Queen Vashti Deposed by King Xerxes.
Esther 1:1-22 NLT
Vashti Deposed by Xerxes
The King’s Banquet
1:1 These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. 2 At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. 3 In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. 4 The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty.
5 When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden. 6 The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
7 Drinks were served in gold goblets of many designs, and there was an abundance of royal wine, reflecting the king’s generosity. 8 By edict of the king, no limits were placed on the drinking, for the king had instructed all his palace officials to serve each man as much as he wanted.
9 At the same time, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
Queen Vashti Deposed
10 On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas— 11 to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman. 12 But when they conveyed the king’s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger.
13 He immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice. 14 The names of these men were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire.
15 “What must be done to Queen Vashti?” the king demanded. “What penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king’s orders, properly sent through his eunuchs?”
16 Memucan answered the king and his nobles, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire. 17 Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king. 18 Before this day is out, the wives of all the king’s nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.
19 “So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the Persians and Medes that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she. 20 When this decree is published throughout the king’s vast empire, husbands everywhere, whatever their rank, will receive proper respect from their wives!”
21 The king and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed Memucan’s counsel. 22 He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.
Examine the Scriptures
Esther 1:1-22 NLT
The King’s Banquet
1 These events happened in the days of King Xerxes,
Xerxes is the Greek name. The Hebrew name for Xerxes is Ahasuerus.
Xerxes succeeded his father Darius.
Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire for 21 years from 485 to 465 B.C.
He is mentioned in Ezra 4:6 and Daniel 9:1.
who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.
2 At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa.
3 In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials.
- In the third year of his reign, King Xerxes gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials.
He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. 4 The celebration lasted 180 days
- The celebration lasted 180 days
A 6 month long celebration.
The Persian Empire had a large administrative system made up of government leaders including the leaders of the 127 provinces in this vast empire and all of his military officers.
Commentators speculated that the officials took turns attending events so that the military and other government offices could continue to operate.
—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty.
Designed to impress others, including the military leaders, of the king’s greatness.
Illustrates Xerxes pride.
- Though not stated in scripture, this banquet probably corresponds to the great feast Xerxes gave when he was planning to invade Greece.
Military campaigns were common throughout the Old Testament.
2 Samuel 11:1 NLT
David and Bathsheba11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah.
Battles were fought to restore the honor of a king or a nation.
Battles were fought to control others and to obtain a source of income from taxes.
Battles for fought for the spoils of war.
Nahum 2:9 ESV
9 Plunder the silver,
plunder the gold!
There is no end of the treasure
or of the wealth of all precious things.
Nahum 2:9 ERV
9 Take the silver!
Take the gold!
There are many things to take.
There are many treasures.
Secular source of information:
- Herodotus was a Greek writer, geographer and historian born in the Greek city of Halicarnassus, part of the Persian Empire. (484 BC – 425 BC)
According to Herodotus it took Xerxes four years to get ready for the invasion he launched in 481. No doubt the 180 days involved planning sessions in which all the provinces’ leaders were being prepared for the war effort, as well as being impressed with Xerxes’ wealth and splendor. The campaign was to be a costly affair.
The Book of Esther says nothing about Xerxes’ invasion of Greece, but other sources state that he wanted to avenge his father’s defeat at Marathon near Athens.
Xerxes engaged in three major battles with the Greeks (480-479 B.C.).
He won the first battle but lost the next two battles.
Defeated, he had to retreat home.
The time line of Esther from our previous lesson corresponds with the facts known from secular sources.
5 When it was all over,
The 180 day celebration for Xerxes’ officials.
the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden.
For all the people, from the greatest to the least.
Held outdoors to accommodate large numbers of guests.
6 The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
Even the pavement was exquisitely opulent.
“on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.”
The descriptions of the décor of the king’s palace garden add to the feeling that the writer had firsthand knowledge of the setting and the occasion.
7 Drinks were served in gold goblets of many designs, and there was an abundance of royal wine, reflecting the king’s generosity. 8 By edict of the king, no limits were placed on the drinking, for the king had instructed all his palace officials to serve each man as much as he wanted.
In other words the king was liberal with the wine and a lot of people got drunk.
Often the guests could only drink when the king was drinking.
The abundance of wine being served would have resulted in many guests getting drunk.
9 At the same time, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
Separate banquets were not unusual in that culture.
Vashti’s Greek name was Amestris .
She was the mother of Xerxes third son, Artaxerxes 483 B.C., who later succeeded his father on the throne.
According to Greek historians – She was known as queen mother during the reign of her son.
Queen Vashti Deposed
10 On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine,
This order was given on the seventh day, that is, the last day of the feast which had turned into a drunken party.
he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas—
Castrated because their roles brought them into frequent contact with the women of the royal harem.
Castrated so they would have no illusions of starting their own dynasties.
11 to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman. 12 But when they conveyed the king’s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come.
- King Xerxes wanted the nobles and all the other men at the feast to gaze on Queen Vashti’s beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman.
“Vashti was a very beautiful woman.”
- Queen Vashti refused to come to the king’s banquet.
Vashti’s refusal is not explained by the author.
Maybe she simply did not wish to be “gazed at” by all of the men.
Perhaps she did not wish to be in mixed company (of drunkards) at that time.
Perhaps she refused to go to the banquet because she was pregnant with Artaxerxes, who was born in 483.
Regardless of the reason for her refusal, her action was a breach of etiquette. The king was used to getting whatever he desired whenever he desired it. Therefore her response made him furious.
This made the king furious, and he burned with anger.
But he first consulted with his advisors.
13 He immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice. 14 The names of these men were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire.
Wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs held the highest positions in the empire.
- Throughout the ancient Near East wise men played important roles in governments.
(e.g., Daniel’s position in the Babylonian and Persian Empires).
15 “What must be done to Queen Vashti?” the king demanded. “What penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king’s orders, properly sent through his eunuchs?”
- The king consulted wise men about what he should do.
These seven men had special access to the king and were the ones who knew the law well.
Herodotus has confirmed the fact that this use of wise men was a feature of ancient Near Eastern courts.
16 Memucan answered the king and his nobles,
The counsel King Xerxes received from Memucan is somewhat questionable.
“Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire. 17 Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king.
- The crime the queen had committed was that she disobeyed a command of the king.
Obviously the king and queen did not share an emotionally intimate relationship. This was true of Xerxes and the women in his harem.
18 Before this day is out, the wives of all the king’s nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.
19 “So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the Persians and Medes that cannot be revoked.
Irrevocable nature of Persian law
Daniel 6:8, 15 NLT
8 And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”
15 In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”
- According to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.
It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she.
- Memucan advised King Xerxes to banish Queen Vashti from his presence forever and choose another queen more worthy than Queen Vashti.
20 When this decree is published throughout the king’s vast empire, husbands everywhere, whatever their rank, will receive proper respect from their wives!”
Memucan suggested that he have the queen deposed so that other women of the empire would not follow Vashti’s example and despise their husbands and the empire be filled with female disrespect and marital discord.
It is difficult to see how this punishment would cause the women of the empire to respect their husbands but that was the idea behind the decree.
This is partially explained by the fact that the men had been drinking heavily.
21 The king and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed Memucan’s counsel.
- The king followed Memucan’s counsel.
It is possible that the king and his nobles had consumed too much wine during the celebration.
22 He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.
- A vast relay communications system, something like an ancient pony express, made it possible to spread news throughout the empire quickly.
This sets the stage for the rise of Esther.
