God’s Word Translation
Esther 1:10
10On the seventh day when the king was drunk on wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served under King Xerxes,
Esther 1:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
- New International Version (NIV)On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas—
- English Standard Version (ESV)On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,
- New King James Version (NKJV)On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,
Context of Esther 1:10
8The drinking followed this rule: Drink as you please. (The king had ordered all the waiters in his palace to let everyone do as he pleased.) 9Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the women at the royal palace of King Xerxes. On the seventh day when the king was drunk on wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served under King Xerxes, 11to bring Queen Vashti in front of the king, wearing her royal crown. He wanted to show the people, especially the officials, her beauty, because she was very attractive. 12But Queen Vashti refused the king’s command that the eunuchs delivered to her. As a result, the king became very angry, and his rage burned inside him.
Read all of Esther 1Esther 1:10 word by word
בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י כְּט֥וֹב לֵב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בַּיָּ֑יִן אָמַ֡ר לִ֠מְהוּמָן בִּזְּתָ֨א חַרְבוֹנָ֜א בִּגְתָ֤א וַאֲבַגְתָא֙ זֵתַ֣ר וְכַרְכַּ֔ס שִׁבְעַת֙ הַסָּ֣רִיסִ֔ים הַמְשָׁ֣רְתִ֔ים אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- On the seventhשְׁבִיעִיshebîy‛îy shebi‛îy · seventhH7637
- dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- when the heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- of the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- was merryטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- with wineיַ֫יִןyayin · wineH3196
- he commandedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Mehumanמְהוּמָןmehûmân · MehumanH4104
- Bizthaבִּזְּתָאbizthâ' · BizthaH968
- Harbonaחַרְבוֹנָאcharbônâ' charbônâh · HarbonaH2726
- Bigthaבִּגְתָאbigthâ' · BigthaH903
- and Abagthaאֲבַגְתָא'ăbagthâ' · AbagthaH5
- Zetharזֵתַרzêthar · ZetharH2242
- and Carcasכַּרְכַּסkarkas · CarkasH3752
- the sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- chamberlainsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
- that servedשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
- in the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- of Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
Cross-references for Esther 1:10
- Genesis 43:34Joseph had portions of food brought to them from his table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times more than any of the others. So they ate and drank with Joseph until they were drunk.
- Judges 16:25When all the Philistines were enjoying themselves, they said, “Call Samson in to entertain us.” Samson was called from the prison, and he made them laugh. They made him stand between two columns.
- 1 Samuel 25:36When Abigail came to Nabal, he was holding a banquet in his home. It was like a king’s banquet. He was in a good mood and very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything until dawn.
- 2 Samuel 13:28Then Absalom gave an order to his servants. “Watch now,” he said. “When Amnon begins to feel good from drinking ⌞too much⌟ wine, I’ll tell you, ‘Attack Amnon.’ Then kill him. Don’t be afraid. I’ve given you the order, haven’t I? Be strong and courageous.”
- Proverbs 20:1Wine ⌞makes people⌟ mock, liquor ⌞makes them⌟ noisy, and everyone under their influence is unwise.
- Ecclesiastes 7:2It is better to go to a funeral than to a banquet because that is where everyone will end up. Everyone who is alive should take this to heart!
- Ecclesiastes 10:19A meal is made for laughter, and wine makes life pleasant, but money is the answer for everything.
- Ephesians 5:18Don’t get drunk on wine, which leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Spirit
- Esther 7:9Harbona, one of the eunuchs present with the king, said, “What a coincidence! The 75-foot pole Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke up for the well-being of the king, is still standing at Haman’s house.” The king responded, “Hang him on it!”
- Daniel 1:3The king told Ashpenaz, the chief-of-staff, to bring some of the Israelites, the royal family, and the nobility.
Commentaries on Esther 1:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10He commanded Mehuman - All these are doubtless Persian names; but so disguised by passing through a Hebrew medium, that some of them can scarcely be known. Mehuman signifies a stranger or guest. We shall find other names and words in this book, the Persian etymology of which may be easily traced.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 Ahasuerus's feast ended in heaviness, by his own folly. Seasons of peculiar festivity often end in vexation. Superiors should be careful not to command what may reasonably be disobeyed. But when wine is in, men's reason departs from them. He that had rule over 127 provinces, had no rule over his own spirit. But whether the passion or the policy of the king was served by this decree, God's providence made way for Esther to the crown, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10the king’s heart was merry with wine: He was likely quite drunk and might do something unwise. Eunuchs were servants who had been castrated. Their jobs often involved contact with the women of the royal harem.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1210-12. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine--As the feast days advanced, the drinking was more freely indulged in, so that the close was usually marked by great excesses of revelry. he commanded ... the seven chamberlains--These were the eunuchs who had charge of the royal harem. The refusal of Vashti to obey an order which required her to make an indecent exposure of herself before a company of drunken revellers, was…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 1:10
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries