Esther 1:3

3 in the third year of his reign, that he gave a banquet for all his officials and courtiers. The army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the provincial officials were in attendance.

Esther 1:3 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 1:3

In the third year of his reign he made a feast unto all his
princes, and his servants
The nobles and officers in his court; on what account this was cannot be said with certainty, whether the first day of it was his birthday, or the day of his coming to the throne, on which day Xerxes used to make a feast annually, as Herodotus relates ^F6:

the power of Persia and Media;
the mighty men therein, the potentates thereof; or the "army", the principal officers of it:

the nobles and princes of the provinces being with him.
The first word Aben Ezra declares his ignorance of, whether it is Hebrew or Persian; Jarchi interprets it governors; and the persons intended by both seem to be the deputy governors of the one hundred and twenty seven provinces who were present at this feast. Xerxes, having reduced Egypt, meditated a war with Greece, to which he was pressed by Mardonius, a relation of his; upon which he summoned the chief men of his kingdom, to have their advice about it ^F7, which perhaps was taken at this time; for it was in the third year of his reign he resolved upon the war, and began to make preparations for it; and it was usual, at banquets and feasts, that the Persians debated their most important affairs ^F8.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 lb. (Herodot.) Calliope, sive, l. 9. c. 109.
F7 Ib. l. 7. c. 8.
F8 lb. Clio, sive, l. 1. c. 133.

Esther 1:3 In-Context

1 These events took place in the time of Achashverosh, the Achashverosh who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.

2 It was in those days, when King Achashverosh sat on his royal throne in Shushan the capital,

3 in the third year of his reign, that he gave a banquet for all his officials and courtiers. The army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the provincial officials were in attendance.

4 He displayed the dazzling wealth of his kingdom and his great splendor for a long time, 180 days.

5 At the end of that time, the king gave a seven-day banquet in the courtyard of the royal palace garden for all the people, both great and small, there in Shushan the capital.