Esther 1:1-22
The King Dethrones Queen Vashti
1 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), 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel, 3 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— 4 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.
5 And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6 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. 7 And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king. 8 In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man’s pleasure.
9 Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. 12 But 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.
13 Then 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, 14 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?”
16 And 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. 17 For the queen’s behavior will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king’s officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath. 19 If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20 When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small.”
21 And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. 22 Then he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.
King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom in Shushan the citadel and threw an immense party, inviting all under his rule from India to Ethiopia, including also those of Media and Persia under his reign. For one hundred and eighty days he displayed all the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty before all he invited to demonstrate his prosperity and theirs under him. It escapes the imagination to visualize such a magnificent event and the importance of his image and reputation of absolute rule, so when he asked his queen to come join him in front of all these guests and she outrightly refused, choosing instead to remain at her own event with the women of the palace, he was outraged at her disobedience to honor her royal responsibilities and made him look powerless and foolish in front of all his citizens and servants. He was stopped from showing her beauty to the people and the officials and dishonored the crown she wore. The king consulted with the highest officials who understood the law of the kingdom and they acknowledged that she had severely wronged the king, all the princes, and all the people in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus represented there. The royal example set by the queen’s behavior would become known to all women and they in turn would find it acceptable that they will despise their husbands as her bad example empowered them. It would be anarchy in that type of society and cause anger and resentment among all the wives of the people from the princes to the paupers. Therefore the advice of the wise legal minds was for the king to dethrone her and find a suitable substitute to replace her as queen of the realm before any more disruption occurred. The edict was set in writing that could not be altered or rescinded, and the king decreed by proclamation throughout all the immense empire that all wives would honor their husbands, whether great and small in standing. He sent the result to all the provinces in their own languages to keep their position of respect in their marriages and to go on speaking in their own tongues even though under the law of the land with its own language. Queen Vashti was not heard from again for the near riot of disobedience and disrespect she had stirred up, but the king had stopped it from spreading and would eventually seek to replace her as we see later in this historical account. Therefore the lesson we have seen from this is not to subjugate or control wives, but to have the roles of respect and honor upheld from both wife and husband to honor God (1 Peter 3:7) in the examples set to the world (Ephesians 5:33, Colossians 3:18-19, 1 Peter 3:1, 5-6) that is looking in at believers who seek to please the Lord and not themselves for control or to meet the expectations of society. Mutual respect in the roles of marriage is God’s intent, not banishment or divorce for disobedience or dishonor.
No comments:
Post a Comment