CHAPTER 1

(521 B.C.)

AHASUERUS MAKES A ROYAL FEAST

¹Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces [Ahasuerus is a kingly title, and could have applied to several individuals.

The Book of Esther presents to the reader the captives of Israel scattered among the Gentiles under the just judgment of Hosea 1:9, and yet loved and cared for, in secret, by God. Being Lo-ammi, He could not publicly recognize them. That recognition could only be given to the Gentile, to whom the Lord had committed supreme power. Without revoking the judgment pronounced through Hosea, the Lord secretly watched over them and, without displaying Himself, shaped public affairs in their interests. They had lost all title to His Protection and, therefore, it is an extremely important and comforting study to observe in this Book how the Lords hidden Hand prepared and directed everything for a people, in themselves unlovely, but beloved for the Fathers sake. Hence, the Holy Spirit, with design, is careful not to let the Name of God appear in the Book, though it lies concealed in the Hebrew Text.

As well, the absence, therefore, of that Name is a great encouragement to faith, for the argument and the lesson which its omission conveys is that, behind the visible events of history, there is an Almighty and Faithful Love that cherishes and protects the broken and scattered people of God Williams]:)

²That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

³In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him (he was the master of the world of that day; this position was given to him by God, even though he did not recognize such):

⁴When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days (many believe this particular Ahasuerus was Xerxes; this festivity lasted for six months).

⁵And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the kings palace (from Verse 9, we gather that this was a feast for men only);

⁶Where 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 (this was a mosaic pavement of four different hues, no doubt, exquisitely beautiful).

⁷And 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.

⁸And the drinking 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 mans pleasure (for this particular feast, the men could drink or not drink; it was their choice).

⁹Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus (evidently, this particular feast was for women only).

QUEEN VASHTI REFUSES TO OBEY THE KING

¹⁰On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

¹¹To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on (this practice was not entirely unusual for kings of that day).

¹²But the queen Vashti refused to come at the kings commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth (angry), and his anger burned in him (Vashti, in this instance, was justified in her actions; had she complied, she would have lost the respect not only of the Persian nation, but of the king himself).

VASHTIS PUNISHMENT

¹³Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the kings manner toward all who knew law and judgment [the law of the Medes and the Persians]:

¹⁴And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the kings face, and which sat the first in the kingdom [these individuals seemed to have access to the monarch at all times];)

¹⁵What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

¹⁶And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. (From this mans reply, we realize that there was no Persian law which provided for a penalty for such a case. The idea seems to be that they will now make up a law, which, of course, was unjust.

However, even though the Lord did not cause these events to take place, He most definitely did take advantage of the events, even as we shall see.)

¹⁷For 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 (all of it is a trumped up charge!).

¹⁸Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the kings princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

¹⁹If 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 altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another who is better than she.

²⁰And when the kings decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

²¹And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

²²For he sent letters into all the kings provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people (besides publishing the decree, Ahasuerus sent letters prescribing certain things).