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Text -- Esther 1:1-22 (NET)
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Context
The King Throws a Lavish Party
1:1 The following events happened in the days of Ahasuerus . (I am referring to that Ahasuerus who used to rule over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces extending all the way from India to Ethiopia .)
1:2 In those days , as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa the citadel ,
1:3 in the third year of his reign he provided a banquet for all his officials and his servants . The army of Persia and Media was present , as well as the nobles and the officials of the provinces .
1:4 He displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his majestic greatness for a lengthy period of time – a hundred and eighty days , to be exact!
1:5 When those days were completed , the king then provided a seven-day banquet for all the people who were present in Susa the citadel , for those of highest standing to the most lowly . It was held in the court located in the garden of the royal palace .
1:6 The furnishings included linen and purple curtains hung by cords of the finest linen and purple wool on silver rings , alabaster columns , gold and silver couches displayed on a floor made of valuable stones of alabaster , mother-of-pearl , and mineral stone .
1:7 Drinks were served in golden containers , all of which differed from one another . Royal wine was available in abundance at the king’s expense .
1:8 There were no restrictions on the drinking , for the king had instructed all of his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired .
1:9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in King Ahasuerus ’ royal palace .
Queen Vashti is Removed from Her Royal Position
1:10 On the seventh day , as King Ahasuerus was feeling the effects of the wine , he ordered Mehuman , Biztha , Harbona , Bigtha , Abagtha , Zethar , and Carcas , the seven eunuchs who attended him,
1:11 to bring Queen Vashti into the king’s presence wearing her royal high turban . He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty , for she was very attractive .
1:12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s bidding conveyed through the eunuchs . Then the king became extremely angry , and his rage consumed him.
1:13 The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times – for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities .
1:14 Those who were closest to him were Carshena , Shethar , Admatha , Tarshish , Meres , Marsena , and Memucan . These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis and had the most prominent offices in the kingdom .
1:15 The king asked, “By law , what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that she has not obeyed the instructions of King Ahasuerus conveyed through the eunuchs ?”
1:16 Memucan then replied to the king and the officials , “The wrong of Queen Vashti is not against the king alone , but against all the officials and all the people who are throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus .
1:17 For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women , leading them to treat their husbands with contempt , saying , ‘When King Ahasuerus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence , she would not come .’
1:18 And this very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard the matter concerning the queen will respond in the same way to all the royal officials , and there will be more than enough contempt and anger !
1:19 If the king is so inclined , let a royal edict go forth from him , and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed , that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus , and let the king convey her royalty to another who is more deserving than she.
1:20 And let the king’s decision which he will enact be disseminated throughout all his kingdom , vast though it is. Then all the women will give honor to their husbands , from the most prominent to the lowly .”
1:21 The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials . So the king acted on the advice of Memucan .
1:22 He sent letters throughout all the royal provinces , to each province according to its own script and to each people according to its own language , that every man should be ruling his family and should be speaking the language of his own people .
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
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expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes -> Est 1:1; Est 1:1; Est 1:1; Est 1:1; Est 1:1; Est 1:1; Est 1:2; Est 1:2; Est 1:2; Est 1:3; Est 1:3; Est 1:3; Est 1:3; Est 1:4; Est 1:4; Est 1:5; Est 1:5; Est 1:5; Est 1:5; Est 1:6; Est 1:6; Est 1:7; Est 1:8; Est 1:8; Est 1:8; Est 1:9; Est 1:10; Est 1:10; Est 1:11; Est 1:12; Est 1:12; Est 1:12; Est 1:13; Est 1:14; Est 1:14; Est 1:15; Est 1:15; Est 1:19; Est 1:19; Est 1:19; Est 1:19; Est 1:19; Est 1:20; Est 1:20; Est 1:22; Est 1:22; Est 1:22
NET Notes: Est 1:1 Heb “Cush” (so NIV, NCV; KJV “Ethiopia”) referring to the region of the upper Nile in Africa. India and Cush (i.e., Ethiopia) ...
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NET Notes: Est 1:2 The Hebrew word בִּירָה (birah) can refer to a castle or palace or temple. Here it seems to have in mind tha...
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NET Notes: Est 1:3 The size of the banquet described here, the number of its invited guests, and the length of its duration, although certainly immense by any standard, ...
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NET Notes: Est 1:4 The words “to be exact!” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation to bring out the clarifying nuance of the ti...
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NET Notes: Est 1:6 The Hebrew noun מִטָּה (mittah) refers to a reclining couch (cf. KJV “beds”) spread with covers, cloth...
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NET Notes: Est 1:7 Heb “to cause to drink” (Hiphil infinitive construct of שָׁקָה, shaqah). As the etymology of the Hebre...
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NET Notes: Est 1:9 Vashti is the name of Xerxes’ queen according to the Book of Esther. But in the Greek histories of this period the queen’s name is given a...
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NET Notes: Est 1:10 Heb “King Ahasuerus”; here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons. Cf...
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NET Notes: Est 1:11 Heb “was good of appearance”; KJV “was fair to look on”; NAB “was lovely to behold.”
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NET Notes: Est 1:15 The location of the prepositional phrase “according to law” is somewhat unusual in the Hebrew text, but not so much so as to require emend...
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NET Notes: Est 1:19 Heb “who is better than she.” The reference is apparently to worthiness of the royal position as demonstrated by compliance with the king&...
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NET Notes: Est 1:20 The phrase “vast though it is” is not included in the LXX, although it is retained by almost all English versions.
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