(1:1) Queen Esther's Story Begins - Esther's story begins in 483 BC, halfway through Ezra's story. The events in this book occurred 103 years after Nebuchadnezzar took the Jews into captivity (2 Kings 25), 54 years after Zerubbabel led the first group of exiles back to Jerusalem (Ezra 1-2), and 25 years before Ezra led the second group to Jerusalem (Ezra 7). Esther lived in the kingdom of Persia, the dominant kingdom in the ancient Middle East after Babylon's fall in 539 BC. Esther's parents must have been among those exiles who chose not to return to Jerusalem, even though Cyrus, the Persian king, had issued a decree allowing them to do so. The Jewish exiles had great freedom in Persia, and many remained because they had established themselves there or were fearful of the dangerous journey back to their homeland. Lil Ahasuerus, also called Xerxes the Great, was Persia's fifth king (486-465 BC. He was proud and impulsive, as we see from the events in Esther 1. His winter palace was in Shushan, where he held the banquet described in

(1:3-8) Ahasuerus attacks Greece -  Persian kings often held great banquets before going to war. In 481, Ahasuerus launched an attack against Greece. After his fleet won a great victory at Thermopylae, he was defeated at Salamis in 480 and had to return to Persia. Esther became queen in 470 (1:4) The celebration lasted 180 days (about six months) because its real purpose was to plan the battle strategy for invading Greece and to demonstrate that the king had sufficient wealth to carry it out. Waging war was not only for survival; it was a means of acquiring more wealth, territory, and power.

(1:5:7) Persia Flaunts Their Wealth - Persia was a world power, and the king, as the center of that power, was one of the wealthiest people in the world. Persian kings loved to flaunt their wealth, even wearing precious gemstones in their beards. Jewelry was a sign of rank for Persian men. Even soldiers wore great amounts of gold jewelry into battle.

(1:9) Vashti is Removed as Queen - Ancient Greek documents call Ahasuerus's wife Amestris, probably a Greek form of the name Vashti. Vashti was deposed in 483 or 482 BC, but she is mentioned in ancient records as the queen mother during the reign of her son, Artaxerxes, who succeeded Ahasuerus. Toward the end of Ahasuerus's reign either Esther died or Vashti was able through her son to regain the influence she had lost.

(1:10-11) A Rash Decision - Ahasuerus made a rash, half-drunk decision based on impure and selfish desires and the supportive advice of his seven legal minions. His self-restraint and practical wisdom were weakened by too much wine. Poor decisions are made when people don't think clearly. Base your decisions on careful thinking, not on the emotions of the moment. Impulsive decision making can result in severe complications. In this case, however, God used this occasion to carry out his providential plan.

(1:10) Eunuchs - Some advisers and government officials were castrated in order to keep the harem safe and to prevent them from having children and then rebelling and trying to establish a dynasty of their own. A castrated official was called a eunuch.

(1:12) A Refusal to Obey - Queen Vashti refused to parade before the king's all-male party, possibly because it was against Persian custom for a woman to appear before a public gathering of men. This conflict between Persian custom and the king's command put her in a difficult situation, and she chose to refuse her half-drunk husband, hoping he would come to his senses later. Some have suggested that Vashti was pregnant with Artaxerxes, who was born in 483 BC, and that she did not want to be seen in public in that state. Whatever the reason, her action was a breach of protocol that also placed Ahasuerus in a difficult situation. Once he made the command, as a Persian king he could not reverse it (see the note on 1:19). While preparing to invade Greece, Ahasuerus had invited important officials from all over his land to see his power, wealth, and authority. If they perceived that he had no authority over even his own wife, it would damage his military credibility--the greatest criterion of success for an ancient king. In addition, King Ahasuerus was accustomed to getting what he wanted.

(1:13-15) Daniel Advises Ahasuerus - Ahasuerus, like most leaders past and present, kept a handful of advisers with whom he would consult on almost all matters. Often a king's success rose or fell on the wisdom of these men. Daniel was such an adviser under Darius and Cyrus (Daniel 6:28).

(1:15) A Distant Relationship - Ancient Middle Eastern kings often did not have close personal relationships with their wives. Ahasuerus demonstrates this because (1) he had a harem (2:3); (2) he showed no respect for Vashti's personhood (1:10-12); and (3) Esther, when she became queen, did not see him for long periods of time (4:11).

(1:6-21) A Lack of Respect - Perhaps the men's thinking had been clouded by drinking. Obviously this law would not cause the women of the country to respect their husbands. Memucan's counsel reflected the repressive attitude that many in ancient societies had toward women. Respect between men and women comes from mutual regard and appreciation for each other as people created in God's image, not from legal pronouncements or orders. Many societies and cultures still do not recognize this today. Forced obedience does not encourage the love and respect wives and husbands should have for each other.

(1:19) The Persian King - A Persian king was thought to be a god by many of his people; therefore, when he issued a law or command, it stood forever (see the notes on 8:8 and Daniel 6:8-9). Such a law could never be canceled, even if it was ill-advised; however, if necessary, a new law could be issued to neutralize the effects of the old law.

Dave Burnette's Life Application