Tree of Life Version
Esther 1:1
1This is what happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
Esther 1:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
- New International Version (NIV)This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush:
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia),
Context of Esther 1:1
This is what happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. 2At that time King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the castle in Shushan. 3In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and his servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media plus the nobles and officials of the provinces were present.
Read all of Esther 1Esther 1:1 word by word
וַיְהִ֖י בִּימֵ֣י אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ ה֣וּא אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ הַמֹּלֵךְ֙ מֵהֹ֣דּוּ וְעַד־כּ֔וּשׁ שֶׁ֛בַע וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּמֵאָ֖ה מְדִינָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now it came to pass in the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of Ahasuerusאֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ'ăchashvêrôsh 'achashrôsh · AhasuerusH325
- which reignedמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
- from Indiaהֹ֫דּוּhôdû · IndiaH1912
- even unto Ethiopiaכּוּשׁkûsh · CushH3568
- an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- and sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- and twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
- provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
Cross-references for Esther 1:1
- Ezra 6:14So the elders of the Jews continued building and prospering through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and according to the decrees of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia.
- Ezra 4:6During the reign of Ahasuerus at the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
- Daniel 9:1“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,
- Esther 8:9So the king’s scribes were called at that time—on the 23rd day of the third month, the month of Sivan. It was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to all the Jews, as well as to the officials, governors and advisors of all the 127 provinces that stretch from India to Ethiopia. To each province it was written in its own script and in its own language, and also to the Jews in their own writing and language.
- Isaiah 18:1Oy ! The land of whirring wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,
- Isaiah 37:9Now he had heard them say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, saying: “He has come out to fight against you.” When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah saying:
- Daniel 6:1So Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of 62.
Commentaries on Esther 1:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Now it came to pass - The Ahasuerus of the Romans, the Artaxerxes of the Greeks and Ardsheer of the Persians, are the same. Some think that this Ahasuerus was Darius, the son of Hystaspes; but Prideaux and others maintain that he was Artaxerxes Longimanus. Reigned from India even unto Ethiopia - This is nearly the same account that is given by Xenophon. How great and glorious the kingdom of Cyrus was beyond all the kingdoms of Asia, was evident from this…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Ahasuerus - . Xerxes, the son of Darius Hystaspis. His empire is rightly described as from India even unto Ethiopia. The satrapies of Darius Hystaspis reached 29 in number, and the nations under Xerxes were about 60. The 127 “provinces” include probably sub-satrapies and other smaller divisions of the great governments.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1We find in this book, that even those Jews who were scattered in the province of the heathen, were taken care of, and were wonderfully preserved, when threatened with destruction. Though the name of God be not in this book, the finger of God is shown by minute events for the bringing about his people's deliverance. This history comes in between Ezr 6; 7. The royal feast of Ahasuerus. (1-9) Vashti's refusal to appear, The king's decree. (10-22) Verses 1-9…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The name Xerxes is the Greek version of the Persian Xshayarshan, which the Hebrew text calls ’akhashwerosh (Ahasuerus). His father, Darius I, who ruled from 521 to 486 BC, was king when Haggai and Zechariah urged the people of Judah to complete the temple in Jerusalem (see Ezra 4:24–6:22; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1). 127 provinces: Xerxes ruled a vast empire from India to Ethiopia.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 1:1
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
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