Esther’s Request to the King (5:1–7)

Royal robes (5:1). Greek sources described the Persian king’s unique dress, but they say nothing of the queen’s garments. There appears to have been a “hierarchy” of clothing in Persian society, with certain colors and styles reserved for the king and certain other colors worn by court officials.149 Many reliefs, tapestries, and other items depicting noblewomen have survived, but we cannot definitely identify any of these ancient women as the queen. Even so, these depictions give us a good idea of the general style of women’s clothing in that era. Usually, the women wore long, broad-sleeved dresses that hung in multiple folds. They also wore a belt around their waist and frequently were depicted with veils over their heads, but not covering their faces.150

Napirasu, queen of Elam in the 13th ca. B.C., in all her finery

Réunion des Musées Nationaux/Art Resource, NY, courtesy of the Louvre

Inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall (5:1). Although the royal palace of Susa has been excavated, it is impossible to locate these rooms with certainty. The audience hall, a building over 350 feet square, was divided into a number of chambers. These included the throne room and the inner court, which the king could see while sitting on his throne.

Ruins of Susa

Pentocelo/Wikimedia Commons

Up to half the kingdom (5:3). This statement should not be taken literally. Its repetition in 5:6 and 7:2, as well as its appearance in Mark 6:23, suggest that this phrase was an idiomatic means of expressing royal favor. According to Herodotus, Darius used a similar hyperbole in his effort to attract a certain Histiaeus to Susa, saying, “All I have will be yours.”151 The same author records an episode that demonstrates Xerxes’ inability to resist the requests of the women in his life. According to Herodotus 9.109–113, Xerxes had been having an affair with his niece. He vowed to give his mistress whatever she asked for, and she demanded a robe that had been hand-made by Xerxes’ wife, Amestris. Reluctantly, he gave her the robe, which she foolishly wore in public. Amestris recognized the robe she had made and concluded that her husband had been unfaithful. But rather than punish the mistress, she decided to vent her fury on the girl’s mother. Amestris demanded that Xerxes turn the mother over to her. Xerxes felt he could not refuse the request, and Amestris had the woman horribly mutilated.

Come today to a banquet (5:4). Esther’s delay in presenting the petition for her people’s lives should not be interpreted as a sign of cowardice. Rather, Esther was following typical Near Eastern protocol for presenting a request. She begins by asking for a small favor, but eventually she works her way, one concession at a time, to the real issue at hand.152

Ashurbanipal banqueting in garden with queen

Z. Radovan/www.BibleLandPictures.com

The banquet was a suitable setting for the request to be made, for (see comments on 1:10) the Greeks observed that the Persians made their most important decisions while drunk. In fact, Xerxes asks Esther for her request after the dinner, while they are drinking wine (5:6).