how did king ahasuerus dieaudit assistant manager duties and responsibilities
That refusal might be better understood via the Jewish tradition that she was ordered to appear naked. He is known for ultimately contributing to the downfall of Assyria. Ahasuerus (/hzjurs/ -HAZ-ew-EER-s; Hebrew: .mw-parser-output .script-hebrew,.mw-parser-output .script-Hebr{font-family:"SBL Hebrew","SBL BibLit","Taamey Ashkenaz","Taamey Frank CLM","Frank Ruehl CLM","Ezra SIL","Ezra SIL SR","Keter Aram Tsova","Taamey David CLM","Keter YG","Shofar","David CLM","Hadasim CLM","Simple CLM","Nachlieli",Cardo,Alef,"Noto Serif Hebrew","Noto Sans Hebrew","David Libre",David,"Times New Roman",Gisha,Arial,FreeSerif,FreeSans}, Modern:Aavr, Tiberian:awr, commonly Achashverosh;[a] Koine Greek: , romanized:Asouros, in the Septuagint; Latin: Assuerus in the Vulgate) is a name applied in the Hebrew Bible to three rulers and to a Babylonian official (or Median king) in the Book of Tobit. Since Vashti is ordered to appear before the king on the seventh day of the feast, the rabbis argued that Vashti enslaved Jewish women and forced them to work on the Sabbath. [77], Xerxes (Ahasuerus) is portrayed by Richard Egan in the 1960 film Esther and the King and by Joel Smallbone in the 2013 film, The Book of Esther. Pire Rabbi Eliezer, xi., in accordance with Targ. More recent estimates place the Persian force at around 60,000 combatants.[44]. All rights reserved. We see God changing Abrams to Abraham and Saul to Paul. Heritage History | On the Shores of the Great Sea by M. B. Synge Omissions? This seems to be a different Xerxes than the one mentioned in Esther. 1763. Clearly, Ahasuerus was an important name in Medo-Persian culture at the time. The outraged king ordered that Haman be hanged on the gallows built for Mordecai and that Mordecai be named to fill Hamans position. He fails, and returns to Persia. Immediately preceding Artaxerxes I in the line of Persian kings, Ahasuerus is evidently to be identified with Xerxes. In Western history, Xerxes is best known for his invasion of Greece in 480 BC, which ended in Persian defeat. Haman, having become incensed thatMordecai, aJew, held him indisdainand refused obeisance, convinced the king that the Jews living under Persian rule were rebellious and should be slaughtered. It should also be recalled that neither Haman nor the king were aware that Esther was Jewish; equally, the king was ignorant that Mordecai was Jewish, although Haman knew. 12); but the king, angered at her disobedience, took the advice of his counselors and set the queen aside. Esther | Book of Esther, Purim, & Facts | Britannica Systems of Transliteration Citation of Proper Names. Upon the slanderous report of the Samaritans he stopped the work, begun under Cyrus, of the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra, iv. Darius I, byname Darius the Great, (born 550 bc died 486), king of Persia in 522-486 bc, one of the greatest rulers of the Achaemenid dynasty, who was noted for his administrative genius and for his great building projects. He heaped up great treasures and in his miserliness hid them. For the beetle, see, Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible, as quoted by Bible.cc/ezra/4-7.htm, Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, as quoted by Bible.cc/ezra/4-7.htm, Kant, I. After returning to Persia, Xerxes dedicated himself to large-scale construction projects, many of which were left unfinished by his father. Darius the son of Ahasuerus, who was born a Mede, was made king over the nation of the Babylonians (Daniel 9:1 NLV). [9], R. Abba b. Kahana says Vashti was no more modest than Ahasuerus. The court is at Shushan, and the officers are Persian. He also maintained the Royal Road built by his father. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Bible Q | What happened to Queen Vashti? In the Book of Daniel, Ahasuerus is given as the name of the father of Darius the Mede, commonly identified with Astyages. (3) The king must be a Persian; for the whole atmosphere is Persian. The play presents him as an effeminate figure and his hubristic effort to bring both Asia and Europe under his control leads to the ruin of both himself and his kingdom. Ahasuerus and Vashti: The Story Megillat Esther Does Not Tell You How Can Christians Knock Down Fear of the Future? But why does it seem that so many Medo-Persian kings go by the same nameespecially in such rapid succession? [16] Starting from 498 BC, Xerxes resided in the royal palace of Babylon. Theres a reason why we often will name our children after people in the Bible. 2 has four, counting also Solomon among them; see Meg. Difference between machine language and machine code, maybe in the C64 community? She had dignity. Xerxes set out in the spring of 480BC from Sardis with a fleet and army which Herodotus estimated was roughly one million strong along with 10,000 elite warriors named the Immortals. According to R. Jose b. anina, Vashti declined the invitation because she had become a leper (Meg. "[14] Persian princes also learned the basics of the Zoroastrian religion, and were taught to be truthful, to be courageous, and to have self-restraint. Corrections? [48] He had colorful enameled brick laid on the exterior face of the Apadana. My above comment deleted. In retaliation, Xerxes ordered the Hellespont (the strait itself) whipped three hundred times, and had fetters thrown into the water. The king in Ezra appears to halt the Jewish peoples building process based on rumors he hears, indicating he doesnt sympathize with their cause. Xerxes was designated successor by Darius over his elder brother Artobazan and inherited a large, multi-ethnic empire upon his father's death. 634.) [2], King Ahasuerus's command for the appearance of Queen Vashti is interpreted by several midrashic sources as an order to appear unclothed for the attendees of the king's banquet. Omissions? [74][75], Later generations' fascination with ancient Sparta, particularly the Battle of Thermopylae, has led to Xerxes' portrayal in works of popular culture. The Biblical account then introduces what must have been a very common episode in the life of Persian monarchs. [10] The Ethiopic text calls him Areksis, usually the Ethiopic equivalent of Artaxerxes. The name Ahasuerus was revived in 1602 in the German pamphlet Kurze Beschreibung und Erzhlung von einem Juden mit namen Ahasverus (A Brief Description and Narration Regarding a Jew Named Ahasuerus). "Vashti the Queen also made a feast for the women of the royal household of King Ahasuerus." (Esther 1:9) There are overt political overtones of Vashti's parallel party. The name Ahasuerus is derived from the Old Persian name of Xerxes I, Xayr, which means "king of all male; Hero among Kings." 96 et seq.). Thanks to his family connection, Cyrus is brought up in the Persian court after the murder of Zoroaster, becoming the boyhood friend of Xerxes, and later a diplomat who is sent to India, and later to Greece, and who is thereby able to gain privileged access to many leading historical figures of the period. cataloged by the Greek historian Xenophon, advisor Hamans plan to kill the Jewish people, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Verb for "Placing undue weight on a specific factor when making a decision". The king was required by Persian law to choose a successor before setting out on dangerous expeditions; when Darius decided to leave for Egypt (487486BC), he prepared his tomb at Naqsh-e Rustam (five kilometers from his royal palace at Persepolis) and appointed Xerxes, his eldest son by Atossa, as his successor. 9. For Such a Time as This The Story of Ahasuerus and Esther According to Ctesias (in Persica 20), Artabanus then accused the Crown Prince Darius, Xerxes's eldest son, of the murder and persuaded another of Xerxes's sons, Artaxerxes, to avenge the patricide by killing Darius. Xerxes ordered the Destruction of Athens and burnt the city, leaving an archaeologically attested destruction layer, known as the Perserschutt. Xerxes I - World History Encyclopedia He is alternatively identified, together with the Ahasuerus of the Book of Tobit, as Cyaxares I, said to be the father of Astyages. If Achashverosh is Xerxes is Esther His Wife Amestris?, Ahasuerus, the former Stable-Master of Belshazzar, and the Wicked Alexander of Macedon: Two Parallels between the Babylonian Talmud and Persian Sources,, And it was in the days of Ahaz ben Jotham ben Uziah, king of Judah[11], And it was in the days of Joiakim ben Josiah, king of Judah, R. Nehemiah suggests that the party on the third year refers to the third year from when Ahasuerus cancelled the rebuilding of the Temple (, Among the goblets of different kinds ( ) that Ahasuerus served the wine in were goblets from the Temple (. The Greek represents it by Xerxes. But this interchange is very common in Hebr With the kings consent, Haman set a date for the execution (the 13th day of the month of Adar) by casting lots and built a gallows specifically for Mordecai. 1 Ahasuerus: The King Who Would Not Rebuild the Temple The megillah discusses the years of Ahasuerus but doesn't clarify when this king ruled. [7] Xerxes would become a popular name among the rulers of the Achaemenid Empire. [7], In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Bible commentators attempted to identify Vashti with Persian queens mentioned by the Greek historians. [citation needed], Hoschander proposed that it originated as a shortening of an unattested "vashtateira", which he also proposed as the origin of the name "Stateira". Topical Bible: Ahasuerus [9] Three factors, among others, contribute to this identification: The Septuagint, the Vulgate, the Midrash of Esther Rabbah, I, 3 and the Josippon identify the king as Artaxerxes I, and the historian Josephus relates that this was the name by which he was known to the Greeks. We know that Cambyses also led unsuccessful campaigns in Ethiopia and Carthage and died in mysterious circumstances. This Artaxerxes held a hundred twenty-seven regions from India", The Religious Policy of Xerxes and the 'Book of Esther', Maas, Anthony (1907). The latter possibility is often interpreted as "a euphemism for a miraculous transformation to male anatomy. Many scholars now agree with this. Esthers story culminates when the beloved queen is faced with the decision to either continue to disguise her Jewish heritage and maintain her safety or jeopardize everything to advocate for her people. [10] Darius and Atossa married in 522 BC,[11] and Xerxes was born around 518 BC.[12]. It was later borrowed into Hebrew and Latin, traditionally used in English Bibles. Ahasuerus is given as the name of the father of Darius the Mede in the Book of Daniel. What do we know about Assyria? , , , . (2) The description that Herodotus gives of the character of Xerxes corresponds to the Biblical and, later, the midrashic picturevain, foolish, fickle, and hot-tempered. There are many things to cover about this man, but we can distill it down to a few points. Theres a sense of duty to follow former generations. [50], In August 465BC, Artabanus, the commander of the royal bodyguard and the most powerful official in the Persian court, assassinated Xerxes with the help of a eunuch, Aspamitres. Starting at the age of seven, they learned how to ride and hunt; after reaching the age of fourteen, they were each taught by four teachers from aristocratic backgrounds, who taught them how to be "wise, just, prudent, and brave. Why Is it Important to Remember That Jesus Was Jewish? The Book of Esther deals only with one period of his reign. In the fortress Shushan lived a Jew by the name of Mordecai, son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite. Secondly, the Bible characterizes him as having mood swings, making irrational decisions, and listening to ill advice. According to ancient writers, Xerxes destroyed Babylon's fortifications and damaged the temples in the city. 2), where it is said: "The fourth shall be far richer than they all"; and also that he set up couches of gold and silver in the thoroughfare of his capital to show all the world his riches; all the dishes and vessels he used were of gold, while the pavement of his palace was entirely of precious stones and pearls. At first glance, and if we dont consider the cultural context, we may assume Ahasuerus was the same person. Furthermore, while Artobazan's mother was a commoner, Xerxes' mother was the daughter of the founder of the Achaemenid Empire. Is the United States Really Blessed by God? Do I have to spend any movement to do so? 71). 6 occurs where Cambyses or Darius is to be expected, if the statement is historical, and is no doubt the result of the ignorance of a late writer. This leads us to the final Ahasuerus, the one from the Book of Esther. However, if that theory were correct, we must consider why we run into conflicting stories about their lives and deaths. [9] The bodies of Haman's ten sons were also hanged, after they died in battle against the Jews. Families[15] in this time, including Xerxes', would intermarry. His "showing the riches of his glorious kingdom" to his princes (Esth. One view is that the description of Ahasuerus as the "father" of Darius the Mede should be understood in the broader sense of "forebear" or "ancestor." At the meal she pleaded for the Jews, thus revealing herself as Jewish, and accused thiswickedHaman of plotting the annihilation of her people. Well save King Xerxes for last since he tends to get the most press. What was the name of the king of Persia at the time of the rebuilding of Jerusalem? They generally painted him as a rather dull, slow-witted character. Darius the son of Ahasuerus, who was born a Mede, was made king over the nation of the Babylonians ( Daniel 9:1 NLV) We must examine extrabiblical texts to get more information on this specific king. When Haman discusses the Jewish genocide with the Ahasuerus, he does so in deliberately veiled language ("certain people" Est 3:8) and the king makes very few inquiries about the details but leaves it all to Haman by giving him free reign; even providing the royal signet ring (V10). [17] A traditional Catholic view is that he is identical to the Ahasuerus of Daniel 9:1[18] In the Codex Sinaiticus Greek (LXX) edition, the two names in this verse appear instead as one name, Ahikar (also the name of another character in the story of Tobit). Yes, there could have been." Xerxes was known for his drinking and lavish banquets, strong temper and enormous harem - the main wing of the harem building in Persepolis was excavated by a team from. Bloomsbury. Should I disclose my academic dishonesty on grad applications? She was either executed or banished for her refusal to appear at the king's banquet to show her beauty as Ahasuerus wished, and was succeeded as queen by Esther, a Jew. The narrative is considered to be fictionalized, with Ahasuerus referring to a fictionalized Xerxes I. Between the events of the first chapter and those of the second some years may be supposed to intervene, during which Ahasuerus is busy with his attempt at enslaving Greece. Mordecai will not do reverence to Haman, who thereupon, scorning to lay hands on Mordecai alone, plots to destroy all the Jews throughout the kingdom. Upset, the king stepped out into the palace gardens. On the seventh day of the banquet, when the king's heart was "merry with wine", the king orders his seven chamberlains to summon Vashti to come before him and his guests wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty. Esther 1:1 This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned Some historians additionally argue that, because the Persian kings did not marry outside a handful of Persian noble families, it is unlikely that there was a Jewish queen Esther and that in any case the historical Xerxes's queen was Amestris. Memucan encourages Ahasuerus to dismiss Vashti and find another queen. "[11] Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote that Vashti "added new glory to [her] day and generationby her disobedience; for 'Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. Persian King Xerxes thought to be Biblical Ahasuerus About 70 years pass between Daniel being taken into exile and the time of Ezra. Now that weve overviewed the three people named Ahasuerus, lets uncover why so many go by the same name. [65][66] There is nothing close to a consensus, however, as to what historical event provided the basis for the story.[67][68][69][70]. For instance, Daniels friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah went by the Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Generational names carry an important meaning. intro.). First of all, perhaps these arent three different people, just one. The famous aria "Ombra mai f" opens the opera. According to the Midrash, Vashti was the great-granddaughter of King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon, the granddaughter of King Amel-Marduk and the daughter of King Belshazzar. i. Es 3:1-15. Ahasuerus - Jewish Virtual Library So what do we know about Darius's father, since we know Darius as the man who put Daniel in the lion's den ( Daniel 6 )? Xerxes's second attempt to bridge the Hellespont was successful. In the Septuagint, the Book of Esther refers to this king as 'Artaxerxes' (Ancient Greek: ). Bel-shimmani's revolt was short-lived; Babylonian documents written during his reign only account for a period of two weeks. Traditional sources identify Ahasuerus with Artaxerxes II of Persia. How did Darius the Great come to power? A group of beautiful young virgins from the city of Susa was selected (verse 3). Views differ on how to reconcile the sources in this case. Esther and Mordecai then obtained a royal edict allowing Jews throughout the empire to defend themselves on the day set for their extermination. 13a), and she was brought up by Mordecai as his daughter. Babylon fell. [33] It is doubtful if the statue was removed from Babylon at all[29] and some have even suggested that Xerxes did remove a statue from the city, but that this was the golden statue of a man rather than the statue of the god Marduk. This account of education among the Persian elite is supported by Xenophon's description of the 5th-century BC Achaemenid prince Cyrus the Younger, with whom he was well-acquainted. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 10) Ahasuerus summoned the queen to appear before him, and the banqueters, too, so that all might see her beauty. But upon further investigation, the Bible mentions several men called Ahasuerus (or Xerxes, in Greek translations). In his ambition Ahasuerus wanted to sit on King Solomon's wonderful throne, described in the Midrash and the Targum to Esther, but he could not. The book suggests that Esther, born to Abihail, was orphaned as a child and was thereafter adopted and raised by . Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). From 483BC, Xerxes prepared his expedition: The Xerxes Canal was dug through the isthmus of the peninsula of Mount Athos, provisions were stored in the stations on the road through Thrace, and two pontoon bridges later known as Xerxes' Pontoon Bridges were built across the Hellespont. The conspirators are hanged, and the account of the conspiracy and its discovery entered in the chronicles. In Ezra 4:6 Ahasuerus is mentioned as a king of Persia, to whom the enemies of the Jews sent representations opposing the rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem.
351 Corey St, West Roxbury, Ma,
Whiskey Tasting Boston,
Articles H