Esther
Chapter 1
The Banquet of King Ahasuerus
During the reign of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus whose empire stretched from India to Ethiopia and comprised one hundred twenty-seven provinces—
when he occupied the royal throne in the citadel of Susa,
in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers, the Persian and Median aristocracy, military leaders, the nobles and provincial governors.
For as many as a hundred and eighty days, he displayed the riches and splendor of his empire and the wealth and pomp of his royal estate.
At the end of this period, the king hosted a seven-day banquet in the palace garden for everyone living in Susa, regardless of status, both great and humble.
There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings on marble pillars. On a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones, there were gold and silver couches.
Drinks were served in different golden goblets, and the royal wine flowed abundantly, reflecting the king’s generosity.
By the king’s order, each guest was permitted to drink as he wished; all the stewards had been instructed to serve each guest according to his desires.
Queen Vashti also hosted a banquet for the women at King Ahasuerus’s royal palace.
Merry with wine on the seventh day, the king ordered the seven eunuchs who served him as chamberlains—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—
to bring Queen Vashti into his presence with her royal crown, for she was very beautiful. He wanted to showcase her beauty to the people and nobles.
Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s order delivered by the eunuchs; the king was very displeased and grew furious.
As was his custom, the king consulted experts in law and justice.
He summoned the seven nobles of Persia and Media who were in his personal service and held the highest rank in the kingdom—Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan.
He asked them: According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti for disobeying the king’s order issued through the eunuchs?
In the presence of the king and nobles, Memucan replied: It is not only the king that Queen Vashti has wronged, but also all the nobles and the entire population across King Ahasuerus’s provinces.
All the women will soon find out what she did, and they will despise their husbands, saying: ‘King Ahasuerus ordered his wife to be brought before him, but she refused.’
When the Persian and Median women hear about this, they will respond similarly to the royal officials. As a result, this kind of disrespect will never cease to exist.
If it pleases the king, therefore, let an irrevocable royal decree be issued and included among the laws of Persia and Media, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Ahasuerus, and that the king is authorized to grant her royal position to someone more worthy.
When this king’s decree is announced throughout his large kingdom, all wives will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
This proposal pleased the king and his officials, so he followed Memucan’s advice.
He sent letters throughout the entire kingdom, in each province’s own script and each people’s language, declaring that every husband should be the master of his household.
Commentaries
The Banquet of King Ahasuerus.
The first part of the book opens in a palace filled with pomp and lavish displays of wealth. There are three banquets: one hosted by the king for the nobles, courtiers, and generals (2-4); another for the ordinary people (5); and a third arranged by the queen for the women of the palace (9). In all three cases, the narrator says the purpose of the banquets is to showcase the kingdom’s power, wealth, and splendor. The setting shows the king’s desire to share his wealth with his official wife, Queen Vashti (11), who outright refuses his request (12). This defiance angers the king and leads to her being overthrown for her rebellion.
A female perspective on this incident will likely see Vashti’s attitude as representing all women throughout history who have had to endure and survive patriarchal domination that views them only as sexual, commercial, and mercantile objects. Vashti disappears from the scene. We don’t even know the circumstances under which she refused to appear before the king; however, we are left with the testimony of a woman who was capable of disobeying an order from the great lord and owner of all the territory “from India to Nubia,” and not only of the territory but also of its people.