Esther 1:4

Esther 1:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
• New International Version (NIV)For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.
• English Standard Version (ESV)while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days.
• New King James Version (NKJV)when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.

Context of Esther 1:4

2At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. 3In 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. The 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. 6The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.

Esther 1:4 word by word

בְּהַרְאֹת֗וֹ אֶת־עֹ֙שֶׁר֙ כְּב֣וֹד מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְאֶ֨ת־יְקָ֔ר תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת גְּדוּלָּת֑וֹ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים שְׁמוֹנִ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When he shewedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the richesעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
• of his gloriousכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
• kingdomמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
• and the honourיְקָרyeqâr · preciousnessH3366
• of his excellentתִּפְאָרָהtiph'ârâh tiph'ereth · beautyH8597
• majestyגְּדוּלָּהgedûlâh gedûllâh gedûllâh · greatnessH1420
• manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and fourscoreשְׁמֹנִיםshemônîym shemônîym · eightyH8084

Cross-references for Esther 1:4

• Isaiah 39:2Hezekiah was delighted with the Babylonian envoys and showed them everything in his treasure-houses—the silver, the gold, the spices, and the aromatic oils. He also took them to see his armory and showed them everything in his royal treasuries! There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them.
• Ezekiel 28:5Yes, your wisdom has made you very rich, and your riches have made you very proud.
• Daniel 4:30As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’
• Psalms 76:1God is honored in Judah; his name is great in Israel.
• Psalms 145:5I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.
• Daniel 2:37Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor.
• Daniel 7:9I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One sat down to judge. His clothing was as white as snow, his hair like purest wool. He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire,
• Matthew 4:8Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
• Matthew 6:13And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
• Romans 9:23He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.
• Ephesians 1:18I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
• Colossians 1:27For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
• Revelation 4:11“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”
• 1 Chronicles 29:11Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.
• Job 40:10All right, put on your glory and splendor, your honor and majesty.
• Psalms 21:5Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.

Commentaries on Esther 1:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4The riches of his glorious kingdom - Luxury was the characteristic of the Eastern monarchs, and particularly of the Persians. In their feasts, which were superb and of long continuance, they made a general exhibition of their wealth, grandeur, etc., and received the highest encomiums from their poets and flatterers. Their ostentation on such occasions passed into a proverb: hence Horace: - Persicos odi, puer, apparatus: Displicent nexae philyra coronae…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4for a full 180 days: Officials likely took turns attending various events during this six-month period. This allowed them to maintain the nation’s military and infrastructure. This grand display of pomp and splendor aimed to impress others with the king’s greatness. It also shows Xerxes’ pride.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 1:4

• Feasts

In the dictionaries

• Shushan
• Agagite
• Esther, Book of
• Meals
• Mede, Medes, Media
• Persia, Persians

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