Old Testament Commentary - Esther 1

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 1 Ahasuerus of Persia and Media makes royal feasts—Vashti disobeys the king and is deposed as queen.		XERXES ~ AHASUERUS Eldest son of Darius, King of Persia and his wife Atossa, the daughter of Cyrus the Great of Persia.
1 Now it came to pass in the days of ^aAhasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia^a, over an hundred and seven and twenty ^bprovinces:) 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in ^aShushan the palace^a, 3 In the third year of his reign, he made a ^afeast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: 4 When he shewed the ^ariches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.	1^a Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia This Ahasuerus, of which there are at least three, should be identified with Xerxes/'Serse'(B.C. 485c). The 'great feast' and assembly in Shushan the palace matches history. 2^a Shushan the palace Where we would say that Shushan or Susa was the capital of the Empire of Persia, this statement equates more with saying the Capitol building, Castle or even the Thone of the Empire. And though it was the official palace of the King, and might be thought of as in one sense the equivant to the 'White House', the Palace served as both the 'head of state house and also the king's personal home.	1^a Ezra 4:6 ^b Esth. 6:30 2^a Or Susa; i.e., the capital of Persia; Neh. 1:1 3^a Alma 18:9 4^a Mosiah 11:8; Alma 4:6; Ether 10:7 (5-7) Xerxes' Dog and Pony Show Perhaps a 'catty remark' reguarding 'Serse's' big feast, but it was just that. The Great King Ahasuerus showing off before his 'subjects', the princes, governors, sub-kings, etc., of the 127 provinces of the Empire. The son of Darius, the king Xerses, was putting on a show before the people, the pride of his power, might and kingdom.
Ahasuerus - Xerxes/'Serse' Xerxes is said to have been the eldest son of Darius and his wife Atossa, who was the daughter of Cyrus. He inherited his father's kingdom, which he would expand. It ranged from India to Ethiopia, containing over 127 provinces, that is 'city-states', each with sub-servant kings and governors of their own.' I like this map because it includes such as Ezion-Gerber or Aqaba/Elath, which also so did the Babylonian Empire before it, which would relate to the Book of Mormon and Lehi's time. Jerusalem and it's related towns and lands, was of these 'over 127 provinces' and whose related people, the Jews, were members of this vast Persian Empire. [Where but the desert lands of Saudi Arabia could Lehi's band have wandered?]
5 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 ^agarden of the king's palace; 6 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.		5^a Esth. 7:7
7 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. 8 And the ^adrinking 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 ^bpleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.		8^a 2 Ne. 15:22 ^b Alma 12:31
10 ¶ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, ^aHarbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 11 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. 12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very ^awroth, and his anger burned in him.		10^a Esther 7:9 12^a Mosiah 17:3; Alma 47:3 (1-3)
13 ¶ Then the king said to the ^awise men, which knew the ^btimes, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: 14 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;) 15 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?		13^a Jer. 10:7 ^b 1 Chr. 12:32; Matt. 16:3
16 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. 17 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. 18 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.
19 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 ^aaltered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. 20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the ^awives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small. 21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: 22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their ^alanguage, that every man should bear ^brule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.		19^a Esther 8:8 20^a Eph. 5:22 (22-24) 22^a Esther 8:9 ^b 1 Tim. 3:5 (4-5); D&C 93:43 (41-43, 50)