Esther

1. Esther

2. Esther

3. The Persian Empire • (Est 1:1 NKJV) Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia),

4. The Persian Empire

5. Shushan the citadel • (Est 1:2 NKJV) in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel,

6. Shushan/Susa

7. A Great Feast • (Est 1:3-4 NKJV) that in the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his officials and servants; the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces being before him; {4} when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.

8. “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, . . . (JFB)

9. “Made a feast unto all his princes and his servants.” • 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. (JFB)

10. “Made a feast unto all his princes and his servants.” • “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.’ JFB

11. The Seven Day Feast • (Est 1:5 NKJV) And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.

12. 15,000 persons at their table • Feasts on this extensive scale were not unusual in the East. Cyrus is said on one occasion to have feasted “all the Persians.” Even ordinarily, the later Persian monarchs entertained 15,000 persons at their table. • --Albert Barnes

13. Imagine the Cost! • (Est 1:6 NKJV) There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble.

14. Elaborate Drinking Cups • (Est 1:7 NKJV) And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king.

15. Drinking was not compulsory • (Est 1:8 NKJV) In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man's pleasure.

16. A Different Interpretation • (Est 1:8 NCV) The king commanded that the guests be permitted to drink as much as they wished. He told the wine servers to serve each person what he wanted.

17. Women eat with women • (Est 1:9 NKJV) Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

18. “Made a feast for the women” • - The king, having subdued all his enemies, left no competitor for the kingdom; and being thus quietly and firmly seated on the throne, made this a time of general festivity. As the women of the East never mingle with the men in public, Vashti made a feast for the Persian ladies by themselves; and while the men were in the court of the garden, the women were in the royal house. -- Adam Clarke

19. When the King had Drunk • (Est 1:10-11 NKJV) On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, {11} to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold.

20. “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 revelers, 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.(JFB)

21. “He commanded ... the seven chamberlains” • 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.

22. Adam Clarke adds . . . • Est 1:11 • To bring Vashti the queen - The Targum adds naked.

23. Add one word to the text, and you have the thought of the Targum • (Est 1:11 NKJV) to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing (only) her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. • Or “wearing (just) her royal crown • While naming what to wear, why is no robe mentioned?

24. Harley’ Thoughts • As I prepare my lessons, I constantly consider these five commentaries: • Adam Clarke • Albert Barnes • Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown • Matthew Henry • Keil-Delitzsch • These do not all have comments on every verse and they do not all agree which is understandable.

25. Harley’ Thoughts • I think the king is asking her to be revealingly clothed, but let’s consider the opposite. • Let’s suppose that he is asking her to appear beautifully dressed and made up? • What is the purpose of such an appearance? Can it have any noble purpose? • Is it a true honor to his wife? • Why did he have to become drunk before he makes this request?

26. What is the Targum? • From a Google search, I found the following: • I’d like to explain what the Targum is. After the Babylonian exile (approx.586-537 BC) the Jews very slowly but surely forgot their ancestral Hebrew language and began to speak Aramaic, a closely related Semitic language. This change in language was complete by the time of Jesus, who spoke Aramaic. . . .

27. What is the Targum? • At this point, Hebrew remained only as the language of liturgy, or public worship, and was only known by specially trained readers. In order that the masses might understand the scriptures, they began to translate them from Hebrew into Aramaic. These Aramaic translations are what we call Targum. According to the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia (here), under the heading Targum:

28. Queen Vashti refused to come • (Est 1:12 NKJV) But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.

29. Harley’s Comments • Leadership by a drunken man is very poor leadership if we want to call it leadership at all. He was king, but was disqualified to make good judgments. • God used his foolish judgment to protect His own people, but that is not to the credit of the king’s lack of judgment.

30. He asked for advice, but was it good? • (Est 1:13-14 NKJV) Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king's manner toward all who knew law and justice, {14} those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king's presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom):

31. Wrong thinking Prevails • (Est 1:15-16 NKJV) "What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?" {16} And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: "Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.

32. Wrong Thinking by Leaders • Vashti – “hath not done wrong to the king only” - This reasoning or arguing was inconsequent and false. Vashti had not generally disobeyed the king, therefore she could be no precedent for the general conduct of the Persian women. She disobeyed only in one particular; and this, to serve a purpose, -- Adam Clarke

33. Wrong Thinking by Leaders • Memucan draws into a general consequence; and the rest came to the conclusion which he drew, being either too drunk to be able to discern right from wrong, or too intent on reducing the women to a state of vassalage, to neglect the present favorable opportunity. -- Adam Clarke

34. Wrong conclusions follow a wrong beginning • (Est 1:17 NKJV) "For the queen's behavior will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.'

35. All because of drunken pride that will not change. • (Est 1:18 NKJV) "This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king's officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath. • (A statement with nothing to back it up except their position of counselors.)

36. Let the King divorce the Queen! • (Est 1:19 NKJV) "If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.

37. Would that be honor, or fear? • (Est 1:20 NKJV) "When the king's decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small."

38. It was a “Macho” ruling, but was it right? • (Est 1:21-22 NKJV) And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. {22} Then he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.

39. What do I see in the Chapter?

40. What do I see in the Chapter? • Might does not make right?

41. What do I see in the Chapter? • Might does not make right? • Vashti was wronged, and no record is made of things ever being made right. • Men often place their own desires above consideration of the rights of others.

42. What do I see in the Chapter? • Might does not make right? • Vashti was wronged, and no record is made of things ever being made right. • Men often place their own desires above consideration of the rights of others. • In my judgment, it is a sordid story of drunkenness, immorality, and selfishness.

43. What do I see in the Chapter? • Might does not make right? • Vashti was wronged, and no record is made of things ever being made right. • Men often place their own desires above consideration of the rights of others. • In my judgment, it is a sordid story of drunkenness, immorality, and selfishness. • We thank God for overruling in the events of men as we find the chapters that follow.