist. 3.84; Xenophon, Anabasis 1.4.6). Members of these families were the close counselors of the Persian kings. 1:15-16 Ahasuerus's advisors made this event a national threat (not only of the king, but potentially of the other husbands) because of Vasti's precedent of disobedience in the presence of the other assembled wives. 1:18 "there will be plenty of contempt and anger" The TEV catches the implication of this phrase by attributing the contempt to the wives of the nobility, and the anger to their husbands. 1:19 "the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed" This historical addition is only known from the Bible (cf. Esth. 8:8; Dan. 6:8,12,15). This may have been a literary device used by the writer to ridicule the Persian government. Their unchanging laws were "changed" by YHWH's powerful presence with His covenant people! In this context it is stated so that Xerxes will not change his mind about the beautiful Vashti when he sobers up (cf. Esth. 2:1). ▣ "that Vashti may no longer come into the presence fo the King" Vashti remained in the harem, but could not physically be with the king anymore. This was like an official separation. NASB, JPSOA "who is more worthy" NKJV, NRSV, Peshitta "who is better" "to some better woman" "worthier" The Hebrew term (BDB 373 II) has a wide semantic field, but in this context it means "more obedient" or "to show proper respect" to the king.
Ester 1:21-22
1:22 This verse seems unusual, out of place, but possibly it fits exactly into the ancient, multi-racial Persian context where the native language of the father (whatever the language of the wife) was spoken in the home and taught to the children. Therefore, this decree being written in the many languages of the empire was, in a sense, a way to reinforce the authority of the husband (which was the purpose of Vashti's removal from office).