13 Then the king H4428 said H559 to the wise men, H2450 which knew H3045 the times, H6256 (for so was the king's H4428 manner H1697 toward H6440 all that knew H3045 law H1881 and judgment: H1779
And of the children H1121 of Issachar, H3485 which were men that had understanding H998 H3045 of the times, H6256 to know H3045 what Israel H3478 ought to do; H6213 the heads H7218 of them were two hundred; H3967 and all their brethren H251 were at their commandment. H6310
Then the king H4428 commanded H559 to call H7121 the magicians, H2748 and the astrologers, H825 and the sorcerers, H3784 and the Chaldeans, H3778 for to shew H5046 the king H4428 his dreams. H2472 So they came H935 and stood H5975 before H6440 the king. H4428
Now G1161 when Jesus G2424 was born G1080 in G1722 Bethlehem G965 of Judaea G2449 in G1722 the days G2250 of Herod G2264 the king, G935 behold, G2400 there came G3854 wise men G3097 from G575 the east G395 to G1519 Jerusalem, G2414
Therefore H4481 made H7761 I H4481 a decree H2942 to bring H5954 in all H3606 the wise H2445 men of Babylon H895 before H6925 me, that they might make known H3046 unto me the interpretation H6591 of the dream. H2493 Then H116 came H5954 in the magicians, H2749 the astrologers, H826 the Chaldeans, H3779 and the soothsayers: H1505 and I H576 told H560 the dream H2493 before H6925 them; but they did not H3809 make known H3046 unto me the interpretation H6591 thereof.
The king H4430 cried H7123 aloud H2429 to bring H5954 in the astrologers, H826 the Chaldeans, H3779 and the soothsayers. H1505 And the king H4430 spake, H6032 and said H560 to the wise H2445 men of Babylon, H895 Whosoever H606 H3606 shall read H7123 this H1836 writing, H3792 and shew H2324 me the interpretation H6591 thereof, shall be clothed H3848 with scarlet, H711 and have a chain H2002 of gold H1722 about H5922 his neck, H6676 and shall be the third H8523 ruler H7981 in the kingdom. H4437
And G2532 in the morning, G4404 It will be foul weather G5494 to day: G4594 for G1063 the sky G3772 is red G4449 and lowring. G4768 O ye hypocrites, G5273 ye can G1097 discern G1252 G3303 the face G4383 of the sky; G3772 but G1161 can ye G1410 not G3756 discern the signs G4592 of the times? G2540
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Esther 1
Commentary on Esther 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Es 1:1-22. Ahasuerus Makes Royal Feasts.
1. Ahasuerus—It is now generally agreed among learned men that the Ahasuerus mentioned in this episode is the Xerxes who figures in Grecian history.
3. made a feast unto all his princes and his servants—Banquets on so grand a scale, and extending over so great a period, have been frequently provided by the luxurious monarchs of Eastern countries, both in ancient and modern times. The early portion of this festive season, however, seems to have been dedicated to amusement, particularly an exhibition of the magnificence and treasures of the court, and it was closed by a special feast of seven days' continuance, given within the gardens of the royal palace. The ancient palace of Susa has been recently disinterred from an incumbent mass of earth and ruins; and in that palace, which is, beyond all doubt, the actual edifice referred to in this passage, there is a great hall of marble pillars. "The position of the great colonnade corresponds with the account here given. It stands on an elevation in the center of the mound, the remainder of which we may well imagine to have been occupied, after the Persian fashion, with a garden and fountains. Thus the colonnade would represent the 'court of the garden of the king's palace' with its 'pillars of marble.' I am even inclined to believe the expression, 'Shushan the palace,' applies especially to this portion of the existing ruins, in contradistinction to the citadel and the city of Shushan" [Loftus, Chaldaea and Susiana].
6. Where were white, green, and blue hangings, &c.—The fashion, in the houses of the great, on festive occasions, was to decorate the chambers from the middle of the wall downward with damask or velvet hangings of variegated colors suspended on hooks, or taken down at pleasure.
the beds were of gold and silver—that is, the couches on which, according to Oriental fashion, the guests reclined, and which were either formed entirely of gold and silver or inlaid with ornaments of those costly metals, stood on an elevated floor of parti-colored marble.
7. they gave them drink in vessels of gold—There is reason to believe from this account, as well as from Es 5:6; 7:2, 7, 8, where the drinking of wine occupies by far the most prominent place in the description, that this was a banquet rather than a feast.
9. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women—The celebration was double; for, as according to the Oriental fashion, the sexes do not intermingle in society, the court ladies were entertained in a separate apartment by the queen.
10-12. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine—As the feast days advanced, the drinking was more freely indulged in, so that the close was usually marked by great excesses of revelry.
he commanded … the seven chamberlains—These were the eunuchs who had charge of the royal harem. The refusal of Vashti to obey an order which required her to make an indecent exposure of herself before a company of drunken revellers, was becoming both the modesty of her sex and her rank as queen; for, according to Persian customs, the queen, even more than the wives of other men, was secluded from the public gaze. Had not the king's blood been heated with wine, or his reason overpowered by force of offended pride, he would have perceived that his own honor, as well as hers, was consulted by her dignified conduct.
13-19. Then the king said to the wise men—These were probably the magi, without whose advice as to the proper time of doing a thing the Persian kings never did take any step whatever; and the persons named in Es 1:14 were the "seven counsellors" (compare Ezr 7:14) who formed the state ministry. The combined wisdom of all, it seems, was enlisted to consult with the king what course should be taken after so unprecedented an occurrence as Vashti's disobedience of the royal summons. It is scarcely possible for us to imagine the astonishment produced by such a refusal in a country and a court where the will of the sovereign was absolute. The assembled grandees were petrified with horror at the daring affront. Alarm for the consequences that might ensue to each of them in his own household next seized on their minds; and the sounds of bacchanalian revelry were hushed into deep and anxious consultation what punishment to inflict on the refractory queen. But a purpose was to be served by the flattery of the king and the enslavement of all women. The counsellors were too intoxicated or obsequious to oppose the courtly advice of Memucan was unanimously resolved, with a wise regard to the public interests of the nation, that the punishment of Vashti could be nothing short of degradation from her royal dignity. The doom was accordingly pronounced and made known in all parts of the empire.