以斯帖记 1:14

Chinese NCV (Simplified)

那時在王身邊的有甲示拿、示達、押瑪他、他施斯、米力、瑪西拿、米母干等七位波斯、瑪代的大臣；他們都是常見王面，在國中居首位的。

Parallel Translations

Chinese Union (Simplified)
a

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ On the seventh day of the banquet, King Xerxes was very happy, because he had been drinking much wine. He gave a command to the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas. ¹¹ He commanded them to bring him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. She was to come to show her beauty to the people and important men, because she was very beautiful. ¹² The eunuchs told Queen Vashti about the king's command, but she refused to come. Then the king became very angry; his anger was like a burning fire. ¹³ It was a custom for the king to ask advice from experts about law and order. So King Xerxes spoke with the wise men who would know the right thing to do. ¹⁴ The wise men the king usually talked to were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven of the important men of Persia and Media. These seven had special privileges to see the king and had the highest rank in the kingdom. ¹⁵ The king asked them, "What does the law say must be done to Queen Vashti? She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes, which the eunuchs took to her." ¹⁶ Then Memucan said to the king and the other important men, "Queen Vashti has not done wrong to the king alone. She has also done wrong to all the important men and all the people in all the empire of King Xerxes. ¹⁷ All the wives of the important men of Persia and Media will hear about the queen's actions. Then they will no longer honor their husbands. They will say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought to him, but she refused to come.' ¹⁸ Today the wives of the important men of Persia and Media have heard about the queen's actions. So they will speak in the same way to their husbands, and there will be no end to disrespect and anger. ¹⁹ "So, our king, if it pleases you, give a royal order, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be changed. The law should say Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her place as queen to someone who is better than she is.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the seven: Ezra 7:14

saw: 2 Kings 25:19, Matthew 18:10, Revelation 22:4

Reciprocal: Esther 1:3 - of Persia Esther 2:2 - king's servants Esther 3:1 - above all the princes Esther 8:1 - came before Jeremiah 52:25 - were near the king's person

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the sky and the earth.

Genesis 1:2
The earth was empty and had no form. Darkness covered the ocean, and God's Spirit was moving over the water.

Genesis 1:3
Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good, so he divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:6
Then God said, "Let there be something to divide the water in two."

Genesis 1:7
So God made the air and placed some of the water above the air and some below it.

Genesis 1:8
God named the air "sky." Evening passed, and morning came. This was the second day.

Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered together so the dry land will appear." And it happened.

Genesis 1:12
The earth produced plants with grain for seeds and trees that made fruits with seeds in them. Each seed grew its own kind of plant. God saw that all this was good.

Genesis 1:14
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night. These lights will be used for signs, seasons, days, and years.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the next unto him,.... That sat next to the king, and was the chief in dignity and authority under him:

was Carshena; and so everyone in their rank and order, as next mentioned:

Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan; who, according to the latter Targum, were of different countries; the first of Africa, the second of India, the third of Idumea, the fourth of Egypt, the fifth of Resen, Genesis 10:12 which is framed out of Marsena, who is dropped, and the last of Jerusalem, said to be Daniel; though the former Targum makes him to be Haman:

the seven powers of Persia and Media; which custom of having seven counsellors with the kings of Persia arose from the seven princes that slew Smerdis the pretender, and made Darius Hystaspis king, the father of Xerxes:

which saw the king's face; were intimate and familiar with him, often in his presence; yea, might go into it when they pleased, without the ceremony of being introduced; which privilege the above persons reserved to themselves, when they placed Darius on the throne, as Herodotus relates u:

and which sat the first in the kingdom; next to the king, and were assisting to him in the administration of government, see Ezra 7:14.

u lb. (Thalia, sive, l. 3.) c. 84, 118.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In Marsena we may perhaps recognize the famous Mardonius, and in Admatha, Xerxes’ uncle, Artabanus.

The seven princes - There were seven families of the first rank in Persia, from which alone the king could take his wives. Their chiefs were entitled to have free access to the monarch’s person. See the margin reference note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. And the next unto him - the seven princes — Probably, the privy counsellors of the king. Which saw the king's face - were at all times admitted to the royal presence.