Understanding the Symbolism in the Book of Esther

The Book of Esther is an important part of the Bible. Like the rest of the Bible, it was written by God to teach us important truths. In particular, the book of Esther contains powerful symbolism for the end times. We are approaching the end of the age. Therefore it is increasingly important for God’s people to accurately understand the Book of Esther.

The Book of Esther begins with king Ahasuerus calling queen Vashti to attend a royal banquet. Vashti refuses to come. The king is furious. The king consults with his wise men, and they determine that Vashti must be punished. Vashti is deposed from being queen. This sets the stage for Esther to ascend to the throne and for several important things to happen. These include the execution of Haman, the rise of Mordecai, the deliverance of the Jews, and the destruction of all the Jews’ enemies throughout the Persian empire.

It is commonly believed that king Ahasuerus was a drunk who demanded that his wife Vashti come and dance lewdly in front of his dinner guests. According to this interpretation, Vashti is the innocent victim of a tyrannical king, and her refusal to obey is a heroically moral act.

But what if Ahasuerus called Vasthi to come for less salacious reasons?

Vashti refused to attend the last day of a royal feast that had lasted more than half a year. It is quite possible that Ahasuerus had called Vashti not so he could debauch his subjects with her harlotry, but so he could impress them with her royal splendor. She might have been called to perform a normal, ceremonial role as queen. 

The following points reveal that this second interpretation may be the more correct one.

1. The feast of Ahasuerus was special. It lasted for over half a year (Est. 1:4). It involved the leading representatives from the vast Persian empire (Est. 1:3). It might have been the time when Ahasuerus introduced himself to these nobles, for he was a relatively new ruler (Est. 1:3). The feast was carefully planned. The palace had been intricately decorated, and had fine tapestries specifically made for the final days of the feast (Est. 1:6). The last day of this feast must have been arranged to have maximal impact upon all the guests. Ahasuerus requested Vashti’s attendance on the feast’s final day (Est. 1:10).

2. Throughout history monarchs have tried to impress their subjects with expensive clothes, ornate thrones, and pompous presentation. Throughout this feast, Ahasuerus was trying to impress his subjects with royal splendor, reinforcing his authority over them. 

3. Ahasuerus must have been a capable leader. The Bible says his counsellors were wise. It would not have been easy to maintain the largest kingdom in the world. It is unlikely that the king would have debased himself in front of his subjects by requesting that his queen come and dance lewdly in front of them. This would have eroded his power rather than increased it.

4. Ahasuerus wanted Vashti to attend the final day of the feast wearing her royal crown (Est. 1:11). The royal crown would have been worn along with royal garments, and it was reserved for important occasions. Ahasuerus was probably trying to impress his subjects with his wife’s regal splendor, rather than make a mockery of the crown by connecting it to the prostitution of his wife.

5. The Bible says that Ahasuerus didn’t send ordinary men to bring Vashti, but eunuchs (Est. 1:10-11). It seems that Ahasuerus wanted to protect his queen from men who might take advantage of her.

6. The Bible never says that Ahasuerus was drunk. It says his heart was merry with wine (Est. 1:10). The word “merry” means joyful. This does not necessarily mean that Ahasuerus was drunk (there is another word for that – “shikkor” – for example 1 Sam. 1:13). While the alcohol had clearly livened the king’s spirits, it is unlikely that Ahasuerus had become drunk. A drunk king on the final day of his half-year long feast would not have inspired confidence and obedience among his subjects, especially if it culminated in the prostitution of his queen. It would have contradicted the entire purpose of the feast, which was to exalt Ahasuerus and his royal authority.

7. The Bible says that “the drinking was according to the law, none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house” (Est. 1:8). This shows laws and customs of Persia contained a measure of restraint, for they did not allow the king to force others into drunkenness.

8. The king followed the Persian laws, not forcing his subjects into morally compromising situations against their will (like getting drunk). Ahasuerus respected the desires of his subjects. If Ahasuerus didn’t force his subjects to get drunk against their will, it seems unlikely he would have forced his wife to behave like a prostitute against her will.

9. Ahasuerus’ request for his queen to join him at a feast was not unusual. Esther and Ahasuerus appeared at feasts together (Est. 5:6; 7:1). So did another Persian king and queen (Neh. 2:6).

10. The Bible reveals that Ahasuerus was willing to listen to the requests of his queen. Queen Esther convinced Ahasuerus to have feasts, kill his Prime Minister, rescue all the Jews throughout Persia, murder the Jews’ enemies throughout Persia, and select a new Prime Minister. All of this was done at the request of the queen. Ahasuerus said that half the kingdom belonged to his queen (Est. 5:3). It is unlikely that such a person would ignore the protests of his wife and force her into open shame.

11. The Bible never says that Ahasuerus’ request for Vashti to appear at the feast was wrong or immoral. 

12. If Vashti had refused her husband’s order to behave like a prostitute, she would have been a moral hero who was a worthy role model for women throughout history. But the Bible never says that what she did was right. It does not commend her.

13. The Bible says that Vashti was feasting with the ladies of the empire when she was called (Est. 1:9). Maybe Vashti was so busy with her own feast that she didn’t want to want to come.

14. The wisest men in Persia, who understood Persian laws and customs, never hinted that Ahasuerus was wrong. Instead, they said that what Vashti did was wrong and might set a dangerous precedent for the entire kingdom (Est. 1:16-18). If Vashti had simply been refusing harlotry at her drunken husband’s request, it is unlikely that these wise men would have been so appalled, nor would Vashti’s refusal have resulted in an empire-wide edict condemning her behavior (Est. 1:19).

15. If the king’s request had been wrong, the wise men probably would have found a way to tell the king (see for example, Dan. 6:13-16, where a king is convinced by his counselors to do something contrary to his will). At the least, the wise men would have downplayed this issue. They would not have magnified Vashti’s refusal and spread information about it through the entire kingdom by making a royal proclamation (Est. 1:19).

16. Vashti’s refusal happened in front of the leading subjects of Persia. If she had refused to come on moral grounds, her refusal probably wouldn’t have been such a scandalous example. What nobleman would want his wife to behave like a prostitute? But if she had refused to come because of sheer rebellion, it would have been a genuine shock to the empire. This disobedience would have eroded the king’s authority and possibly incited rebellion among his subjects. This is why it deserved such a harsh and public response.

17. The harsh punishment meted out to Vashti, and the fact that it was made public throughout the empire, seems unreasonable if it was in response to refusing harlotry. But if her act was unjustified rebellion in front of leading subjects, then this punishment is reasonable.

18. Mordecai, the righteous man who looked after Esther, would probably not have encouraged Esther to become wife of a man who demanded his wife to behave like a prostitute.

If so, her refusal to attend a final, grand, royal ceremony attended by subjects from all over Persia would have been a huge scandal. It would have been an act of brazen rebellion that set a terrible example in front of the king’s leading subjects. If tolerated, Persian subjects may have been emboldened to rise up against the king. Vashti’s act might have sparked social disorder throughout the empire.

If Vashti was openly and unjustifiably rebellious against a legitimate request from the king, the book of Esther becomes more meaningful.

Vashti represents the people of God who refuse to come when God calls. They are willfully rebellious against his word. Esther represents the faithful ones who respond to the call of God.