Catholic Commentary on Esther 1

"Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger." (Esther 1:12)

The Book of Esther

Esther is a story of diaspora faith: Jewish identity maintained and ultimately vindicated inside a pagan empire. The Hebrew version in the Protestant canon contains no explicit mention of God; the deuterocanonical Greek additions, accepted by Catholics, supply extensive prayers and divine action that make the theological foundation explicit. Together they present a narrative of providence working through ordinary courage and the willingness to risk one's life for a people.

King Xerxes of Persia holds a great feast for 180 days displaying his wealth and glory, followed by a seven-day feast for all the people of Susa. Queen Vashti holds a separate feast for the women. On the seventh day, the king commands Vashti to be brought before him in the royal crown to display her beauty. Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger. His advisers warn him that her refusal will spread rebellion through all the Persian households: if this becomes known, all women will look down on their husbands. He issues a royal decree deposing Vashti and ordering that every man should be master in his own home. The search for a replacement begins.

The Catechism identifies the story of Esther as a figure of the Church's situation in every culture that is indifferent or hostile to the covenant: a people who must find their way to faithfulness inside systems they did not design (CCC 674).

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Vashti refused the summons and paid the price. Her refusal created the vacancy that Esther would fill. The removal that looks like punishment may be the preparation for the person God is positioning. The providential vacancy cannot be seen as providential until later. Trust the larger story.

Prayer

Lord God, you work your purposes through deposition and replacement, through refusals and vacancies. Give us the faith to trust the larger story even when we only see the deposition. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Esther
1
Xerxes’ Royal Feast
1 This is what happened in the days of Xerxes,* 1:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus; here and throughout Esther who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.† 1:1 That is, the upper Nile region 2 In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
 
3 In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces. 4 And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
 
5 At the end of this time, in the garden court 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. 6 Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
 
7 Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty. 8 By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.
Queen Vashti’s Refusal
 
9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
 
10 On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him-Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas- 11 to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
 
12 Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.
Queen Vashti Deposed
 
13 Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice. 14 His 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.
 
15 “According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
 
16 And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes. 17 For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands ‡ 1:17 Or to disdain their husbands in their eyes and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
 
18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
 
19 So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she. 20 The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom-and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
 
21 The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised. 22 He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming § 1:22 Literally proclaiming in the language of his own people that every man should be master of his own household.

*1:1 1:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus; here and throughout Esther

†1:1 1:1 That is, the upper Nile region

‡1:17 1:17 Or to disdain their husbands in their eyes

§1:22 1:22 Literally proclaiming in the language of his own people

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