11 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
11 Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over provinces,
11 This is the story of something that happened in the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled from India to Ethiopia - 127 provinces in all.
11 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus
11 These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127Â provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Esther 1:1
Commentary on Esther 1:1-9
(Read Esther 1:1-9)
The pride of Ahasuerus's heart rising with the grandeur of his kingdom, he made an extravagant feast. This was vain glory. Better is a dinner of herbs with quietness, than this banquet of wine, with all the noise and tumult that must have attended it. But except grace prevails in the heart, self-exaltation and self-indulgence, in one form or another, will be the ruling principle. Yet none did compel; so that if any drank to excess, it was their own fault. This caution of a heathen prince, even when he would show his generosity, may shame many called Christians, who, under pretence of sending the health round, send sin round, and death with it. There is a woe to them that do so; let them read it, and tremble, Habakkuk 2:15,16.