Medo-Persian Kingdom.

• 1 min. read • grade level: 13

Extended from India to Ethiopia. Esther 1:1¹Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) (Esther 1:1).

Peopled by descendants of Elam. Gen. 10:22²²The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. (Genesis 10:22).

ILLUSTRATED BY

Silver part of image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Dan. 2:32, 39³²This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, (Daniel 2:32)
³⁹And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. (Daniel 2:39).

A bear. Dan. 7:5⁵And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. (Daniel 7:5).

A ram with two horns. Dan. 8:3, 20³Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. (Daniel 8:3)
²⁰The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. (Daniel 8:20).

Shusan a chief city of. Est. 1:2. Est. 8:15.

Achmetha or Ecbatana a chief city of. Far. 6:2.

Divided into many provinces. Esther 1:1¹Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) (Esther 1:1). Dan. 6:1¹It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; (Daniel 6:1).

Laws of unalterable. Dan. 6:12, 15¹²Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. (Daniel 6:12)
¹⁵Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. (Daniel 6:15).

Ruled by, absolute kings. Esther 3:8, 11⁸And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them. (Esther 3:8)
¹¹And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee. (Esther 3:11). Esther 7:9⁹And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon. (Esther 7:9).

KINGS OF, MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE;

Cyrus. Ezra 1:1¹Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, (Ezra 1:1).

Ahasuerus or Cambyses. Ezra 4:6⁶And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. (Ezra 4:6).

Artaxerxes Smerdis (an usurper). Ezra 4:7⁷And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. (Ezra 4:7).

Darius Hystaspes. Ezra 6:1¹Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. (Ezra 6:1). Dan. 5:31³¹And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. (Daniel 5:31).

Xerxes. Dan. 11:2²And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. (Daniel 11:2).

Artaxerxes Longimanus or Ahasuerus. Ezra 6:14¹⁴And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. (Ezra 6:14). Ezra 7:1¹Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, (Ezra 7:1). Esther 1:1¹Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) (Esther 1:1).

KINGS OF,

Called kings of Assyria. Ezra 6:22²²And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. (Ezra 6:22).

Called kings of Babylon. Neb. 13:6.

Styled themselves kings of kings. Ezra 7:12¹²Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. (Ezra 7:12).

Dwelt in royal palaces. Esther 1:2²That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, (Esther 1:2). Esther 8:14¹⁴So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace. (Esther 8:14).

Were exceeding rich. Esther 1:4⁴When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. (Esther 1:4). Dan. 12:2²And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2).

Entertained magnificently. Esther 1:3, 5, 7³In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: (Esther 1:3)
⁵And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace; (Esther 1:5)
⁷And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king. (Esther 1:7).

Held in their hand a golden scepter. Esther 5:2²And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. (Esther 5:2).

Put to death all who approached them without permission. Esther 4:11, 16¹¹All the king's servants, and the people of the king's provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been called to come in unto the king these thirty days. (Esther 4:11)
¹⁶Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16).

Celebrated for wise men. Esther 1:13¹³Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: (Esther 1:13). Matt. 2:1¹Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, (Matthew 2:1).

People of, warlike. Ezek. 27:10¹⁰They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness. (Ezekiel 27:10). Ezek. 38:5⁵Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: (Ezekiel 38:5).

Peculiar customs in. Esther 1:8⁸And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. (Esther 1:8). Esther 2:12, 13¹²Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors, and with other things for the purifying of the women;) ¹³Then thus came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house. (Esther 2:12‑13).

Babylon taken by the king of. Dan. 5:30, 31³⁰In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. ³¹And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. (Daniel 5:30‑31).

The Jews delivered from captivity by means of. 2 Chr. 36:20, 22, 23²⁰And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: (2 Chronicles 36:20)
²²Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, ²³Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up. (2 Chronicles 36:22‑23). Ezra 1:1-4¹Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, ²Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. ³Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. ⁴And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:1‑4).

PREDICTIONS RESPECTING,

Extensive conquest. Dan. 8:4⁴I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. (Daniel 8:4).

Conquest of Babylon. Isa. 21:1, 2¹The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. ²A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. (Isaiah 21:1‑2). Dan. 5:28²⁸PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. (Daniel 5:28).

Deliverance of the Jews. Isa. 44:28²⁸That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. (Isaiah 44:28). Isa. 45:1-4¹Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; ²I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: ³And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. ⁴For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. (Isaiah 45:1‑4).

Invasion of Greece under Xerxes. Dan. 11:2²And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. (Daniel 11:2).

Downfall by Alexander. Dan. 8:6, 7⁶And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. ⁷And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. (Daniel 8:6‑7). Dan. 11:3³And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. (Daniel 11:3).

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