New King James Version
Esther 1:14
14those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom):
Esther 1:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
- New International Version (NIV)and were closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
- English Standard Version (ESV)the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom):
- New Living Translation (NLT)The names of these men were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire.
Context of Esther 1:14
12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him. 13Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom): 15“What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?” 16And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
Read all of Esther 1Esther 1:14 word by word
וְהַקָּרֹ֣ב אֵלָ֗יו כַּרְשְׁנָ֤א שֵׁתָר֙ אַדְמָ֣תָא תַרְשִׁ֔ישׁ מֶ֥רֶס מַרְסְנָ֖א מְמוּכָ֑ן שִׁבְעַ֞ת שָׂרֵ֣י׀ פָּרַ֣ס וּמָדַ֗י רֹאֵי֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הַיֹּשְׁבִ֥ים רִאשֹׁנָ֖ה בַּמַּלְכֽוּת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the nextקָרֹבqârôb qârôb · nearH7138
- Carshenaכַּרְשְׁנָאkarshenâ' · CarshenaH3771
- Shetharשֵׁתָרshêthâr · ShetharH8369
- Admathaאַדְמָתָא'admâthâ' · AdmathaH133
- Tarshishתַּרְשִׁישׁtarshîysh · TarshishH8659
- Meresמֶ֫רֶסmeres · MeresH4825
- Marsenaמַרְסְנָאmarsenâ' · MarsenaH4826
- Memucanמְמוּכָןmemûkân mômûkân · MemucanH4462
- the sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- of Persiaפָּרַסpâras · PersiaH6539
- and Mediaמָדַיmâday · MediaH4074
- which sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- which satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
- in the kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
Cross-references for Esther 1:14
- Ezra 7:14And whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, with regard to the Law of your God which is in your hand;
- 2 Kings 25:19He also took out of the city an officer who had charge of the men of war, five men of the king’s close associates who were found in the city, the chief recruiting officer of the army, who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city.
- Matthew 18:10“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
- Revelation 22:4They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.
Commentaries on Esther 1:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14And the next unto him - the seven princes - Probably, the privy counsellors of the king. Which saw the king's face - were at all times admitted to the royal presence.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14In Marsena we may perhaps recognize the famous Mardonius, and in Admatha, Xerxes‘ uncle, Artabanus. The seven princes - There were seven families of the first rank in Persia, from which alone the king could take his wives. Their chiefs were entitled to have free access to the monarch‘s person. See the margin reference note.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
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1913-19. Then the king said to the wise men--These were probably the magi, without whose advice as to the proper time of doing a thing the Persian kings never did take any step whatever; and the persons named in Es 1:14 were the "seven counsellors" (compare Ezr 7:14) who formed the state ministry. The combined wisdom of all, it seems, was enlisted to consult with the king what course should be taken after so unprecedented an occurrence as Vashti's…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 1:14
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries