Esther 1: Setting the Stage for Courage and Providence
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
And the drinking was according to the law; 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.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
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:
And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong 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.
For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise 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.
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 contempt and wrath.
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 Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
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 give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
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 that it should be published according to the language of every people.
The book of Esther opens by immersing us in a specific historical and cultural context, crucial for understanding the unfolding drama. Esther 1:1-2 pinpoints the reign of Ahasuerus (likely Xerxes I), who ruled the vast Medo-Persian Empire from 486–465 BC. His dominion stretched across 127 provinces, from India to Cush, a testament to the empire's immense power. The capital, Susa (mentioned in Esther 1:2), located in what is now southwest Iran, served as the epicenter of this sprawling kingdom.
It's important to remember that this period followed Cyrus the Great's decree in 539 BC, which permitted the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple (see 2 Chronicles 36:22-23). While many Jews had indeed returned to Jerusalem, a significant number remained scattered throughout the Persian Empire. Esther and Mordecai were among those who stayed, and their story unfolds against this backdrop of Jewish dispersion and Persian imperial power.
A Lavish Display (Esther 1:3-8)
The narrative gains momentum in Esther 1:3-8 with Ahasuerus's extravagant feast. This was no ordinary gathering; it was a prolonged spectacle designed to showcase the king's wealth and power. For a staggering 180 days (Esther 1:4), officials from across the empire were treated to a dazzling display. This was followed by a week-long banquet (Esther 1:5-6) open to the residents of Susa, where the opulence continued unabated. The wine flowed freely (Esther 1:7), suggesting an atmosphere of unrestrained indulgence. Simultaneously, Queen Vashti hosted a separate feast for the women (Esther 1:9), highlighting the segregated social customs of the time.
Royal Pride and a Defiant Queen (Esther 1:9-12)
The seeds of conflict are sown in Esther 1:9-12. On the final day of the banquet, fueled by wine (Esther 1:10), Ahasuerus, in a moment of intoxicated pride, summoned Queen Vashti to appear before his guests and display her beauty (Esther 1:11). However, Vashti bravely refused to comply with the king's command (Esther 1:12). Her defiance, whether motivated by modesty, principle, or a sense of self-worth, sparked the king's immediate and intense anger.
A Legal and Political Crisis (Esther 1:13-20)
Ahasuerus, recognizing the gravity of Vashti's disobedience, consulted his wise men, experts in law and justice (Esther 1:13, 15). This was not simply a marital spat; it was a challenge to the king's authority and, potentially, a threat to the social order. One of the king's officials, Memucan, articulated the potential consequences of Vashti's actions (Esther 1:16-18). He argued that her defiance could inspire widespread disobedience among women throughout the empire, leading to the disrespect of husbands and undermining the patriarchal structure of society.
Memucan proposed a drastic solution: a royal decree, unalterable according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, banishing Vashti from the king's presence and paving the way for a new queen (Esther 1:19). He assured the king that this decisive action would restore order and ensure that women would honor their husbands (Esther 1:20).
A Decree Issued (Esther 1:21-22)
Ahasuerus, swayed by Memucan's counsel and eager to quell the potential unrest, readily approved the proposal (Esther 1:21). Letters were dispatched throughout the kingdom, proclaiming that every man should be the master of his own house (Esther 1:22). This decree, intended to reinforce male authority, served as a public affirmation of the king's power and a warning against any form of insubordination. With this decree issued, the stage is meticulously set for the introduction of Esther and the unfolding of God's providential plan for His people. The seemingly unrelated events of chapter 1 become the crucial foundation upon which the story of courage, faith, and deliverance will be built.
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
And the drinking was according to the law; 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.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
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:
And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong 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.
For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise 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.
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 contempt and wrath.
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 Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
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 give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
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 that it should be published according to the language of every people.
The book of Esther opens by immersing us in a specific historical and cultural context, crucial for understanding the unfolding drama. Esther 1:1-2 pinpoints the reign of Ahasuerus (likely Xerxes I), who ruled the vast Medo-Persian Empire from 486–465 BC. His dominion stretched across 127 provinces, from India to Cush, a testament to the empire's immense power. The capital, Susa (mentioned in Esther 1:2), located in what is now southwest Iran, served as the epicenter of this sprawling kingdom.
It's important to remember that this period followed Cyrus the Great's decree in 539 BC, which permitted the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple (see 2 Chronicles 36:22-23). While many Jews had indeed returned to Jerusalem, a significant number remained scattered throughout the Persian Empire. Esther and Mordecai were among those who stayed, and their story unfolds against this backdrop of Jewish dispersion and Persian imperial power.
A Lavish Display (Esther 1:3-8)
The narrative gains momentum in Esther 1:3-8 with Ahasuerus's extravagant feast. This was no ordinary gathering; it was a prolonged spectacle designed to showcase the king's wealth and power. For a staggering 180 days (Esther 1:4), officials from across the empire were treated to a dazzling display. This was followed by a week-long banquet (Esther 1:5-6) open to the residents of Susa, where the opulence continued unabated. The wine flowed freely (Esther 1:7), suggesting an atmosphere of unrestrained indulgence. Simultaneously, Queen Vashti hosted a separate feast for the women (Esther 1:9), highlighting the segregated social customs of the time.
Royal Pride and a Defiant Queen (Esther 1:9-12)
The seeds of conflict are sown in Esther 1:9-12. On the final day of the banquet, fueled by wine (Esther 1:10), Ahasuerus, in a moment of intoxicated pride, summoned Queen Vashti to appear before his guests and display her beauty (Esther 1:11). However, Vashti bravely refused to comply with the king's command (Esther 1:12). Her defiance, whether motivated by modesty, principle, or a sense of self-worth, sparked the king's immediate and intense anger.
A Legal and Political Crisis (Esther 1:13-20)
Ahasuerus, recognizing the gravity of Vashti's disobedience, consulted his wise men, experts in law and justice (Esther 1:13, 15). This was not simply a marital spat; it was a challenge to the king's authority and, potentially, a threat to the social order. One of the king's officials, Memucan, articulated the potential consequences of Vashti's actions (Esther 1:16-18). He argued that her defiance could inspire widespread disobedience among women throughout the empire, leading to the disrespect of husbands and undermining the patriarchal structure of society.
Memucan proposed a drastic solution: a royal decree, unalterable according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, banishing Vashti from the king's presence and paving the way for a new queen (Esther 1:19). He assured the king that this decisive action would restore order and ensure that women would honor their husbands (Esther 1:20).
A Decree Issued (Esther 1:21-22)
Ahasuerus, swayed by Memucan's counsel and eager to quell the potential unrest, readily approved the proposal (Esther 1:21). Letters were dispatched throughout the kingdom, proclaiming that every man should be the master of his own house (Esther 1:22). This decree, intended to reinforce male authority, served as a public affirmation of the king's power and a warning against any form of insubordination. With this decree issued, the stage is meticulously set for the introduction of Esther and the unfolding of God's providential plan for His people. The seemingly unrelated events of chapter 1 become the crucial foundation upon which the story of courage, faith, and deliverance will be built.