Lexical Definition
אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ ʼĂchashvêrôwsh (akh-ash-vay-rosh') Ahasuerus N:N-M-P
or (shortened) אַחַשְׁרֹשׁ ʼAchashrôsh (akh-ash-rosh') (Esther 10:1); of Persian origin
Ahasuerus.
- § Ahasuerus = "I will be silent and poor"
- Achashverosh (i.e. Ahasuerus or Artaxerxes, but in this case Xerxes), the title (rather than name) of a Persian king
1) title of the king of Persia, probably Xerxes
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| אֳחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.9.2 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ֙ | Ahasuerus | Esth.2.16 • Esth.8.1 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.1.9 • Esth.1.10 • Esth.1.16 • Esth.6.2 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹשׁ֙ | Ahasuerus | Esth.3.12 • Esth.8.7 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹ֔שׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.8.10 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵר֧וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.10.1 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵר֡וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.1.17 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵר֜וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.3.1 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵר֗וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.1.1 • Esth.1.2 • Esth.2.12 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵר֖וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.3.6 • Dan.9.1 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Ezra.4.6 • Esth.1.15 • Esth.1.19 • Esth.3.8 • Esth.7.5 • Esth.9.20 • Esth.10.3 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵר֑וֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.1.1 • Esth.2.1 • Esth.3.7 • Esth.8.12 • Esth.9.30 |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵֽרֹשׁ | Ahasuerus | Esth.2.21 |
| Ασσουήρου | of Ahasuerus | LXX.Dan.9.1 |
| Ασουήρου | of Ahasuerus | LXX.Ezra.4.6 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.4.6 married to Vashti (וַשְׁתִּי)
- father of: Darius (דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֺשׁ proper name, masculine Ahasuerus = Xerxes (Persian Khshayârshâ = mighty + eye or man, see Spiegl. with 216; in Aramaic חשיארש, CISII. i. 122 [ B.C. 481]) king of Persia Ezra 4:6; Esth 1:1 (twice in verse); Esth 1:2; Esth 1:9; Esth 1:10 + 18 t. Esther + Esth 10:1 Qr (Kt אחשׁרשׁ); אֲחַשְׁוֵרשׁ Esth 1:16; Esth 2:21; Esth 3:12; Esth 8:7; Esth 8:10 also Dan 9:1 where made father of 'Darius the Mede,' compare Meinh.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Ezra | 4:6 |
| Esther | 1:1 · 1:2 · 1:9 · 1:10 · 1:16 · 2:21 · 3:12 · 8:7 · 8:10 · 10:1 |
| Daniel | 9:1 |
Profile
Male • Persiaan emperor • Persian Emperor; husband of Esther (probably Xerxes I)
Emperor Xerxes I, living at the time of Exile and Return
Ahasuerus, Emperor of Persia, chose Esther as his queen and issued decrees impacting the Jews. (Est.1-10)
- A Persiaan emperor living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.4.6;
- referred to as Ahasuerus or Ahasuerus (=Qere. Ketiv= Ahaserus, NIV= Xerxes) אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ;
- a son of Darius דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ;
- husband of Vashti וַשְׁתִּי;
- father of Artaxerxes אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׁתָּא and Darius דָּֽרְיָוֵשׁ;
- .
Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes I, was the king of Persia during the events described in the book of Esther. He ruled over a vast empire from India to Ethiopia. In the third year of his reign, Ahasuerus held a lavish banquet and requested the presence of his queen, Vashti. When she refused to come, the king deposed her. (Est.1)
A search was made for a new queen, and Esther, a young Jewish woman, was chosen. Esther kept her Jewish identity secret. (Est.2) Later, Haman, a high official, plotted to destroy the Jews due to his hatred for Mordecai, Esther's cousin. Haman convinced Ahasuerus to issue a decree allowing the annihilation of the Jews. (Est.3).
Esther revealed her Jewish identity to Ahasuerus and exposed Haman's plot. The king ordered Haman's execution and issued a new decree allowing the Jews to defend themselves. (Est.7-8) The Jews were victorious over their enemies, and Ahasuerus promoted Mordecai to a high position in the kingdom. (Est.9-10).
Ahasuerus is also mentioned in Ezra 4:6, where his reign is associated with opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and in Daniel 9:1, as the father of Darius the Mede. Xerxes I ruled 486 to 465.
All entries for Ahasuerus: אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ
Related Profiles:
- Darius (father)
- Vashti (spouse)
- Artaxerxes (child)
- Darius (child)