Esther 1:3

Esther 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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:
• New International Version (NIV)and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
• English Standard Version (ESV)in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him,
• New King James Version (NKJV)that in the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his officials and servants—the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces being before him—

Context of Esther 1:3

1These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. 2At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. 4The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty. 5When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden.

Esther 1:3 word by word

בִּשְׁנַ֤ת שָׁלוֹשׁ֙ לְמָלְכ֔וֹ עָשָׂ֣ה מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה לְכָל־שָׂרָ֖יו וַעֲבָדָ֑יו חֵ֣יל׀ פָּרַ֣ס וּמָדַ֗י הַֽפַּרְתְּמִ֛ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י הַמְּדִינ֖וֹת לְפָנָֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• In the thirdשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• of his reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• he madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: offerH6213
• a feastמִשְׁתֶּהmishteh · feastH4960
• unto all his princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• and his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• the powerחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• of Persiaפָּרַסpâras · PersiaH6539
• and Mediaמָדַיmâday · MediaH4074
• the noblesפַּרְתְּמִיםpartam · nobleH6579
• of the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for Esther 1:3

• Esther 2:18To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.
• Genesis 40:20Pharaoh’s birthday came three days later, and he prepared a banquet for all his officials and staff. He summoned his chief cup-bearer and chief baker to join the other officials.
• 1 Kings 3:15Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He returned to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings. Then he invited all his officials to a great banquet.
• Daniel 5:1Many years later King Belshazzar gave a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles, and he drank wine with them.
• Mark 6:21Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee.
• Esther 1:14The 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.
• Ezra 1:2“This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
• Isaiah 21:2I see a terrifying vision: I see the betrayer betraying, the destroyer destroying. Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes, attack and lay siege. I will make an end to all the groaning Babylon caused.
• Jeremiah 51:11Sharpen the arrows! Lift up the shields! For the Lord has inspired the kings of the Medes to march against Babylon and destroy her. This is his vengeance against those who desecrated his Temple.
• Daniel 5:28Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”
• Daniel 8:20The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia.
• Daniel 3:2Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up.
• Daniel 6:1Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.

Commentaries on Esther 1:3

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3In the third year - In this year, 483 B.C., Xerxes assembled the governors of provinces at Susa, in connection with his contemplated expedition against Greece. The nobles - literally, “the first men.” The Hebrew word used is one adopted from the Persian.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. made a feast unto all his princes and his servants--Banquets on so grand a scale, and extending over so great a period, have been frequently provided by the luxurious monarchs of Eastern countries, both in ancient and modern times. The early portion of this festive season, however, seems to have been dedicated to amusement, particularly an exhibition of the magnificence and treasures of the court, and it was closed by a special feast of seven days'…Read the comment

Topics related to Esther 1:3

• Feasts
• Food
• Persia
• Shushan (Susa)

In the dictionaries

• Media
• Persia
• Mede, Medes, Media
• Persia, Persians
• Shushan
• Agagite
• Esther, Book of
• Medes
• Noble; Nobles; Nobleman
• Prince

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