Ahasuerus was the king of persia who according to the book of esther ruled from india to ethiopia. They are listed, at least as it seems, in chronological dating order. Jan 10, 2021 rumble esther 1 king james version 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. His powerful empire spread from india to ethiopia esth. He invaded greece with an army, it is said, of more than 2,000,000 soldiers, only 5,000 of whom returned with him. The narrative takes a turn when mordecai inflames the wrath of the kings highest. Esther and a significant number of the jewish people lived. The events in the book of esther probably took place around 521495 bc. Esther, the beautiful jewish wife of the persian king ahasuerus xerxes i, and her cousin mordecai persuade the king to retract an order for the general. He is believed by 19th century commentators to be xerxes i of persia.
The ahasuerus in the book of esther is probably xerxes i 1. Esther 18 amp the banquets of the king it was in bible. The man of the house was none other than the king of the greatest empire in the world of his day. The book of esther described part of the jewish diaspora that stayed behind in persia and did not return to jerusalem during the restoration. The most famous appearance of ahasuerus was as a character in the book of esther, in which he searches for a new queen after the death of his wife vashti and is.
In the biblical book that bears her name, esther is a beautiful young jewish woman who lives with her cousin and foster parent, mordecai, in the persian royal citadel of susa. Esther, a jew living among the exiles in persia, became queen of the empire in about 480 b. The name of the father of darius the mede darius the mede, in the bible, a king of the medes who succeeded to the throne of babylonia after belshazzar. Five things about esther that nobody talks about jews. From the book of esther paperback illustrated, november 12, 20 by susan steele author 4. During this celebration for the nobles and officers close to the king, there was much drinking, lavish food, and concubines. Jun 05, 2020 the book of esther begins with the words, now in the days of ahasuerus, the ahasuerus who reigned from india to ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when king ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in susa, the citadel, in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants est. How to pronounce say ahasuerus by bible speak pronunciation. Esther 1 background information with maps and images.
Jan 26, 2018 xerxes is more common in nonbiblical literature, but ahasuerus is the preferred hebrew rendering. So too, greek historians depict xerxes as a shameless skirtchaser, adding that women heavily influenced all the weighty decisions taken by the men of his day. Five things about esther that nobody talks about jews for jesus. Purim celebrates the salvation of the jews of persia during the reign of king ahasuerus. Jun 20, 2016 this was in all probability the xerxes of profane history, who succeeded his father darius b. We are first introduced to her as she is taken into the palace by the persian king ahasuerus to become his new wife esth 2.
In the narrative, ahasuerus seeks a new wife after his. The book of esther describes the jewish heroine esther, who saved the jewish people in persia from annihilation during the reign of king xerxes i ahasuerus of persia, who ruled from 486 to 465 bc. He doesnt seem to give it too much thought, but later. Xerxes is more common in nonbiblical literature, but ahasuerus is the preferred hebrew rendering. The story of esther listen to gnt uplifting scriptures. In each of these scenes, a characters ability to give or deny consent is directly related to their social power. The moving and dramatic story of esther and her uncle.
Esther the adopted daughter of mordecaifinds favor with the king and is accepted as queen of the realm ch. Xerxes is identified with the king ahasuerus in the biblical book of esther, which scholars generally consider to be fictional. The author also displays an accurate knowledge of persian customs and palaces. Mar 31, 2021 the old greek septuagint version of esther translates the name ahasuerus as artaxerxes, a greek name derived from the persian artaxsa. Ahasuerus appears most prominently in the book of esther, and the intrigues of the kings court provide the biblical origin of the festival of purim. Achashverosh, as his name transliterates from hebrew, was also mentioned in the books of ezra, daniel and tobit. Theyll say, king ahasuerus ordered queen vashti to be brought before him, but she wouldnt come. The story told in the book of esther takes place during the rule of ahasuerus, who amongst others has been identified as the 5thcentury persian king xerxes i reigned 486465 bc.
She tells ahasuerus that haman is wicked and that he ahasuerus should save the jews. The story told in the book of esther takes place during the rule of ahasuerus, who amongst others has been identified as the 5thcentury persian king xerxes i. Feb 07, 2019 according to the book of esther, during his third year on the throne, king ahasuerus also spelled achashverosh. This ahasuerus is probably xerxes of history, esther 1.
Jun 28, 2004 the man of the house was none other than the king of the greatest empire in the world of his day. The jews of the persian empire were threatened with destruction due to the machinations of haman, the chief minister to ahasuerus. If you want a fresh new perspective on the book of esther this is it. He doesnt seem to give it too much thought, but later, when he offers esther a boon, shes able to reverse the whole process.
Mar 19, 2019 the book of esther is particularly fruitful in this regard. The book of esther portrays ahasuerus as easily manipulated by women. Achashverosh, as his name transliterates from hebrew, was also mentioned in the books of. In chapter 1 he gives a great banquet for his nobles and, after several days of eating and drinking, orders that queen vashti appear at the banquet so the men there might see her great beauty. Secular history knows him better by his greek name, king xerxes i who. Secular history knows him better by his greek name, king xerxes i who ruled persia from 486 to 465 b.
King ahasuerus agrees to help commit a genocide simply because his wicked counselor suggests doing so. The hebrew achashwerosh is a much closer transliteration of the persian khshayarsha or the babylonian from achshiyarshu than is the greek xerxes. For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes. Better to conclude that, whereas evilmerodach had exalted jehoiachin in the year that he began to reign, ahasuerus appears to have raised up haman some time after his wedding, in his 7 th year cf. The name of the father of darius the mede 2 is also given as ahasuerus. Queen esther uses her influence with the king to thwart the plot, however, and the jews were instead given royal sanction to attack their enemies.
Ahasuerus of esther is later either 522486 bc or 486465 bc, as traditionally dated1. Summary of the book of esther the book of esther was written during a time when the persian empire ruled the world and ahasuerus probably xerxes i was the king of persia. Ahasuerus is given as the name of a king, the husband of esther, in the book of esther. The book of esther never mentions gods name, yet god clearly orchestrated all of its events. Esther 1 now in the days of ahasuerus, the ahasuerus who. And so i had concluded that evilmerodach was the long sought for king ahasuerus. The greek version of the book of esther refers to him as artaxerxes, and the historian josephus relates that this was the name by which he was known to the greeks.
During this time the enemies of israel hired counselors to bring false accusations to the ears of the different persian kings. He divorced his queen vashti for refusing to appear in. Which persian monarch was the ahasuerus of the book of. Ahasuerus, the persian king of the book of esther, being identified by the rabbis with the one mentioned in dan.
He ruled over the kingdoms of persia, media, and babylonia, from india to ethiopia. Xerxes i also known as xerxes the great the son of darius the great, ruled 486465 b. The book of esther is one of two biblical books that never mention god. An archaeological biography bible archaeology report. This was during a time just before the wall of jerusalem was rebuilt. Jewish tradition relates that esther was the mother of a king darius and so some try to identify ahasuerus with artaxerxes i and esther with kosmartydene. Book of esther ahasuerus is given as the name of a king, the husband of esther, in the book of esther. He is said to have ruled from india even unto ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces that is, over the achaemenid empire. It may mean that he will not cast esther off as lightly as he cast off his previous wife, vashti. For such a time as this the story of ahasuerus and esther. Which persian monarch was the ahasuerus of the book of esther.
King ahasuerus xerxes plays a prominent role in the book of esther. Queen esther continued to be obedient to her uncle mordecai causing her to conceal her race, the kings life to be rescued from an assassination plot, and mordecais good deed to be recorded in the history book 2. In the book of esther, why is king ahasuerus so in love with esther. Doc king ahasuerus of book of esther damien mackey. Esther is described in all versions of the book of esther as the jewish queen of a persian king ahasuerus. The book of esther begins with the allpowerful king of persia ahasuerus banishing his queen and seeking a replacement.
Tracing the history of the book of esther and jewish festival purim. That in the book of tobit may be cyaxares i, destroyer of nineveh. He was hasty in his temper and did many foolish acts. Now it came to pass in the days of ahasuerus he was the ahasuerus who reigned from hodu to. This is most likely due to his representation in the book of esther, and it surely didnt hurt that he had destroyed the statue of marduk. The book of esther is distinctive from the rest of the hebrew bible because even though its general theme is the danger faced by jews living in a foreign country. Esther in the picture study bible the book of esther with. The septuagint greek bible and josephus firstcentury historian, however, both refer to ahasuerus as artaxerxes i. Ahasuerus article about ahasuerus by the free dictionary. The jews called him ahasuerus, the hebrew form of his persian name. Haman, a persian official, sought to eradicate the jewish minority, but god had prepared esther for such a time as this 4. Jan 02, 2020 king ahasuerus xerxes plays a prominent role in the book of esther.
Now it came to pass in the days of ahasuerus, this is ahasuerus which reigned, from india even. The celebration lasted for half a year and concluded with a weeklong drinking festival, during which both the king and his guests consumed vast quantities of alcohol. The religious policy of xerxes and the book of esther. King ahasuerus, the son of darius hystaspes, the husband of queen esther and recorded in the book of esther. Otherwise unknown outside biblical tradition, it is likely that this. Queen esther uses her influence with the king to thwart the plot, however, and the jews were instead given royal sanction to. Ahasuerus is given as the name of the king of persia in the book of esther. He is the xerxes who invaded greece, was stopped temporarily at thermopylae, defeated at the naval battle at salamis, and nearly annihilated at plataea 479 b. The other king who some historians believe to be the ahasuerus of the book of esther is the persian king xerxes.
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