The Rich King

Notes

1. The visions of the tenth and eleventh chapters of Daniel were given in the "third year of Cyrus, king of Persia." Dan. 10:1. Therefore, when Gabriel said, "There shall stand up yet three kings of Persia and the fourth shall be far richer than they all," he referred to those that followed Cyrus; namely, (1) Cambyses, (2) Smerdis, the Impostor, (3) Darius Hystaspes, (4) Xerxes the Great.

2. That Ahasuerus is Xerxes there is sufficient proof. The two names are identical, the latter being but the Greek form of the Persian name. Second, the characters of the two men are alike. Both were impulsive and impassionate. When Xerxes invaded Greece, he scourged the sea for breaking his bridge, and put to death the engineers because their work did not stand the storm. In a similarly impulsive manner, Ahasuerus repudiated his queen, Vashti, because she would not violate the decorum of her sex, and ordered the massacre of the whole Jewish people to gratify the malice of Haman. In the third year of the reign of Xerxes was held an assembly to arrange the Grecian war. In the third year of the reign of Ahasuerus was held a great feast and assembly in Shushan the palace (Esther 1:3). In the seventh year of his reign, Xerxes returned defeated from Greece, and consoled himself by the pleasures of the harem. In the seventh year of his reign, fair, young virgins were sought for Ahasuerus, and he replaced Vashti by marrying Esther. The tribute he "laid upon the land and upon the isles of the sea" (Esther 10:1) may well have been the result of the expenditure and ruin of the Grecian expedition.

3. The beds here referred to were doubtless the couches upon which according to oriental fashion, they reclined while feasting. The drinking cups were of gold, although thousands were given wine, every cup was different in design.

4. In oriental countries it was not customary for virtuous women to appear in public unveiled, hence, the command was unjust. By her refusal, Vashti revealed nobility of soul; for she chose to forfeit her position, and perhaps her life, rather than sacrifice her modesty.