1 Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, 3 in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, 4 while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. 5 And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6 There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. 8 And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.
13 Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, 14 the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): 15 “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 16 Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. 19 If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20 So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” 21 This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Esther is an interesting book of the Bible because it is the only book that doesn’t mention God at all. It also doesn’t mention the law, sacrifices, offerings, or prayer, though fasting is. Despite this, it is a book that shows that even when the Jews were spiritually apathetic, God was looking out for them.
This opening chapter sets the stage for the story of Esther. King Xerces (Ahasuerus in the Hebrew) gave a feast for all his officials and servants at his winter palace in Susa. No expense was spared. He put all his royal riches and glory on display for 180 days. At the end of those days, he gave another banquet for seven days. At the banquet, everyone was free to drink as they pleased and the king made plenty of royal wine available. At the same time, Queen Vashti held a feast for the women which was not uncommon for the culture.
On the last day of the banquet, the king ordered his eunuchs to bring Vashti to the banquet so her beauty could be admired by his male guests but she refused. There is no implication that he expected her to do anything immoral. Her refusal to present herself didn’t go down well with the king who was used to getting what he wanted when he wanted it and he became furious.
The king consulted with his wise men, who knew the law well, on how to handle the crime of disobeying a command from the king. They suggested that her crime was not only against the king but against all the men of the land. They posited that when the women heard about her refusal, they would follow her example and look at their husbands with contempt. Their solution was to have Vashti banished from the king’s presence and crown a new queen in her place. This suggestion pleased the king and he sent out an edict in all the official languages throughout the empire to that effect.
All of this seems quite irrational, but the king and his officials had been drinking heavily and the king was responding in anger. What do you need to do to ensure you don’t make rash, unwise decisions? (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2:6)
Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan
Stephen’s Sermon: Acts 7-8