Esther 1:1

Esther 1:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:)
• New International Version (NIV)This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush:
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia),

Context of Esther 1:1

It was in the days of Ahasuerus (Xerxes) who reigned from India to Ethiopia (Cush) over 127 provinces, 2in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa [the capital of the Persian Empire], 3in the third year of his reign he held a banquet for all his officials and his attendants. The army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the officials of the provinces were there in his presence.

Esther 1:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֖י בִּימֵ֣י אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ ה֣וּא אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ הַמֹּלֵךְ֙ מֵהֹ֣דּוּ וְעַד־כּ֔וּשׁ שֶׁ֛בַע וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּמֵאָ֖ה מְדִינָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now it came to pass in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• of Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
• which reignedמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• from Indiaהֹ֫דּוּhôdû · IndiaH1912
• even unto Ethiopiaכּוּשׁkûsh · CushH3568
• an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• and twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
• provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082

Cross-references for Esther 1:1

• Ezra 6:14And the Jewish elders built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building as commanded by the God of Israel and in accordance with the decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
• Ezra 4:6Now in the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), in the beginning of his reign, the Samaritans wrote [to him] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem [who had returned from exile].
• Daniel 9:1In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—
• Esther 8:9So the king’s scribes were called at that time in the third month (that is, the month of Sivan) on the twenty-third day; and it was written in accordance with everything that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, to the chief rulers (satraps), and the governors and officials of the provinces which extended from India to Ethiopia (Cush), 127 provinces, to every province in its own script (writing), and to every people in their own language and to the Jews according to their script and their language.
• Isaiah 18:1Woe (judgment is coming) to the land of whirring wings Which is beyond the rivers of Cush (Ethiopia),
• Isaiah 37:9And Sennacherib king of Assyria, heard them say concerning Tirhakah king of Cush (Ethiopia), “He has come out to fight against you.” And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,
• Daniel 6:1It seemed good to Darius [who became king after Belshazzar] to appoint over the kingdom 120 satraps who would be in charge throughout the kingdom,

Commentaries on Esther 1:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now it came to pass - The Ahasuerus of the Romans, the Artaxerxes of the Greeks and Ardsheer of the Persians, are the same. Some think that this Ahasuerus was Darius, the son of Hystaspes; but Prideaux and others maintain that he was Artaxerxes Longimanus. Reigned from India even unto Ethiopia - This is nearly the same account that is given by Xenophon. How great and glorious the kingdom of Cyrus was beyond all the kingdoms of Asia, was evident from this…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Ahasuerus - . Xerxes, the son of Darius Hystaspis. His empire is rightly described as from India even unto Ethiopia. The satrapies of Darius Hystaspis reached 29 in number, and the nations under Xerxes were about 60. The 127 “provinces” include probably sub-satrapies and other smaller divisions of the great governments.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1We find in this book, that even those Jews who were scattered in the province of the heathen, were taken care of, and were wonderfully preserved, when threatened with destruction. Though the name of God be not in this book, the finger of God is shown by minute events for the bringing about his people's deliverance. This history comes in between Ezr 6; 7. The royal feast of Ahasuerus. (1-9) Vashti's refusal to appear, The king's decree. (10-22) Verses 1-9…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The name Xerxes is the Greek version of the Persian Xshayarshan, which the Hebrew text calls ’akhashwerosh (Ahasuerus). His father, Darius I, who ruled from 521 to 486 BC, was king when Haggai and Zechariah urged the people of Judah to complete the temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 4:24–6:22; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1). 127 provinces: Xerxes ruled a vast empire from India to Ethiopia.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-22Commentary by Robert Jamieson 1. Ahasuerus--It is now generally agreed among learned men that the Ahasuerus mentioned in this episode is the Xerxes who figures in Grecian history.Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 1:1

• Babylon
• Ethiopia
• Government
• India
• Medes
• Persia

In the dictionaries

• Ahasuerus
• Ethiopia
• Ahasuerus; Asseurus
• Ethiopia, Ethiopian
• India
• Shushan
• Cush (1)
• Esther, Book of
• Esther, the Rest of
• Reign

Commentaries on Esther 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings