Esther 1:2

1:2 In those days, as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa ¹  the citadel, ² 

Esther 1:9

1:9 Queen Vashti ³  also gave a banquet for the women in King Ahasuerus’ royal palace.

Esther 4:6

4:6 So Hathach went to Mordecai at the plaza of the city in front of the king’s gate.

Esther 6:7

6:7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor,

Esther 7:10

7:10 So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then abated.

[1:2]  ¹ tn Heb “Shushan” (so KJV, ASV). Most recent English versions render this as “Susa.”

[1:2]  ² tn The Hebrew word בִּירָה (birah) can refer to a castle or palace or temple. Here it seems to have in mind that fortified part of the city that might be called an acropolis or citadel. Cf. KJV “palace”; NAB “stronghold”; NASB “capital”; NLT “fortress.”

[1:9]  ³ sn 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 as Amestris (e.g., Herodotus, Histories 9.108-13). The name Vashti does not seem to occur in the nonbiblical records from this period. Apparently the two women are not to be confused, but not enough is known about this period to reconcile completely the biblical and extrabiblical accounts.