Esther 1:14
in Esther 1His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom),
KJV
And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
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This verse in Esther 1
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThe advice which King Ahasuerus asks of his seven sages who were, according to royal custom always by his side, concerning the insolent Vashti—as well as the sentence he orders them to pass concerning her—undoubtedly signifies the sentence our Savior passes against the arrogance of …
This site's exposition
the king consulted the wise men
on Esther 1:13-15
The king takes his anger to his counsellors. He consults "the wise men who knew the times," and the seven princes who "ranked highest in the kingdom". Wesley notes that the court referred even an offense in the king's household to men learned in law.
This site's exposition
His closest advisors were Carshena
Albert Barnes notes that seven families held the first rank in Persia, and the king could take his wives only from them. He suggests Marsena may be Mardonius and Admatha the king's uncle Artabanus. Persian kings, John Wesley adds, were seldom seen by their subjects.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
But let us hear what Scripture has to say about the stubbornness of Vashti, that most foolish of queens: "So the king was angered, and enflamed by his excessive rage he questioned his wise men, who were always at his side according to royal custom; …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Saw - Who had constant freedom of access to the king, and familiar converse with him: which is thus expressed, because the Persian kings were very seldom seen by their subjects.
8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. Which of the kings of Persia this Ahasuerus was the learned are not agreed.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:88%@v8-10
How does this Heathen prince shame many, that are called Christians, who think they do not make their friends welcome, unless they make them drunk, and under pretense of sending the health round, send the sin round, and death with it! Women - While the king entertained the men. For this was the common custom of the Persians, that men and women did not feast together.
And the next unto him,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The combined wisdom of all, it seems, was enlisted to consult with the king what course should be taken after so unprecedented an occurrence as Vashti's disobedience of the royal summons. It is scarcely possible for us to imagine the astonishment produced by such a refusal in a country and a court where the will of the sovereign was absolute.
And the next unto him - the seven princes - Probably, the privy counsellors of the king. Which saw the king’s face - were at all times admitted to the royal presence.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In Marsena we may perhaps recognize the famous Mardonius, and in Admatha, Xerxes’ uncle, Artabanus. The seven princes - There were seven families of the first rank in Persia, from which alone the king could take his wives. Their chiefs were entitled to have free access to the monarch’s person. See the margin reference note.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Most intimately associated with him. To present his affairs before them were the following: Carshena, Shesar, etc.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
For the king would thus place matters. For such was the king’s custom in every judgment, to present the matter “before all who were versed in procedural and legal concerns.” 27 The Midrash states that Achashveirosh originally sought the advice of the Sages and asked them to judge Vashti.
Concerning the proper procedure to follow. This refers back to “The king consulted the sages.” 28 Above, v.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהַקָּרֹ֣ב | vehakaro | and the [ones] close | H7138 → | |
| אֵלָ֗יו | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כַּרְשְׁנָ֤א | karshena' | [were] Carshena | H3771 → | |
| שֵׁתָר֙ | shetar | Shethar | H8369 → | |
| אַדְמָ֣תָא | ʾadmata' | Admatha | H133 → | |
| תַרְשִׁ֔ישׁ | tarshish | Tarshish | H8659 → | |
| מֶ֥רֶס | meres | Meres | H4825 → | |
| מַרְסְנָ֖א | marsena' | Marsena | H4826 → | |
| מְמוּכָ֑ן | memukhan | Memucan | H4462 → | 3 times |
| שִׁבְעַ֞ת | shivat | [the] seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| שָׂרֵ֣י׀ | sarei | [the] officials of | H8269 → | 421 times |
| פָּרַ֣ס | paras | Persia | H6539 → | 28 times |
| וּמָדַ֗י | umadai | and Media | H4074 → | 16 times |
| רֹאֵי֙ | roei | [who] saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| פְּנֵ֣י | penei | <of> [the] face of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הַיֹּשְׁבִ֥ים | haiyoshevim | who sat | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| רִאשֹׁנָ֖ה | rishonah | foremost | H7223 → | 182 times |
| בַּמַּלְכֽוּת׃ | bamalkhut | in the kingdom | H4438 → | 91 times |
וְהַקָּרֹ֣בand the [ones] close
vehakaroH7138 →
אֵלָ֗יוto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
כַּרְשְׁנָ֤א[were] Carshena
karshena'H3771 →
שֵׁתָר֙Shethar
shetarH8369 →
אַדְמָ֣תָאAdmatha
ʾadmata'H133 →
תַרְשִׁ֔ישׁTarshish
tarshishH8659 →
מֶ֥רֶסMeres
meresH4825 →
מַרְסְנָ֖אMarsena
marsena'H4826 →
מְמוּכָ֑ןMemucan
memukhanH4462 →3 times
שִׁבְעַ֞ת[the] seven
shivatH7651 →394 times
שָׂרֵ֣י׀[the] officials of
sareiH8269 →421 times
פָּרַ֣סPersia
parasH6539 →28 times
וּמָדַ֗יand Media
umadaiH4074 →16 times
רֹאֵי֙[who] saw
roeiH7200 →1300 times
פְּנֵ֣י<of> [the] face of
peneiH6440 →2123 times
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
הַיֹּשְׁבִ֥יםwho sat
haiyoshevimH3427 →1079 times
רִאשֹׁנָ֖הforemost
rishonahH7223 →182 times
בַּמַּלְכֽוּת׃in the kingdom
bamalkhutH4438 →91 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 18:10See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.
it leads to
- Psalms 91:11
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- Hebrews 1:14
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Psalms 34:7
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.
- Luke 16:22
One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. And the rich man also died and was buried.
- Psalms 91:11
Through
Revelation 22:4They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
it leads to
- Revelation 14:1
Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
- Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Revelation 3:12
The one who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will never again leave it. Upon him I will write the name of My God, and the…
- 1 John 3:2–3
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as…
- Revelation 14:1
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About Esther
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Rabanus Maurus, EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 2 and Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Esther.