Esther 2:18

18 Then the king gave a great banquet in Esther's honor and invited all his officials and administrators. He proclaimed a holiday for the whole empire and distributed gifts worthy of a king.

Esther 2:18 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 2:18

Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and
servants, even Esther's feast
A feast to all his nobles, courtiers, and ministers of state, on account of his marriage with Esther; which, according to the Greek version, was held seven days; but, according to Josephus, it lasted a whole month ^F20:

and he made a release to the provinces;
of taxes and tribute due to him, as was the custom of the kings of Persia when they came to the throne, as Herodotus ^F21 relates; so Smerdis the magus, that mounted the throne after Cambyses, pretending to be his brother, released them for three years to come ^F23; and Grotius says kings used to do it at their marriage, but gives no instance of it:

and gave gifts:
according to the latter Targum, to the provinces, all of them, that he might be sure that the people of Esther shared his favours, who were as yet unknown; but rather these gifts were given to his nobles, or it may be to Esther; so the former Targum,

``he gave to her a gift and portion:''

according to the state of the king;
his royal ability and munificence, and suitable to his grandeur; and it was usual with the Persian kings to give to their wives whole cities for one thing or another, as for necklaces, hair laces, shoes ^F24; Socrates ^F25 speaks of a whole country in Persia called the "Queen's girdle", and another her "Headdress".

---

FOOTNOTES:

F20 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 6. sect. 2.)
F21 Erato, sive, l. 6. c. 59.
F23 Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 67.
F24 Herodot. Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 98. Cicero in Verrem, l. 3. Orat. 8.
F25 In Plat. Alcibiad.

Esther 2:18 In-Context

16 So in Xerxes' seventh year as king, in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, Esther was brought to King Xerxes in the royal palace.

17 The king liked her more than any of the other women, and more than any of the others she won his favor and affection. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

18 Then the king gave a great banquet in Esther's honor and invited all his officials and administrators. He proclaimed a holiday for the whole empire and distributed gifts worthy of a king.

19 Meanwhile Mordecai had been appointed by the king to an administrative position.

20 As for Esther, she had still not let it be known that she was Jewish. Mordecai had told her not to tell anyone, and she obeyed him in this, just as she had obeyed him when she was a little girl under his care.

Footnotes

• [a]. holiday; [or] remission of taxes.