Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, May 7th, 2025
the Third Week after Easter
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Esther 1:5

King Xerxes soon gave another dinner and invited everyone in the city of Susa, no matter who they were. The eating and drinking lasted seven days in the beautiful palace gardens.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Feasts;   House;   Seven;   Shushan (Susa);   Thompson Chain Reference - Feasts;   Luxury;   Pleasure, Worldly;   Self-Indulgence-Self-Denial;   Social Functions;   Social Life;   Suppers;   Worldly;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Entertainments;   Houses;   Medo-Persian Kingdom;   Palaces;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Chamberlain;   Feasts;   Shushan;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Susa (shushan);   Easton Bible Dictionary - Gardens;   Palace;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Shushan;   Week;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Esther;   Garden;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Meals;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Prince, Princess;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Vashti;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Banquet;   Esther, Book of;   Garden;   Shushan;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Esther, Apocryphal Book of;   ḥanina B. 'Agul;   Shushan;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for June 6;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet in the garden courtyard of the royal palace for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were present in the fortress of Susa.
Hebrew Names Version
When these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast to all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
King James Version
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;
English Standard Version
And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
New Century Version
When the one hundred eighty days were over, the king gave another banquet. It was held in the courtyard of the palace garden for seven days, and it was for everybody in the palace at Susa, from the greatest to the least.
New English Translation
When those days were completed, the king then provided a seven-day banquet for all the people who were present in Susa the citadel, for those of highest standing to the most lowly. It was held in the court located in the garden of the royal palace.
Amplified Bible
When these days were completed, the king held a banquet for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa [the capital], from the greatest [in importance] to the least, a seven-day feast in the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace.
New American Standard Bible
When these days were finished, the king held a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace.
World English Bible
When these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast to all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when these dayes were expired, the King made a feast to all the people that were founde in the palace of Shushan, both vnto great and small, seuen dayes, in the court of the garden of the Kings palace,
Legacy Standard Bible
And when these days were fulfilled, the king held a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
Berean Standard Bible
At the end of this time, in the garden courtyard 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
At the end of that time, the king gave a seven-day banquet in the courtyard of the royal palace garden for all the people, both great and small, there in Shushan the capital.
Darby Translation
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast to all the people that were present in Shushan the fortress, both to great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
Easy-to-Read Version
And when the 180 days were over, King Xerxes gave another party that continued for seven days. It was held in the inside garden of the palace. All the people who were in the capital city of Susa were invited, from the most important to the least important.
George Lamsa Translation
And when these days were completed, the king made a feast to all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the kings palace;
Good News Translation
After that, the king gave a banquet for all the people in the capital city of Susa, rich and poor alike. It lasted a whole week and was held in the gardens of the royal palace.
Lexham English Bible
And when those days were completed, the king gave for all the people that were present at the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet in the courtyard of the king's palace garden that lasted seven days.
Literal Translation
And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a banquet for all the peoples who were found in Shushan the palace, both to great and to small, for seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan these dayes were expyred, the kynge made a feast vnto all the people that were in the castell of Susan, both vnto greate and small, seuen dayes longe in the courte of the garden by the kynges palace:
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And at the end of that time, the king gave a feast for all the people who were present in Shushan, the king's town, small as well as great, for seven days, in the outer square of the garden of the king's house.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when these dayes were expired, the king made a feast vnto al the people that were in Susan the chiefe citie, both vnto great & small, seuen dayes long, in the court of the garden by the kinges palace.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the castle, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
King James Version (1611)
And when these dayes were expired, the king made a feast vnto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both vnto great and small, seuen dayes, in the court of the garden of the kings palace,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
when, I say, the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king’s house,
English Revised Version
And when these days were fulfilled, he 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;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the daies of the feeste weren fillid, he clepide to feeste al the puple that was foundun in Susa, fro the moost `til to the leeste; and he comaundide the feeste to be maad redi bi seuene daies in the porche of the orcherd and wode, that was set with the kyngis ournement and hond.
Update Bible Version
And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast to 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.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when these days had expired, the king made a feast for all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both for great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
New King James Version
And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
New Living Translation
When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden.
New Life Bible
When all the days were over, the king gave a supper lasting seven days for all the people from the greatest to the least who were in the city of Susa where he ruled. The supper was given in the open space of the garden of the king's special house.
New Revised Standard
When these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
that, when these days were fulfilled, the king made - for all the people that were present in Shusan the palace, both for great and small - a banquet, seven days, - in the court of the garden of the palace of the king:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the days of the feast were expired, he invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden, and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
Revised Standard Version
And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the capital, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
Young's Literal Translation
And at the fulness of these days hath the king made to all the people who are found in Shushan the palace, from great even unto small, a banquet, seven days, in the court of the garden of the house of the king --
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.

Contextual Overview

1King Xerxes of Persia lived in his capital city of Susa and ruled one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. 3 During the third year of his rule, Xerxes gave a big dinner for all his officials and officers. The governors and leaders of the provinces were also invited, and even the commanders of the Persian and Median armies came. 4 For one hundred eighty days he showed off his wealth and spent a lot of money to impress his guests with the greatness of his kingdom. 5 King Xerxes soon gave another dinner and invited everyone in the city of Susa, no matter who they were. The eating and drinking lasted seven days in the beautiful palace gardens. 6 The area was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains tied back with purple linen cords that ran through silver rings fastened to marble columns. Couches of gold and silver rested on pavement that had all kinds of designs made from costly bright-colored stones and marble and mother-of-pearl. 7 The guests drank from gold cups, and each cup had a different design. The king was generous 8 and said to them, "Drink all you want!" Then he told his servants, "Keep their cups full." 9 While the men were enjoying themselves, Queen Vashti gave the women a big dinner inside the royal palace.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

present: Heb. found

seven days: 2 Chronicles 7:8, 2 Chronicles 7:9, 2 Chronicles 30:21-25

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 23:2 - both small and great Mark 6:39 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 1:8
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.
Genesis 1:13
Evening came and then morning—that was the third day.
Genesis 1:19
Evening came and then morning—that was the fourth day.
Genesis 1:23
Evening came and then morning—that was the fifth day.
Genesis 1:31
God looked at what he had done. All of it was very good! Evening came and then morning—that was the sixth day.
Genesis 8:22
As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat; winter and summer, day and night.
Psalms 19:2
Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next.
Psalms 74:16
You rule the day and the night, and you put the moon and the sun in place.
Psalms 104:20
and you made the darkness, so the animals in the forest could come out at night.
Isaiah 45:7
I create light and darkness, happiness and sorrow. I, the Lord , do all of this.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when these days were ended,.... The one hundred and eighty, in which the nobles, princes, and great men of the kingdom were feasted:

the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small; of every age, rank, state and condition of life; these were the common people, whether inhabitants of the city or country people there on business, whether natives or foreigners; according to the Targum, there were Israelites there, but not Mordecai and his family; yea, it is said in the Midrash n, that they were all Jews, and that their number was 18,500; but this is not probable; it is very likely there were some Jews among them, as there were many in the army of Xerxes, when he made his expedition into Greece, according to the poet Choerilus o; which is not to be wondered at, since there were so many of them in his dominions, and they men of valour and fidelity, and to whose nation he was so kind and favourable: and this feast was kept

seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace; which no doubt was very large, and sufficient to hold such a number as was assembled together on this occasion, when there was not room enough for them in the palace. There is in history an account of a Persian king that supped with 15,000 men, and in the supper spent forty talents p.

n Midrash Esther, fol. 94. 1. o Apud Joseph. contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 22. p Ctesias & Dinon in Athenaei Deipnosoph. l. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Esther 1:5. 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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile