11 Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus , the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to [1]Ethiopia over e e provinces , 2 in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa , 3 in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants , the army officers of Persia and Media , the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence . 4 [2]And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days , 180 e days . 5 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 . 6 There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns , and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry , marble , mother-of-pearl and precious stones . 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds , and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's [3]bounty . 8 The drinking was done according to the law , there was no compulsion , for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person . 9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the [4]palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Esther 1:1-9
Commentary on Esther 1:1-9
(Read Esther 1:1-9)
The pride of Ahasuerus's heart rising with the grandeur of his kingdom, he made an extravagant feast. This was vain glory. Better is a dinner of herbs with quietness, than this banquet of wine, with all the noise and tumult that must have attended it. But except grace prevails in the heart, self-exaltation and self-indulgence, in one form or another, will be the ruling principle. Yet none did compel; so that if any drank to excess, it was their own fault. This caution of a heathen prince, even when he would show his generosity, may shame many called Christians, who, under pretence of sending the health round, send sin round, and death with it. There is a woe to them that do so; let them read it, and tremble, Habakkuk 2:15,16.