Esther 1:1-22
Oh, King Ahasuerus.
• powerful (v 1)
• proud (v 4)
• persuaded (v 16-19)
👉 There are three banquets in chapter one.
Banquet 1 (v 3): the officials, armies, nobles, governors, etc.
Banquet 2 (v 5): all the people great and small were invited to feast in the garden
Banquet 3 (v 8): the queen and all the women inside the palace
[Banquets two and three are likely taking place at the same time with the men in the gardens with the king and the women in the palace with the queen.]
👉 The Four Rs of Chapter One
• The Request (v 11): The king wanted the queen brought before him (and all of the drunken men) wearing her crown and displaying her beauty.
• The Refusal (v 12): The queen refused to come at the king’s command.
• The Result (v 19): The queen’s royal position is taken away and she is never again allowed to be before the king.
• The Reasoning (v 17-18): The advisors convinced the king that the queen’s behavior would encourage disrespect in all the households and wives would now view their husbands with contempt.
👉 The common belief is that Queen Vashti was being asked to appear before the crowd in her crown and nothing else. The king wanted to put her on display as he had all of his other possessions in verse 4. Was she offended? Afraid? Angry at the thought? We don’t know her reasoning – but her refusal paved the way for the coming of Esther.
Happy Friday, friends!
