That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
Parallel translations
- WEB in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
- BSB In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
- NKJV in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel,
- NASB in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa,
- NLT At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ahasuerus reigns from his throne in the fortress-capital of Susa (Shushan). The setting establishes the seat of imperial power where the drama unfolds.
Overview
Susa was one of the principal royal cities of the Persian empire, a center of wealth and authority. By placing the action at the throne itself, the narrator signals that great matters of state will turn on events here. Behind the visible splendor of human kingship, the book quietly prepares to display the unseen rule of God, who directs the affairs of kings to protect His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Neh 1:1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
- 2 Sam 7:1And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
- Dan 8:2And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
- 1 Kgs 1:46And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
- Esth 3:15The posts went out, being hastened by the king’s commandment, and the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.
- Esth 4:16Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
- Dan 4:4I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace:
- Esth 9:12–15And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? now what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy request further? and it shall be done.
- Esth 2:3And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:
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Christ at the center
Though God is never named, his hidden hand preserves the people from whom the Messiah will come — a deliverance 'for such a time as this' that anticipates the open deliverance of Christ.
How Esther 1:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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