19 If it please H2895 the king, H4428 let there go H3318 a royal H4438 commandment H1697 from him, H6440 and let it be written H3789 among the laws H1881 of the Persians H6539 and the Medes, H4074 that it be not altered, H5674 That Vashti H2060 come H935 no more before H6440 king H4428 Ahasuerus; H325 and let the king H4428 give H5414 her royal estate H4438 unto another H7468 that is better H2896 than she.
Write H3789 ye also for the Jews, H3064 as it liketh H2896 you, H5869 in the king's H4428 name, H8034 and seal H2856 it with the king's H4428 ring: H2885 for the writing H3791 which is written H3789 in the king's H4428 name, H8034 and sealed H2856 with the king's H4428 ring, H2885 may no man reverse. H7725
If it please H2895 the king, H4428 let it be written H3789 that they may be destroyed: H6 and I will pay H8254 ten H6235 thousand H505 talents H3603 of silver H3701 to the hands H3027 of those that have the charge H6213 of the business, H4399 to bring H935 it into the king's H4428 treasuries. H1595
And said, H559 If it please H2896 the king, H4428 and if I have found H4672 favour H2580 in his sight, H6440 and the thing H1697 seem right H3787 before H6440 the king, H4428 and I be pleasing H2896 in his eyes, H5869 let it be written H3789 to reverse H7725 the letters H5612 devised H4284 by Haman H2001 the son H1121 of Hammedatha H4099 the Agagite, H91 which he wrote H3789 to destroy H6 the Jews H3064 which are in all the king's H4428 provinces: H4082
Now, H3705 O king, H4430 establish H6966 the decree, H633 and sign H7560 the writing, H3792 that it be not H3809 changed, H8133 according to the law H1882 of the Medes H4076 and Persians, H6540 which altereth H5709 not. H3809 Wherefore H3606 H1836 H6903 king H4430 Darius H1868 signed H7560 the writing H3792 and the decree. H633 Now when Daniel H1841 knew H3046 that the writing H3792 was signed, H7560 he went H5954 into his house; H1005 and his windows H3551 being open H6606 in his chamber H5952 toward H5049 Jerusalem, H3390 he kneeled H1289 upon H5922 his knees H1291 three H8532 times H2166 a day, H3118 and prayed, H6739 and gave thanks H3029 before H6925 his God, H426 as H6903 H3606 he did H1934 H5648 aforetime. H4481 H1836 H6928 Then H116 these H479 men H1400 assembled, H7284 and found H7912 Daniel H1841 praying H1156 and making supplication H2604 before H6925 his God. H426 Then H116 they came near, H7127 and spake H560 before H6925 the king H4430 concerning H5922 the king's H4430 decree; H633 Hast thou not H3809 signed H7560 a decree, H633 that every H3606 man H606 that shall ask H1156 a petition of H4481 any H3606 God H426 or man H606 within H5705 thirty H8533 days, H3118 save H3861 of thee, H4481 O king, H4430 shall be cast H7412 into the den H1358 of lions? H744 The king H4430 answered H6032 and said, H560 The thing H4406 is true, H3330 according to the law H1882 of the Medes H4076 and Persians, H6540 which altereth H5709 not. H3809 Then H116 answered H6032 they and said H560 before H6925 the king, H4430 That Daniel, H1841 which is of H4481 the children H1123 of the captivity H1547 of Judah, H3061 regardeth H7761 H2942 not H3809 thee, H5922 O king, H4430 nor the decree H633 that thou hast signed, H7560 but maketh H1156 his petition H1159 three H8532 times H2166 a day. H3118 Then H116 the king, H4430 when he heard H8086 these words, H4406 was sore H7690 displeased H888 with himself, and set H7761 his heart H1079 on H5922 Daniel H1841 to deliver H7804 him: and he laboured H1934 H7712 till H5705 the going down H4606 of the sun H8122 to deliver H5338 him. Then H116 these H479 men H1400 assembled H7284 unto H5922 the king, H4430 and said H560 unto the king, H4430 Know, H3046 O king, H4430 that the law H1882 of the Medes H4076 and Persians H6540 is, That no H3606 decree H633 nor statute H7010 which the king H4430 establisheth H6966 may be changed. H8133
And the saying H1697 pleased H3190 H5869 the king H4428 and the princes; H8269 and the king H4428 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Memucan: H4462
And a H2298 stone H69 was brought, H858 and laid H7761 upon H5922 the mouth H6433 of the den; H1358 and the king H4430 sealed H2857 it with his own signet, H5824 and with the signet H5824 of his lords; H7261 that the purpose H6640 might not H3809 be changed H8133 concerning Daniel. H1841
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.