God’s Word Translation
Esther 1:6
6The garden had white and violet linen curtains. These curtains were attached to silver rods and marble pillars by cords made of white and purple fine linen. Gold and silver couches were on a mosaic pavement of purple rock, white marble, pearl-like stone, and black marble.
Esther 1:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.
- English Standard Version (ESV)There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.
- New King James Version (NKJV)There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble.
Context of Esther 1:6
4He showed them the enormous wealth of his kingdom and the costly splendor of his greatness for many days, 180 to be exact. 5When those days were over, the king held a banquet lasting seven days. This banquet was held in the enclosed garden of the king’s palace for all people in the fortress of Susa, whatever their rank. The garden had white and violet linen curtains. These curtains were attached to silver rods and marble pillars by cords made of white and purple fine linen. Gold and silver couches were on a mosaic pavement of purple rock, white marble, pearl-like stone, and black marble. 7People drank from golden cups. No two cups were alike. The king also provided plenty of royal wine out of his royal generosity. 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.)
Read all of Esther 1Esther 1:6 word by word
ח֣וּר׀ כַּרְפַּ֣ס וּתְכֵ֗לֶת אָחוּז֙ בְּחַבְלֵי־ב֣וּץ וְאַרְגָּמָ֔ן עַל־גְּלִ֥ילֵי כֶ֖סֶף וְעַמּ֣וּדֵי שֵׁ֑שׁ מִטּ֣וֹת׀ זָהָ֣ב וָכֶ֗סֶף עַ֛ל רִֽצְפַ֥ת בַּהַט־וָשֵׁ֖שׁ וְדַ֥ר וְסֹחָֽרֶת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- whiteחוּרchûr · whiteH2353
- greenכַּרְפַּסkarpas · fine linenH3768
- and blueתְּכֵ֫לֶתtekêleth · blueH8504
- fastenedאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
- with cordsחֶ֫בֶלchebel chêbel · cordH2256
- of fine linenבּוּץbûts · fine linenH948
- and purpleאַרְגָּמָן'argâmân · purpleH713
- to silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
- ringsגָּלִילgâlîyl · circuitH1550
- and pillarsעַמּוּד‛ammûd ‛ammûd · pillarH5982
- of marbleשֵׁשׁshêsh sheshîy · alabasterH8336
- the bedsמִטָּהmiţţâh · bedH4296
- goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- upon a pavementרִצְפָּהritspâh · pavementH7531
- of redבַּ֫הַטbahaţ · porphyryH923
- and whiteדַּרdar · mother-of-pearlH1858
- and blackסֹחֶ֫רֶתsôchereth · stoneH5508
Cross-references for Esther 1:6
- Exodus 26:1⌞The Lord continued,⌟ “Make the inner tent with ten sheets made from fine linen yarn. Take violet, purple, and bright red yarn, and creatively work an angel design into the fabric.
- Esther 8:15Mordecai went out from the presence of the king wearing the royal violet and white robe, a large gold crown, and a purple outer robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa cheered and rejoiced.
- Esther 7:8When the king returned from the palace garden to the palace dining room, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was lying. The king thought, “Is he even going to rape the queen while I’m in the palace?” Then the king passed sentence on him, and servants covered Haman’s face.
- Ezekiel 23:41They sat on their fine couches with tables in front of them. They put my incense and my olive oil on their tables.
- Amos 2:8Beside every altar, they spread themselves out on clothes taken as security. In the temples of their gods, they drink the wine that they bought with fines.
- Amos 6:4How horrible it will be for those who sleep on ivory beds. They sprawl out on their couches and eat lambs from their flocks and calves from their stalls.
Commentaries on Esther 1:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6White, green, and blue hangings - It was customary, on such occasions, not only to hang the place about with elegant curtains of the above colors, as Dr. Shaw and others have remarked, but also to have a canopy of rich stuffs suspended on cords from side to side of the place in which they feasted. And such courts were ordinarily paved with different coloured marbles, or with tiles painted, as above specified. And this was the origin of the Musive or…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Rather, “where was an awning of fine white cotton and violet.” White and blue (or violet) were the royal colors in Persia. Such awnings as are here described were very suitable to the pillared halls and porches of a Persian summer-palace, and especially to the situation of that of Susa. The beds - Rather, “couches” or “sofas,” on which the guests reclined at meals. A pavement - See the margin. It is generally agreed that the four substances named are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6White and blue (or violet) were colors of royalty. The mosaic pavement was also richly detailed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Where were white, green, and blue hangings, &c.--The fashion, in the houses of the great, on festive occasions, was to decorate the chambers from the middle of the wall downward with damask or velvet hangings of variegated colors suspended on hooks, or taken down at pleasure. the beds were of gold and silver--that is, the couches on which, according to Oriental fashion, the guests reclined, and which were either formed entirely of gold and silver or…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 1:6
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
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