Chapter Overview
Summary
Esther 1 narrates King Ahasuerus' great banquet and Queen Vashti's refusal. The LXX follows the MT narrative closely but with notable theological additions — the LXX explicitly mentions God's activity and adds religious coloring absent from the MT. The MT of Esther famously never mentions God; the LXX corrects this.
Notable Variants
The LXX adds the name 'Artaxerxes' as the Greek rendering of Ahasuerus throughout. Several verses have expansions explaining Persian customs. Addition A (Mordecai's dream, in addition-A.json) is placed before this chapter in the LXX.
Structural Notes
Both versions have 22 verses. Addition A (17 verses) precedes this chapter in the LXX arrangement.
In the days of Ahasuerus — the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush over one hundred twenty-seven provinces —
Masoretic (WLC)
אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ
Ahasuerus
Septuagint (LXX)
Ἀρταξέρξης (Artaxerxēs)
Artaxerxes
The LXX consistently renders Ahasuerus as Artaxerxes throughout the book. This likely reflects a Greek identification of the Persian king with Artaxerxes II (404-358 BCE) rather than Xerxes I (486-465 BCE), the usual identification for the MT's Achashverosh.
in those days, when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa —
Masoretic (WLC)
בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה
in Susa the citadel
Septuagint (LXX)
ἐν Σούσοις τῇ πόλει
in Susa the city
The LXX renders birah (citadel/acropolis) as polis (city), losing the specific architectural reference.
in the third year of his reign, he held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military force of Persia and Media, the nobility, and the provincial governors were before him.
Masoretic (WLC)
פַּרְתְּמֵי הַמְּדִינוֹת
the nobles of the provinces
Septuagint (LXX)
οἱ ἔνδοξοι τῶν ἐθνῶν
the distinguished ones of the nations
LXX generalizes the specific Persian administrative term.
He displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor of his magnificent greatness for many days — one hundred eighty days.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
When those days were completed, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people present in the citadel of Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the courtyard of the garden of the king's pavilion.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
White cotton curtains and violet hangings were fastened with cords of fine linen and purple cloth to silver rods on marble columns. Couches of gold and silver rested on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stone.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
Drinks were served in golden vessels, each vessel different from the next, and royal wine flowed abundantly, befitting the king's generosity.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
The drinking was by rule: no one was compelled. The king had instructed every steward of his household to serve each person according to his own desire.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
Queen Vashti also held a feast for the women in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.
Masoretic (WLC)
וַשְׁתִּי הַמַּלְכָּה
Queen Vashti
Septuagint (LXX)
Αστιν ἡ βασίλισσα
Queen Astin
The LXX spells the name differently: Astin rather than Vashti. Greek transliteration conventions account for the difference.
On the seventh day, when the king was in high spirits from wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas — the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus —
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing the royal crown, to display her beauty to the peoples and the officials, for she was stunning in appearance.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. The king was furious, and his rage burned within him.
Masoretic (WLC)
וַתְּמָאֵן הַמַּלְכָּה וַשְׁתִּי
but Queen Vashti refused
Septuagint (LXX)
καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν... ἡ βασίλισσα
and the queen was unwilling
Both versions record Vashti's refusal. The LXX adds that she refused 'to come at the word of the king that was conveyed by the eunuchs' — slightly expanding the MT.
The king consulted the wise men who understood the times — for this was the king's practice with all who knew law and judgment.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan — the seven officials of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and held the highest rank in the kingdom.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
"According to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, since she has not obeyed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered through the eunuchs?"
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
Memucan declared before the king and the officials, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but all the officials and all the peoples in every province of King Ahasuerus.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
For the queen's behavior will become known to all women, causing them to look on their husbands with contempt, saying, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come!'
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
This very day, the noblewomen of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will say the same to all the king's officials — and there will be no end of contempt and anger."
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be revoked: Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus, and the king will give her royal position to another who is better than she is.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
When the king's edict is proclaimed throughout his entire kingdom — for it is vast — all women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least."
Masoretic (WLC)
וְכָל־הַנָּשִׁים יִתְּנוּ יְקָר
all women will give honor
Septuagint (LXX)
πᾶσαι αἱ γυναῖκες περιθήσουσιν τιμήν
all women will render honor
Both versions preserve Memucan's logic: Vashti's public disobedience threatens the patriarchal order of every Persian household.
The proposal pleased the king and the officials, and the king acted on Memucan's recommendation.
No significant variant between the LXX and the MT for this verse.
He sent letters to every royal province — to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language — declaring that every man should be master in his own household and speak the language of his own people.
Masoretic (WLC)
לִהְיוֹת כָּל־אִישׁ שֹׂרֵר בְּבֵיתוֹ
that every man should be master in his own house
Septuagint (LXX)
ὥστε φόβον αὐτοῖς παρέχειν ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις αὐτῶν
so as to provide fear in their houses
LXX reframes 'mastery' as 'fear/respect,' a slightly different nuance.