Vashti

In Bible versions:

Vashti: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV

queen of Ahasuerus

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that drinks; thread

Arts:

Arts Topics: Portraits of Vashti; Queen Vashti Deposed

Hebrew

Strongs #02060: ytvw Vashtiy

Vashti = "beautiful"

1) the queen, wife of Ahasuerus, whom he divorced for disobeying his orders

2060 Vashtiy vash-tee'

of Persian origin; Vashti, the queen of Xerxes:-Vashti.

Vashti [EBD]

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.)

Vashti [NAVE]

VASHTI, wife of king Ahasuerus. Put away for refusing to exhibit herself at a royal banquet, Esth. 1:9-22; 2:1, 4, 17.

VASHTI [SMITH]

(beautiful), the "queen" of Ahasuerus, who, for refusing to show herself to the king?s 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.

VASHTI [ISBE]

VASHTI - 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 (Est 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" (Est 1:9,11,12,15-18). It is only (Est 1:19) when the decree is proposed to repudiate and degrade her that she is called merely "Vashti." She also (Est 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