Esther 1:5
in Esther 1At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.
KJV
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
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This verse in Esther 1
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Feasts on this extensive scale were not unusual in the East. Cyrus is said on one occasion to have feasted “all the Persians.” Even ordinarily, the later Persian monarchs entertained 15,000 persons at their table.
This site's exposition
unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small
on Esther 1:5-8
Seven more days follow for everyone in Shushan, small and great together, and the court of the garden is furnished in marble, gold and hangings the text lingers over color by color. The drinking was according to the law, none did compel, a Persian custom the king made into a statute so that even pleasure at his own table ran by decree. Every detail argues the same point before the story even begins: in this court, law reaches into rooms where no law is needed, and Vashti’s coming test is only the first of many.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church3 voices
"So in the third year of his rule, King Ahasuerus held a grand feast for all his officials and young men, the famous heroes of Persia and Media, and the chiefs of the provinces in his presence, so that he could show off the wealth …
Even though from the historical point of view it simply appears to show the abundance of riches and the luxury of delights of a powerful king, … according to the holier mystery of our most powerful king, namely, Our Lord Christ, this preparation of a …
Though these preparations for so rich a feast seem intended to portray in concrete terms the parade of wealth and the abundance of delights possessed by a powerful king, it is actually a very sanctified allegory which symbolizes the magnitude of spiritual riches, and the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And when these days were ended,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A feast unto all the people - The first was a feast for the nobles in general; this, for the people of the city at large. In the court of the garden - As the company was very numerous that was to be received, no apartments in the palace could be capable of containing them; therefore the court of the garden was chosen.
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּבִמְל֣וֹאת׀ | uvimlot | and when were completed | H4390 → | 249 times |
| הַיָּמִ֣ים | haiyamim | the days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הָאֵ֗לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| עָשָׂ֣ה | ʾasah | he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | for all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֣ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַנִּמְצְאִים֩ | hanimtzeim | who were found | H4672 → | 455 times |
| בְּשׁוּשַׁ֨ן | beshushan | in Susa | H7800 → | 21 times |
| הַבִּירָ֜ה | habirah | the citadel | H1002 → | 16 times |
| לְמִגָּ֧דוֹל | lemigadol | <to> from great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and unto | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| קָטָ֛ן | katan | insignificant | H6996 → | |
| מִשְׁתֶּ֖ה | mishteh | a feast | H4960 → | 46 times |
| שִׁבְעַ֣ת | shivat | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| יָמִ֑ים | yamim | days | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| בַּחֲצַ֕ר | bachatzar | in [the] court of | H2691 → | 191 times |
| גִּנַּ֥ת | ginat | [the] garden of | H1594 → | 4 times |
| בִּיתַ֖ן | bitan | [the] palace of | H1055 → | 3 times |
| הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
וּבִמְל֣וֹאת׀and when were completed
uvimlotH4390 →249 times
הַיָּמִ֣יםthe days
haiyamimH3117 →2304 times
הָאֵ֗לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
עָשָׂ֣הhe made
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
לְכָל־for all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֣םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַנִּמְצְאִים֩who were found
hanimtzeimH4672 →455 times
בְּשׁוּשַׁ֨ןin Susa
beshushanH7800 →21 times
הַבִּירָ֜הthe citadel
habirahH1002 →16 times
לְמִגָּ֧דוֹל<to> from great
lemigadolH1419 →526 times
וְעַד־and unto
vead-H5704 →1261 times
קָטָ֛ןinsignificant
katanH6996 →
מִשְׁתֶּ֖הa feast
mishtehH4960 →46 times
שִׁבְעַ֣תseven
shivatH7651 →394 times
יָמִ֑יםdays
yamimH3117 →2304 times
בַּחֲצַ֕רin [the] court of
bachatzarH2691 →191 times
גִּנַּ֥ת[the] garden of
ginatH1594 →4 times
בִּיתַ֖ן[the] palace of
bitanH1055 →3 times
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃the king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Esther
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Esther and Rabanus Maurus, EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 1.