The Pulpit Commentary — Esther — Section 22

HOMILETICS. Ven;. 9-11. -Queen Vashti. It wonld seem that the character of Vashti has been by many writers darkened in order to bring out the brightness of Estlrnr's virtues. But jt is not fair to m~ke one queen simply the foil to the other. Haughty, dis- obedient, defiant, Vashti may have been, but she was placed in no ordinary position and treated in no ordinary manner. ' I. Observe THE POSITION OF VASHTI. Her name (according to some) indicates her beauty, and it is expressly said that she was fair to look upon. She was the legiti- mate wife of Ahasuerus. If he were Xerxes, it is possible she may have been the Amestris of the Greek historians. She fulfilled her royal duties. We read of her feast- ing the ladies, the princesses, in the royal palace ; within doors, and apart from the men. II. Observe THE INSULT OFFERED TO VA.SHTI. When his heart was merry with wine, the king bade his chamberlains bring the queen, in her stately robes, and wifu her royal crown upon her head, before him, that he mi~ht show her beauty to the princes and to the people. Now this was-1. A 'IJWlatiQ'11, of national custom. We are told indeed that, when in their cups, the Persian kings would dismiss their wives and send for their concubines and singing girls. It was certainly a command con- trary to custom, however it may have been in accordance with the capricious character of Xerxes. 2. An outrage upon her womanly modesty. That a young and beautiful woman sbonld appear before a vast company of boisterous and half- intoxicated nobles, and this that they might admire her loveliness, was a foul shame. 3. A derogation from her wifely di{!'nity. The king should have honoured Vashti as his consort, worthy of respectful treatment; for the disgrace of the wife is the disgrace of the husband. Ahasuerus must have been despised by any sober and honourable noble who heard him give this order. 4. It was a slur upon her ro}l_al atation. This station was acknowledged by her position at the head of the table, where the banquet was given to the chief ladies of the realm. If it was fit that she should preside as hostess, it was not fit that she ~hould be brought forward for the general ga.ze and admiration, like a courtesan famous for beauty and infamous for immodesty. III. Observe THE FAULT CRARGEABLE UPON VA.SHTI. This was disobedience and defiance. But-1. It was a fault with much to eztenuate it. The command was unreasonable. Compliance would have done no one concerned any good, and would have outraged her own modesty. 2. It was a fault P"'-_nished with disl':oportionate aeverity. Certainly it was ho.rsh and cruel to deprive Vashti of her position as queen because of her refusal to comply with the unreasonable requirement of a drunken husband. Disputes between the nearest akin are often the most keen. It was with reason that the inspired apostle penned the admonition-" Husbands, love your wives, and be not lntter against them I " Ver. 12. -The Icing' a anger. Scripture never spares the great. Their follies and vices are exposed and castigated. The Old Testament has ~ome strik~g exa~pl~s of the sin of anger and wrath. Moses gave way to temptation, and smned m h1a anger. Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury when the Hebrew youths would not worship the golden image he had set up. Jonah was angry when Nineveh was spared, and wheL the gourd was withered. In all these cases there was no sufficient cause to justify wrath. So was it with Ahasuerus. I. THE OCCASION OF THE KING'S ANGER. His own drunken and foolish wish was thwarted, and thus his pride was wounded. "It is not for kings to drink wine, lest tLey drink and forget the law." The law ,f Solon punished a drunken magistrate OH, I, 10-22,] THE BOOK OF ESTHER. 19