Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Esther 1:2
[That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,
2. 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’ (Est 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 Dan 8:27.
M. Dieulafoy, a French architect and engineer, in 1884 6 carried out important excavations at Susa, and brought to light many interesting features, recovering the plan of the citadel, and extensive remains of the buildings of which it consisted. “Artaxerxes, in an inscription found on one of the columns, says: ‘My ancestor Darius built this Apadna in ancient times. In the reign of Artaxerxes, my grandfather, it was consumed by fire. By the grace of Ahuramazda, Anatis, and Mithras, I have restored this Apadna.’ An Apadna was a large hall or throne-room. The Apadna of Susa stood on the N. of the Acropolis: it formed a square of about 250 feet each way. The roof (which consisted of rafters and beams of cedar, brought from Lebanon) was supported by 36 columns in rows of six; the sides and back were composed of walls of brick, each pierced by four doors; the front of the hall was open. The columns were slender shafts of limestone, delicately fluted, and topped by magnificently carved capitals. In front of the hall, on each side, was a pylon or colonnade, with a frieze at the top 12 feet high, formed of beautifully enamelled bricks, the one decorated by a procession of lions, the other by a procession of ‘Immortals,’ the armed life-guards of the Persian kings. A garden surrounded the Apadna, and in front of it on the south, was a large square for military manuvres, etc. Adjoining it, on the east, was a large block of buildings forming the royal harem (the ‘house of the women’ of Est 2:3, etc.): south of this was the royal palace, with a court in the centre (Est 4:11; Est 5:1). The entire acropolis covered an area of 300 acres. [55] ”
[55] Driver, ibid. who also points out that in one of the galleries of the Louvre, Paris, several rooms are devoted to sculptures, etc., brought from Susa, and to a restoration of parts of the Apadna. He refers, among other works, to Dieulafoy, L’Acropole de Suse, Mme Dieulafoy, A Suse, Journal des Fouilles, and La Perse, la Chalde, et la Susiane, Chap. xxxix., all with illustrations and maps.
The word brh translated ‘palace’ (marg. castle) probably includes the idea of a stronghold as well as a royal residence, and in fact seems to have a still wider application in Est 9:6, where see note. The king’s place of residence is indicated by a different expression in Est 1:5, Est 2:8, Est 4:13, Est 7:7-8. Benjamin of Tudela, a Spanish-Hebrew traveller in the East in the 12th century (ed. Asher, London and Berlin, 1840, i. 117), mentions visiting the ruins of Xerxes’ palace, adding that even at that time 7000 Jews lived at Susa.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 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 habbirah, which we render the palace, should be rendered the city, , as in the Septuagint.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Sat on the throne of his kingdom, i.e. either was lately advanced to it, or rather was settled in the peaceable possession of it.
The palace; or, the castle; or, the chief or royal city, as both, Jewish and Christian interpreters render it. Shushan might be the proper name of the palace, which thence was given to the whole city. Here the kings of Persia used to keep their courts chiefly in winter, as ordinarily they were in Ecbatana in summer.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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] [See comments on Da 8:2].
e Herodot. ib. (Thalia, sive, l. 3.) c. 7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Shushan.Susa. Mentioned also in Neh. 1:1. It was the general abode of the Persian kings. (See Herod. vii. 6.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. Sat on the throne of his kingdom That is, was quietly and firmly settled in his dominions; an oriental mode of representing an absolute monarch in possession of royal authority and power. The Asiatic kings are thus represented on the monuments, and Xerxes is said to have watched the battles of Thermopylae and Salamis while seated on a throne.
Shushan the palace See note on Neh 1:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Est 1:2. 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 this from Megabysus, who had married one of his sisters, he took care to counter-plot Artabanes, and to cut off him and his whole party before his treason came to maturity; and for this, very probably, and some other successes against his brother Hystaspes, which settled him in an agreeable possession of the whole Persian empire, it was, that a festival season of above one hundred and fourscore days’ continuance was appointed, which even to the present time, according to some travellers, is no uncommon thing in those parts of the world. This feast was held at Shushan, which, after the conquest of the Medes, was made by Cyrus and the rest of the Persian kings the royal seat, that they might not be too far from Babylon. It stood upon the river Ulai, and was a place of such renown, that Strabo calls it “a city most worthy to be praised,” informing us, that the whole country about it was amazingly fruitful, producing a hundred, and sometimes two hundred fold. Darius Hystaspes enlarged and beautified it with a most magnificent palace; which Aristotle calls “a wonderful royal palace, shining with gold, amber, and ivory.” It will not be altogether foreign to our purpose, just to remark from Dr. Lightfoot, that the outer gate of the eastern wall of the temple was called the gate of Shushan, and had the figure of that city carved on it, in honour of the decree which Darius granted at that palace for the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(2) That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, (3) In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: (4) When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. (5) And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace; (6) Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble. (7) And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. (8) And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure. (9) Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
Reader! what a pitiful feast is this after all! to what good but waste. To what purpose but gluttony. To what intention but to feed our corrupt passions, lust and vanity. But turn your thoughts to JESUS. He hath made a feast indeed to all his princes and servants. A feast of fat things; and where he himself is both the LORD of it, and the whole of the banquet. Ahasuerus’s feast was held for his princes and his nobles: But JESUS hath made a feast to all people: Isa 25:6 . Ahasuerus’s feast lasted for 184 days: JESUS’S feast forever, Ahasuerus showed the riches of his kingdom: JESUS hath not only showed his people his glory, but made them partakers of it, and causeth them to sit down with him in his kingdom. Oh! for grace to adore the sovereign Redeemer as the king in Zion, and the LORD both of heaven and earth.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Est 1:2 [That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,
Ver. 2. When the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne ] Having peace with all men, being quiet and secure; though this lasted not long; for he was shamefully foiled by the Grecians (against whom he led an army of two millions of men), and forced to flee back again over Hellespont, in a poor fisher’s boat; which being overloaded, had sunk all, if the Persians by the casting away of themselves had not saved the life of their king. Omnia sunt hominum tenui pendentia filo, &c.
Which was in Shushan the palace
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
in those days: i.e. the days when these events took place. At other times he dwelt at Ecbatana, or elsewhere. Est 1:1 mentions the ruler; Est 1:2, the place; Est 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 Neh 1:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sat: 2Sa 7:1, 1Ki 1:46, Dan 4:4
Shushan: Est 2:3, Est 3:15, Est 4:16, Est 9:12-15, Neh 1:1, Dan 8:2
Reciprocal: Exo 1:1 – General Ezr 4:9 – Susanchites Est 2:5 – Shushan Est 8:14 – Shushan Mat 14:6 – birthday
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Est 1:2. When Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom Was settled in the quiet possession of it, enjoying peace and tranquillity throughout his large dominions; which was in Shushan the palace Which, after the conquest of the Medes, was made by Cyrus, and the rest of the Persian kings, the royal seat, that they might not be too far from Babylon. It stood upon the river Ulai, and was a place of such renown, that Strabo calls it, a city most worthy to be praised, informing us, that the whole country about it was amazingly fruitful, producing a hundred and sometimes two hundred fold. Darius Hystaspes enlarged and beautified it with a most magnificent palace, which Aristotle calls a wonderful royal palace, shining with gold, amber, and ivory. Dodd. See Prideaux, and Calmets Dict. on the word Shushan.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1:2 [That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus {c} sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,
(c) That is, had rest and quietness.