In about the year 477 B.C......a beautiful, young girl was living with her Uncle Mordecai. He had taken her as his very own daughter when her mother and father had died. The household was not wealthy. They lived as their neighbors did...working, cooking and taking care of their daily rituals. In the land of Persia---Esther, whose name means "Star" and her uncle---- were not Persian. They were Jewish, as were many others. What they did not know was that a battle was beginning to brew in the exquisite Palace of King Ahasuerus who ruled the land.
The King planned a great feast to be given in his court. Most of it would take place in the gardens of the Kings Palace. Preparations were made among the court. The couches were made of gold and silver. There were curtains in the rooms---blue and white---made of the finest linens which hung on silver rods. The floors were made of a mixture or mosaic of white and black marble, turquoise and alabaster. Imagine that floor. Many would be invited, some say thousands, from many provinces. Kingdom officials were invited, and others---from great to small.
The King was exceedingly rich. Let's just take the cups that the guests would drink out of....they were all made of gold. And not only that...each one was a different shape! I don't know of any Kingdom court today to display such opulence. Queen Elizabeth of England invites many to her magnificent dinners and they are brilliant, but I daresay they cannot compare to this feast. There was wine offered, as much as a person wanted, but the King did not demand anyone to drink it. Surely there were tables upon tables laden with meats, fruits and pastries of the finest kind. This feast went on for some time. The cooks were very busy.
The King's Queen---Vashti---was holding her own feast at the same time. It appears to have been very enjoyable. On the 7th day of the feast, the King asked his eunuchs---they were men who had their manhood removed and served him ---to summon his beautiful Queen to come to him. He wanted her beauty to be seen by all, as he was very proud of her.
Yet Vashti did not appear. Why? I really don't know. It might have been that the men were a bit too merry after drinking their wine. Maybe she didn't want to be paraded around hundreds or even thousands of people---to be gawked at---in her opinion. Or rather, perhaps she was content staying in her own chambers enjoying her own feast. Maybe she felt she was too important to simply be commanded.
When the King was told that she refused his command to come to him, he was FURIOUS. It is said that his anger burned within him. He summoned his wise men to come to him. These would have been some of the Princes of Persia and other important men of his Kingdom. They discussed the wrong that the Queen had committed and how this should be handled. The men said, "For the Queen's behavior will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.'
In those days, the husband was the master. In the quiet of each home, did each wife obey every command of her husband? ...Maybe so, maybe not. But still, eventually, word of Queens Vashti's disobedience would be known to all. It might take weeks or months, but everyone would hear about it. She had defied her King and her husband and this could not stand. This could not be tolerated. They said that the noble ladies would hear of her behavior and there would be excessive contempt and wrath.
As I write this, I really feel for the King and his embarrassment. I'm sure he was greatly hurt by the woman he had made his Queen. Also, I feel a bit sad for Vashti, for she did not know what lay ahead as she enjoyed her feast. Basically, as they say today, she was clueless.
It was finally decided that a decree be written by the King, that the Queen would no longer come to him, saying that Vashti's royal position be given to another who was better than she. And they felt that once the decree was pronounced throughout the Kingdom (a great empire) that wives would honor their husbands, both great and small. This pleased the King and the Princes and letters were sent to every province, each in its own script and language, so that each man would be master in his own home.
We can only imagine what Vashti felt when she received this news. She must have left in disgrace, shocked. Do I feel sorry for her? Not really. Do you?
After a time, the Kings wrath subsided and he remembered what his Queen had done and what he had decreed against her. Even though his wrath had subsided, things must have seemed amiss. He had lost his wife, he had suffered an injustice. I'm sure as a man he mourned for what he thought should have been. It's a painful thing to live through. But, good news came that cheered the King. His attendants said, "Let beautiful, young virgins be sought for the King."
What was suggested was this.... that the King appoint officers in all the provinces of his Kingdom, that they may gather all the beautiful young virgins....they would be brought to "Shushan the Citadel" (my emphasis) ---the women's quarters. A man named Hegai, the Kings eunuch, would be custodian of the women there and the beauty preparations would begin there.
"Let the young woman who pleases the King be Queen instead of Vashti." And this pleased the King. And he allowed it. I tend to think it made him happy---to know that eventually he would be able to choose a new Queen.
Mordecai, Esther's uncle happened to be at Shushan the Citadel and knew what was happening. It's only natural that he thought of his niece, who in his opinion was lovely and beautiful and a virgin. He made it his mission to get Esther into this exclusive "program". We don't know what Esther herself really thought about it, but she obeyed her uncle. It must have felt strange as she traveled there and wondered what was ahead of her. Would they even allow her to enter?
Why did her uncle feel this need, this calling, to get her there?
Many beautiful women were already at Shushan, being taken care of by Hegai. When Hegai saw Esther, she obtained his favor and he was eager to give her beauty preparations, well beyond what the other women were getting. And not only that, Hegai chose seven maidservants just for her. And not only that, Hegai moved her to one of the best places where they women stayed.
Why did Hegai show her this kind of favor? She was not the only beautiful and lovely women there. It may have been her sweet countenance, it may have been a feeling he had about her. Esther must have been overwhelmed. She had never resided in such a splendid place. She wasn't used to it. She had never seen beauty preparations, yet she had more than the other women. She had worked at home---cooking, baking, cleaning, sewing----but here she was attended by not one, but seven maidservants. It must have been overwhelming in a great way, but also a bit scary. What was she in for? How many months or years would she have to prepare for the day where she would get a chance to meet the King? And, what if the King did not choose her? What would life be like again....to go back, after living in a place such as this?
And, if chosen, Esther must have wondered if she would be up to the task of being Queen...and personally, did she want to be chosen?
She was living in Persia, but she was not Persian, she was Jewish. But her uncle had told her to keep silent about that. And so, she did. She would not break her promise.
Esther began her beautification process. There would be six months using oil of myrrh---(very expensive, a restorative oil, regarded as good as gold)---and then six months with other perfumes and other beautifying preparations.
Her devoted uncle paced each day, in the court outside of the building where his niece stayed, wondering about her welfare, eager to hear of news of how and what she was doing. Could Esther see him out there, pacing? Did she know how cherished she was? I'm sure she did. She must have spent time in prayer, contemplating her purpose and her future. She must have missed him greatly.
When each woman had finished her 12 months of preparations, arrangements were made to be received and presented to the King. The women were allowed to bring anything with them when they met the King. In the evening they would meet him and then in the morning return to a second house. She would stay there unless the King delighted in her and specifically called for her by name. I don't know how many women went in before Esther. It may have been twenty women, perhaps over one hundred.
Finally, it was her turn. She asked to bring nothing with her, except what Hegai recommended. Esther was taken to the Kings Palace. As she walked the lengths of the halls, was she fearful? Did she feel beautiful? How many exquisite beauties had he seen already? Surely, there were many more beautiful than she.....But this was it, her one and only chance. Esther could only be herself. She entered the Palace in the 7th year of his reign.
No one knows what happened between them during this meeting, what their conversations were or exactly what she wore. But we do know one thing. The King picked up the royal crown at some point during their hours together and placed it on the top of her head. She would be his Queen. She had attained grace and favor in his sight and it is said he loved her more than all the other women. He said he loved her. This is quite amazing! What did he see in her? Was it just her incredible beauty, or did he also feel peaceful in her presence? Wouldn't it have been safer or better to see her several times over a period of days? Perhaps send her to the second house, and then call her by name, and receive her for another visit, and another visit, and then, give her the crown when he was very certain? After what happened with Queen Vashti, he had to be careful. Yet, evidently, he loved her immediately and knew he must have her. He was certain.
He would have her. Esther was to become a Queen.
But this is far from the end of the story. Yes, she was beautiful, but that's not what made her great, and it's not why she is remembered. I hope you'll enjoy the next part of her story, to be posted soon.
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