Xerxes Deposes Queen Vashti. Esther 1:1-22

Transcription

1 1 Commentary by Ron Thomas Questions by John C. Sewell Xerxes Deposes Queen Vashti Esther 1:1-22

2 2 Text: Esther 1:1-22, Xerxes Deposes Queen Vashti Ron Thomas 1. Now 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:) 2. That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, 3. In 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: 4. When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. 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 garden 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. 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 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 man's pleasure. 9. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

3 On 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 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 wroth, and his anger burned in him. 13. Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (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? 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 altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.

4 And when the king's 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. 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 language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people. Introduction: I. In the English Bible Esther appears adjacent to Ezra-Nehemiah and with the historical books, but in the Hebrew Bible it is one of five short books (the so-called Megillot) that appear toward the end of the biblical writings (NET, E-Sword). II. This chapter is focused on events that ultimately led to the king seeking a new queen. A. Kings are powerful, but sometimes there are women who won t be bullied around by overpowering kings. B. Vashti seems to be one of those women. Commentary: Esther 1:1-9, Now 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:) That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, In 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: When he

5 5 shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. 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 garden of the king's palace; 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. 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. And 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 man's pleasure. Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. I. The King s Feast. 1:1-9 A. Ahasuerus. 1. Where the Hebrew text has Ahasuerus (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV) in this book the Septuagint (LXX) has Artaxerxes. 2. The ruler mentioned in the Hebrew text is Xerxes I (ca B.C.), and a number of modern English versions use Xerxes (e.g., NIV, NCV, CEV, NLT) (NET, E-Sword). 3. He reigned over 127 provinces. a. It has been noted that provinces are not the same as satrapies, but are rather, probably, subdivisions of them.

6 6 b. Daniel 6:1, It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2. The territory went from Ethiopia to India. 3. His throne was in Shushan (Susa). a. Some think this might have been a winter home because during the summer months this place would have been unbearably hot. b. It was a large place; some think it occupied a space of about 25,000 acres (perhaps more, conservatively estimated). B. A feast for his officials and servants. 1. The third year of his reign. a. That is, when he sat firmly in power (Bush, WBC, p. 346). b. He had to put rebellions down in Egypt and Babylon during the first three years of his reign. 2. It is not stated for what occasion this feast occurred. a. Some think this was a military strategy session because this was just shortly before Xerxes invasion of Greece s territories; some think this was a disastrous event for Xerxes. 3. This lasted 6 months (180 days).

7 7 a. There is historical precedence (apart from Esther) for kings of antiquity having had such huge festive occasions. b. The length of time mentioned in Esther does not need to be questioned. i. Why could not an earthly king have desired to have a feast for such a length of time? c. Bush s remark in WBC seems to be out of line: But that cannot be the case here where the banquet lasts for 180 days, almost six months! Clearly the narrator is engaging in sardonic hyperbole (p. 346). i. This can be understood to be the quantity of days with many festive occasions within that period of time taking place. C. A feast for those of Shushan (Susa). 1. Verse 5 can be interpreted as a separate occasion than the 180 days festive occasion. 2. Perhaps this was an occasion for the town folk (or those of the citadel proper). 3. Lasted 7 days. 4. The riches of the king. a. Archaeologists have found the remains of Xerxes palace and have verified the accuracy of the opulence described in this verse [1:6] (Huey, EBC, p. 799).

8 The queen also had a feast for the women. Esther 1:10-22, On 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 that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 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. But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: 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;) 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? 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. 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. 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. 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 altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands

9 9 honour, both to great and small. And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: For he sent letters into all the king's 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. I. The King and his Queen, Vashti. A. The king desired to show off his queen. 1. The king was drunk. This is the common understanding. Literally, he was merry with wine. a. Perhaps he was not drunk like we sometimes think of how drunken people carry themselves, but we can clearly see that his good judgment was missing. b. Cf. Proverbs 23:29-35, Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

10 The king called his eunuchs to request the queen s presence to show her beauty. a. The eunuchs were the ones in charge of the king s harem. Men like that trusted no other man to care for women. The temptation was too great. b. [A] eunuch is an emasculated man i. Deuteronomy 23:1, He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD. ii. The barbarous practice of self-mutilation and the mutilation of others in this way was prevalent throughout the Orient (ISBE, E-Sword). c. What did the king want to see? i. He wanted to show off his queen. ii. The text does not say he wanted to show her off naked, only that he wanted others to see her beauty. iii. Refusal to obey the king was risky even for a queen in the ancient world. d. It is not clear why Vashti behaved so rashly and put herself in such danger. i. Apparently she anticipated humiliation of some kind and was unwilling to subject herself to it, in spite of the obvious dangers.

11 11 ii. There is no justification in the biblical text for an ancient Jewish targumic tradition that the king told her to appear before his guests dressed in nothing but her royal high turban; that is, essentially naked (NET, E-Sword). 3. Vashti refused the king s request. a. Little is known of this woman, but this much is at least known: she had dignity. b. She was not going to be paraded around in front of a bunch of drinking men! c. I am sure she knew full well the consequences of such an action, but some things are more important than wealth and status. d. This woman has gone down in the annals of history as a woman of great virtue. 4. The king was embarrassed and furious. a. His authority and ego had received an affront. b. When one thinks much of self, this ego affront easily occurs. B. The king sought counsel. 1. Seven princes of Persia and Media. a. Exactly who these men were (and others mentioned) is uncertain.

12 12 b. It has been said they were probably astrologers and magicians who were in the king s court extending counsel c. Daniel 2:27, Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; d. Daniel 5:15, And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing:). 2. What the law would allow for the king to do to his queen for embarrassing him in the presence of others. a. This is an interesting request of the king. i. Perhaps he was rattled by what transpired and sought counsel in either law or precedent. b. Why the king felt obligated to search there is uncertain; he could have established law if he wanted. i. Note the respect these people had for law. c. Many monarchs arbitrarily made laws to suit their purposes and, perhaps, this was done in the Persian Empire as well. i. But there was a respect accorded that would play a role later in history with the Romans.

13 Memucan warned the king of the ramifications of the queen s action and asked for a new royal decree. a. She not only embarrassed the king; her actions were an affront to the kingly officials. i. More than that, women in general would think it was permissable to refuse their respective husbands requests/commands. b. Many would interpret this as the thinking of a smallminded group of men and, perhaps, they are right. c. Nevertheless, these men knew full well that many women would indeed see the actions of the queen as something worthy to emulate. 4. The queen was dethroned and a new queen sought. a. The king wass encouraged to take drastic action and in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians. i. This is an important phrase in Esther. ii. Esther 8:8, Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse. iii. Daniel 6:8, 12, 15, Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then they came

14 14 near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.). b. Vashti was dethroned, never to see the king again. 5. Each man shall be the master of his house. a. It is interesting that man commanded this. b. If one were to follow the Lord s teaching, the man, being the head of the home, would most certainly respect his wife as his equal and his helpmeet. C. The laws of the Persians and Medes.

15 15 Questions Esther 1:1-22 (Questions based on NIV text.) 1. The setting for the book of Esther is, the, during the time of, who ruled from - B.C. (See NIV Introduction to Esther.) 2. The book tells the story of a whom chose to be his. When plotted to all the, s, persuaded to try to save her people. her own, she appealed to the king and the. (See NIV Introduction to Esther.) 3. Even though the name of God is not found in the book of Esther, God s providence is clearly seen repeatedly. Give as many examples as possible of God s providence as seen in the book of Esther. 4. What is the Feast of Purim? What does it commemorate? When is it celebrated? How and by whom is it commemorated?

16 How does the placement of Esther in the English and Hebrew Bibles vary? What accounts for this variance? 6. How big was the kingdom over which Xerxes reigned? What is another name for Cush? Where was Cush located? 7. What do you know about Susa? 8. What are other names for Xerxes?

17 In the year of his he gave a for all his and, the of and, the, and the of the. (see NIV) 10. What was the occasion for this elaborate banquet? How long did it last? 11. What was Xerxes sin in verse 4? 12. After the days Xerxes gave a day for all the from the to the who were in the of. 13. Describe the opulence of the garden in which this banquet was held. 14. What is porphyry?

18 What do you think of this seven day feast? If you had been invited, would you have gone to the party? Why or why not? (See verse 8) 16. In the meanwhile, also gave a for the in the of. (NIV) 17. On the last day of this banquet what ill advised decision did Xerxes make? 18. Would you vote for Xerxes for president were he running for office in the next election?

19 How much of the world s history has been determined by leaders like Xerxes? Give a thoughtful answer. 20. What redeeming virtues did Xerxes have which enabled him to govern the vast Medo-Persian Empire? 21. What are eunuchs and what were their roles in the ancient world? 22. What did Xerxes command Vashti to do? 23. Was Vashti s refusal to obey her kingly husband virtuous or stubborn insubordination? Give reasons for your answer.

20 When to come, then the became and with. (NIV) 25. Does this behavior indicate that Xerxes was spoiled and immature? Give reasons for your answer. 26. Name Xerxes seven advisors? What do you think of their advice? _ 27. How do you decide whose advice you will heed? 28. What was Memucan s concern?

21 There will be no end of disrespect and discord. Does this describe the state of present day marriages? 30. What advice did the wise men give Xerxes? 31. Was this good advice? What advice would you have given Xerxes? 32. What was the expected result of the advice the experts gave Xerxes? 33. Was this result achieved by Xerxes complying with Memucan s advice?

22 What dispatch did Xerxes send throughout his empire? 35. What would the reaction be to this proclamation if it were sent throughout our country? 36. Whatever happened to Vashti? 37. How important was law in the Medo-Persian Empire? 38. Compare/contrast the characters of Vashti and Xerxes.

23 What happened during the first three years of Xerxes reign? What did these things have to do, if anything, with the timing of Xerxes six month party? 40. How did alcohol affect the events of Esther chapter 1? How do alcohol and drugs affect our society?