Esther 1:2

_THAT IN THOSE DAYS, WHEN THE KING AHASUERUS SAT ON THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM, WHICH WAS IN SHUSHAN THE PALACE,_ When the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom - i:e., in the third year of his reign. IN SHUSHAN THE PALACE, х_ SHUWSHAN_ (H7800), a lily: 'Moroea Sisyrynchium, Ker. Iris Sisyrynchium' (Linn.)]. IN SHUSHAN THE PALACE, х_ SHUWSHAN_ (H7800), a lily: 'Moroea Sisyrynchium, Ker. Iris Sisyrynchium' (Linn.)]. By some persons, it is supposed that the extraordinary abundance of that flower in the neighbourhood gave the name of Shushan, the City, to this locality. Loftus, also Athenoeus and Stephen of Byzantium, as cited by Bochart ('Sacred Geography,' part 2:; Kinneir, 'Memoir on the Persian Empire,' p. 98), says, 'Shus, in the Pehlevi, signifies "pleasant."' Susa, Sus, or Shush, the capital of Susiana, and of all Persia

1-9 The pride of Ahasuerus's heart rising with the grandeur of his kingdom, he made an extravagant feast. This was vain glory. Better is a dinner of herbs with quietness, than this banquet of wine, with all the noise and tumult that must have attended it. But except grace prevails in the heart, self-exaltation and self-indulgence, in one form or another, will be the ruling principle. Yet none did compel; so that if any drank to excess, it was their own fault. This caution of a heathen prince, even when he would show his generosity, may shame many called Christians, who, under pretence of sending the health round, send sin round, and death with it. There is a woe to them that do so; let them read it, and tremble, Habakkuk 2:15; Habakkuk 2:16....

Verse Esther 1:2. _SAT ON THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM_] Having subdued all his enemies, and brought universal peace to his empire. See the commencement of the _introduction_. _SHUSHAN THE PALACE_] The ancient city of Susa, now called [Persian] _Shuster_ by the Persians. This, with Ecbatana and Babylon, was a residence of the Persian kings. The word הבירה _habbirah_, which we render _the palace_, should be rendered _the_ _city_, ενσουσοιςτηπολει, as in the _Septuagint_....

THE GREAT FEAST OF KING AHASUERUS AT SUSA, AND THE DISGRACE OF VASHTI EXPOSITION THE GREAT FEAST (Esther 1:1). King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) in the third year of his reign, which was B.C. 484-483, entertained at a great feast in the royal palace of Susa all his princes and his servants, "the power of Persia and Media," together with all the nobles and princes of the provinces (Esther 1:2, Esther 1:3). The hospitality was extended over a s

THAT IN THOSE DAYS, WHEN THE KING AHASUERUS SAT ON THE THRONE OF HIS KINGDOM,.... Not only was placed upon it, but settled in it; after Xerxes had subdued Egypt, in the second year of his reign e, and enjoyed great peace and tranquillity: WHICH WAS IN SHUSHAN THE PALACE; that is, the throne of his kingdom was in Shushan, the royal city of the kings of Persia; of which [See comments on Ne 1:1] Daniel 8:2. e Herodot. ib. (Thalia, sive, l. 3.) c. 7....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS THE BANQUETS AND QUEEN VASHTI DISOWNED CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The first feast of the king (Esther 1:1)_ 2. The king's feast unto all the people (Esther 1:5) 3. The queen's feast for the women (Esther 1:9) 4. The queen's refusal to appear at the king's feast (Esther 1:10) 5. The queen put away (Esther 1:13) Esther 1:1. King Ahasuerus, one of the leading characters of this book, is known in history as Xerxes I. The n

ESTHER 1. THE ROYAL FEAST. VASHTI'S DISOBEDIENCE AND DEGRADATION. The opening words in MT (and it came to pass) are in good Heb style, which shows that an able scribe wrote here. But they prove that something once stood before them. Even Paton translates, And afterward! After what? He says strangely, This expression is used in continuation of a historical narrative, and adds, lamely and incorrectly, It is an imitation of the beginnings of the older histories. The tale has clearly been truncated here, doubtless because the original spoke of Yahweh. A version of the original still exists in LXX: it is a sort of preface, saying that a Jew lived in Shushan (Daniel 8:2 *), who had a Perso-Babylonian name Mordecai, i.e. related to Marduk, Lord of Fate which the scribes would dislike and he was descended from the house of king Saul, also disliked by scribes. He was a court servant of king Artax...

IN THOSE DAYS: i.e. the days when these events took place. At other times he dwelt at Ecbatana, or elsewhere. Esther 1:1 mentions the ruler; Esther 1:2, the place; Esther 1:1, the time. SAT. took his seat, or came to. SHUSHAN. Now, the ruins of _Susa,_ on the river Shapur, east of Persian Gulf. PALACE. castle, or fortress. Compare Nehemiah 1:1....

_Shushan the palace_ i.e. Susa. Ecbatana, Babylon, Persepolis, and Susa were all places of sojourn for the Persian court for longer or shorter periods. -Shushan the palace," which is to be distinguished from -Shushan the city" (Esther 9:13-15) was built by Darius, father of Xerxes, on the same plan as the palace at Persepolis. The city of Susa was cut in two by a wide river, anciently called the Choaspes, and now known under the name of _Ab-Kharkha_. The populous quarters on the right bank are now marked by hardly perceptible undulations of the plain; on the left, the royal city, the citadel, and the palace. "Three huge mounds, forming a rhomboidal mass, 4500 feet long from N. to S., and 3000 feet broad from E. to W., are a standing witness to the size and magnificence of the buildings which formed the ancient citadel or acropolis," Driver in _Camb. Bible_on...

WHEN THE KING AHASUERUS SAT ON THE THRONE— That is, enjoying peace and tranquillity through his large dominions; for the history of his accession to the throne is this: Xexres, his father, was privately murdered by Artabanes, captain of his guard. He coming to him, who was then but the third son, made him believe that Darius, his eldest brother, had done it to make his way to the throne, and that he had a design likewise to cut him off to make himself secure in it. Ahasuerus, believing this, went immediately to his brother's apartment, and with the assistance of Artabanes and his guards slew him; thinking all the while that he acted but in his own defence. The drift of Artabanes was, to seize on the throne himself; but for the present he took Ahasuerus and placed him thereon, with a design to pull him down as soon as matters were ripe for his own ascent; but when Ahasuerus understood thi...