This book, set in the post exilic period, tells the story of Esther, and her cousin Mordecai, who rose to be queen of the Persian empire. For though the exile was history yet many Jews remained in Persia. Fascinatingly not once does the book mention God, yet divine guidance and intervention is plain to be seen. The author of the book in unknown.
Esther chapter 1 describes the opulent reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) of Persia who was in his third year when he spent 180 days displaying his vast wealth, with banquets lasting 7 days! In the enclosed garden of the King's palace there were couches of gold and silver on pavements of marble, and wine was served abundantly in gold goblets. Parallel to all this Queen Vashti gave banquets for the women in the royal palace. However one day King Xerxes called Queen Vashti to present herself so that he could show off her beauty, but she refused, and this made the King furious.
Hence the King consulted his nobles as to what to do with Vashti who had humiliatingly disobeyed him which was a terribly bad example and precedent before all his kingdom. The decision was to depose and banish Queen Vashti making way for a new queen, and setting an exemplary measure to show "that every man should be ruler over his own household".
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