Back Ground Information on
The Book of Esther

 

Key Information also for Ezra, Nehemiah,
Daniel, Ezkiel, Haggai, Zechariah …

 

 

King Ahasuerus, (a.k.a. Xerxes 1), also Husband of Queen Esther, ruled over Persia for 21 years, from 486 to 465 BCE. Persia was the country (a.k.a. the country of Persia and the Medes), was the second grandest country, in the vision given to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, who asked Daniel to interpret his dream.

 

King Ahasuerus’s government stretched from India in Asia to Ethiopia in Africa and covered many countries in between.

 

 

 

Esther 1:1-2 (KJV)

1 Now it came to pass in the days of

 

Ahasuerus [Xerxes I], (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace …

 

 

 

King Ahasuerus

Who is King Ahasuerus who reigned in Shushan (Susa)?

King Ahasuerus is a central figure in the biblical Book of Esther. He is also known as Xerxes I, a king of the Achaemenid Empire who ruled from 486 to 465 BCE.

King Ahasuerus is mentioned as the ruler of the Persian Empire, with his capital in Shushan (also known as Susa). The Book of Esther tells the story of how King Ahasuerus chose Esther, a Jewish woman, to be his queen, and how Esther and her cousin Mordechai thwarted a plot to persecute the Jewish people.

Historically, Xerxes I (King Ahasuerus) was a real king of the Achaemenid Empire, known for his military campaigns, including the invasion of Greece.

 

 

 

How big was his empire?

King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) ruled over a vast empire, the Achaemenid Empire, which was one of the largest empires of the ancient world.

At its peak, the Achaemenid Empire covered an enormous territory, stretching from:

• The Indus River in the east (present-day Pakistan and northwestern India)

• The Mediterranean Sea in the west (present-day Turkey, Greece, and parts of the Middle East)

• Egypt in the south

• The Caucasus and Central Asia in the north

The empire encompassed various regions, including:

• Persia (modern-day Iran)

• Media (modern-day northwestern Iran)

• Babylon (modern-day Iraq)

• Assyria (modern-day northern Iraq)

• Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon)

• Judea (modern-day Israel)

• Egypt

 

The Achaemenid Empire was a multicultural and multilingual state, with a diverse population and a complex system of governance.

 

 

Here is a comprehensive list of the kings of Persia, along with the kings of Babylon and Media, around the time of Daniel, Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah:

Kings of Babylon

1. Nebuchadnezzar II(605-562 BCE): Conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and exiled the Jews.

2. Amel-Marduk (562-560 BCE): Son of Nebuchadnezzar II, released Jehoiachin from prison.

3. Neriglissar (560-556 BCE): Brother-in-law of Amel-Marduk, assassinated him and took the throne.

4. Labashi-Marduk (556 BCE): Son of Neriglissar, assassinated by a group of nobles.

5. Nabonidus (556-539 BCE): Last king of Babylon, defeated by Cyrus the Great.

6. Belshazzar (co-regent, 553-539 BCE): Son of Nabonidus, co-regent and last ruler of Babylon.

Kings of Media

1. Cyaxares (653-585 BCE): Allied with Babylon against Assyria.

2. Astyages (585-550 BCE): Son of Cyaxares, defeated by Cyrus the Great.

Kings of Persia (Achaemenid Empire)

1. Cyrus the Great(559-530 BCE): Founder of the Achaemenid Empire, conquered Babylon, and allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem.

2. Cambyses II (530-522 BCE): Son of Cyrus, conquered Egypt.

3. Bardiya (Smerdis) (522 BCE): Brother of Cambyses II, assassinated by Darius I.

4. Darius I (Darius the Great) (522-486 BCE): Seized the throne, reorganized the empire, and allowed the Jews to rebuild the Temple.

5. Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) (486-465 BCE): Son of Darius I, invaded Greece, and married Esther.

6. Artaxerxes I(465-424 BCE): Son of Xerxes I, allowed Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.

Biblical Figures and Their Corresponding Kings

• Daniel: Nebuchadnezzar II, Belshazzar, and king Cyrus the Great, of Persia; King Darius the Mead

• Esther: Xerxes I (Ahasuerus)

• Ezra: Cyrus the Great, Darius I, and Artaxerxes I

• Nehemiah: Artaxerxes I

 

 

 

 

Where does Darius the Mede fit into the picture above?

Darius the Mede is a figure mentioned in the biblical Book of Daniel (Daniel 5:31, 6:1, 9:1, and 11:1). He is described as the king who conquered Babylon and appointed Daniel as one of his top officials.

Historically, the identity of Darius the Mede has been a topic of debate among scholars. Some have suggested that he may be identical with:

• Cyrus the Great: Some scholars believe that Darius the Mede might be an alternate name or title for Cyrus the Great, who conquered Babylon in 539 BCE.

• Gobryas: Others propose that Darius the Mede could be Gobryas, a Median general who played a key role in the conquest of Babylon.

However, the majority of scholars consider Darius the Mede to be a distinct historical figure, possibly a Median king or governor who ruled Babylon for a short period after its conquest.

In the context of the timeline above, Darius the Mede would fit in as follows:

• Nabonidus (556-539 BCE): Last king of Babylon

• Darius the Mede (539 BCE): Conquered Babylon, possibly as a Median king or governor

• Cyrus the Great (539-530 BCE): Took control of Babylon, possibly after Darius the Mede’s brief rule

Keep in mind that the historicity and identity of Darius the Mede are still topics of ongoing scholarly debate.

Messages generated by Meta. AI (may be inaccurate).