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Easton's Bible Dictionary
beautiful, The queen of Ahasuerus, who was deposed from
her royal dignity because she refused to obey the king when he desired her to
appear in the banqueting hall of Shushan the palace ( Esther
1:10 - 12
). (See ESTHER.)
Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names
that drinks; thread
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(beautiful) The "queen" of Ahasuerus, who, for refusing
to show herself to the kings guests at the royal banquet, when sent for by the
king, was repudiated and deposed. ( Esther
1:1 ) ... (B.C. 483.) Many attempts have been made to identify her with historical
personages; but it is far more probable that she was only one of the inferior
wives, dignified with the title of queen, whose name has utterly disappeared from
history.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
vash'-ti (washti; Astin; Old Persian "beautiful woman"):
The former queen of Xerxes, whom he divorced. On the 7th day of a great feast
which the king was giving to the assembled nobles of the empire and others, he
commanded the seven chamberlains who served in his presence to bring the queen
into the assembly. We are told (Esther
1:11) that his purpose was "to show the peoples and the princes her beauty;
for she was fair to look on." The king's command was met by Vashti with a mortifying
refusal to obey. The reason which is sometimes assigned for her disobedience--that
no man but the king was permitted to look upon the queen--is without foundation.
Esther invites Haman on two occasions to accompany the king to a banquet at which
she was present. Nor can it be said that there was any lack of recognition of
Vashti's high dignity; the seven highest officials of the palace were sent to
escort her. The refusal had to be visited with a punishment severe enough to reestablish
the supremacy which it threatened to overthrow. She was, accordingly, divorced
and dethroned.
There is no known reference to Vashti outside of Esther. The suggestion has been
made that Vashti was an inferior wife, or one of the royal concubines. There is
nothing, however, to support it; and it is, besides, directly opposed to several
statements in the narrative. She is always named "queen" (Esther
1:9 , 11
, 12
, 15
- 18).
It is only (Esther
1:19) when the decree is proposed to repudiate and degrade her that she is
called merely "Vashti." She also (Esther
1:9) presides at the banquet for the women. It is evident, therefore, that
in the palace of the women there was no higher personage than Vashti.
John Urquhart
Tags:
bible commentary, bible reference, bible study, define, deposed, history of, queen of ahasuerus (xerxes), refused to obey king, replaced by esther, vashti
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