Outline with Text
J. Deering, AncientPath.net

THE VISUALIZED TEXT (NASB)  (conjunctions & prepositions underlined, words not in original text in italics)  (alternate text in purple)THE VISUALIZED TEXT (NASB)  (conjunctions & prepositions underlined, words not in original text in italics)

(1:1)
Now
it took place
in the days of Ahasuerus,
the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,

(1:2)
in those days
as King Ahasuerus
sat
on his royal throne
which was in Susa the capital,

(1:3)
in the third year of his reign,
he gave a banquet
for all his
princes and
attendants,
the army officers of Persia and Media,
the nobles, and
the princes of his provinces
being in his presence.

(1:4)
And he displayed
the riches of his royal glory and
the splendor of his great majesty
for many days, 180 days.

(1:5)
And when these days were completed,
the king gave a banquet
lasting seven days
for all the people who were present
in Susa the capital,
from the greatest to the least,
in the court of the garden of the king's palace.

(1:6)
There were
hangings of fine white and violet linen
held by cords of fine purple linen
on silver rings and
marble columns, and
couches of gold and silver
on a mosaic pavement of
porphyry,
marble,
mother-of-pearl, and
precious stones.

(1:7)
Drinks
were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and
the royal wine was plentiful
according to the king's bounty.

(1:8)
And the drinking was done
according to the law,
there was no compulsion,
for so the king had given orders
to each official of his household
that he should do according to the desires of each person.

(1:9)
Queen Vashti
also
gave a banquet
for the women in the palace
which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

ABOUT: (Questions to be explored based on this study's verses)

(1:1)
"Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,"
1. When was "Now?"
2. What took place?
3. What are "days of?"
4. When were the days of Ahasuerus?
5. Who was Ahasuerus?
6. When was his reign?
7. Draw a circle on a map that covers both India and Ethiopia?
8. Is Ahasuerus famous for anything other than being in the book of Esther?
9. What other names was he known as (other languages)?

(1:2)
"in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Susa the capital,"
1. When was "in those days?"
2. Where was Ahasuerus' Royal Throne? (trick question)
3. What time of year would it be if Ahasuerus was on his throne in Susa?
4. Where was Susa?
5. Susa was the capital of Where?

(1:3)
"in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of his provinces being in his presence."
1. When were the years of his reign?
2. How many years did Ahasuerus reign?
3. What year would (approximately) be the third year?
4. Who was invited to this (first) feast?
5. Why Persia and Media?
6. What was the occasion of this feast?

(1:4)
"And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days."
1. Who displayed his riches?
2. What did he display?
3. Why use the words "glory and splendor?"
4. How long did this display last?

(1:5)
"And when these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace."
1. When did the king give banquet number 2?
2. How long did it last?
3. Who was invited to this banquet?
4. Where was this banquet held?

(1:6)
"There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones."
1. Court hangings were very important, what did the White linen represent?
2. What did the Violet Linen represent?
3. What did the Purple Linen represent?
4. What kind of an image does all this paint?
5. What is the point of including all this information?

(1:7)
"Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's bounty."
1. If the whole city was there during the week, how many golden vessels do you think they had?
2. The text says that they drank "royal wine," and that it was plentiful "according to the king's bounty." What's the point?

(1:8)
"And the drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person."
1. Things being done "according to the law" is an important concept in this book, Why?
2. Everyone was told "no compulsion," in chapter 2 Vashti will be compelled to appear before the king. Why such a contrast?

(1:9)
"Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus."
1. Who was Queen Vashti?
2. If she had to give a banquet for the women then who was the "all the people" of verse 5?
3. Was this for the women in the palace during the feasts or just the women of the palace (harem + servants)?
3. Why state that the palace belonged to King Ahasuerus?

BRIEF OUTLINE:
I.    The Jew's Grave Danger 1-3
        A.    The background of the plot 1:1-3:5
                1.    The feasts and folly of Xerxes, Queen Vashti deposed 1
                        a.    The three feasts 1:1-9

CROSS REFERENCES:
(1:1)
"Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,"
1. Ethiopia: Lit., Cush
*India, the area drained by the Indus River, in present-day Pakistan, Ethiopia, Cush, presently northern Sudan.
*Cush, the upper Nile region.
2. Ahasuerus: Ezra 4:6; Daniel 3:2, 6:1, 9:1
*Ahasuerus, (Hebrew) a variant of Xerxes' Persian name.
3. From India: Esther 8:9
4. 127 Provinces: Esther 9:30

(1:2)
"in those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was in Susa the capital,"
1. Susa: Nehemiah 1:1; Ezra 4:9
*Susa, One of the main capitals and winter residence of the kings, 150 Mi. north of the Persian gulf (Nehemiah. 1:1).

(1:3)
"in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of his provinces being in his presence."
1. He gave a banquet: Esther 2:8; 1 Kings 3:15
*For 6 months (in the year 482 B.C.) the king exhibited the grandeur of his court, during which time he probably planned with the military and civil leaders his proposed invasion of Greece (which occurred in 480 B.C.). At the conclusion, a Seven day drinking feast was held (though no one was compelled to drink) the queen holding a separate feast for the women guests. On the last day of the feast, the drunken king summoned his queen, presumably to make a lewd display of her before his guests, but she refused to obey.

(1:4)
"And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days."

(1:5)
"And when these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king's palace."
1. Seven days: Judges 14:17
2. The garden: Esther 7:7-8; 2 Kings 21:18

(1:6)
"There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones."
1. Couches: Ezekiel 23:41; Amos 6:4; Esther 7:8; Amos 3:12, 6:4

(1:7)
"Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king's bounty."
1. bounty: Lit., hand
2. According to: Esther 2:18; Daniel 5:2

(1:8)
"And the drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person."

(1:9)
"Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus."
1. Banquet: 1 Kings 3:15
2. Palace: Lit., royal house

*Footnotes from the Ryrie Expanded NIV Study Bible

Quick Links to specific locations in the text below: 

1.     The Visualized Text	2.     Questions To Be Explored
3.     Brief Outline (The Outline of This Study)	4.     Cross References
5.     Commentary (After YOU STUDY!)	5.     The Horizontal Chart

2012-11-21