Esther 1:14

His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — King Xerxes addresses his seven highest-ranking princes of Persia and Media to determine the legal penalty for Queen Vashti’s disobedience. The narrative places this consultation immediately after the king’s initial inquiry to legal experts regarding the proper response.

The words — The text identifies these men as the closest advisors (וְ/הַ/קָּרֹב, ve./ha./ka.Ro) who stood before the king (אֵלָ֗י/ו, 'e.La/v). These terms denote physical proximity and direct personal access to royal authority.

The thread — The motif of royal counselors advising on legal matters appears in Ezra 7:14 and 2 Kings 25:19. These passages similarly document officials evaluating or executing matters according to established law under imperial or judicial authority.

Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to recognize that royal decrees depend on formal legal consultation rather than arbitrary whim. It establishes a procedural boundary where even sovereign power must operate within established statutes.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהַקָּרֹ֣בve./ha./ka.Roand/ the/ [ones] close אֵלָ֗יו'e.La/vto/ him כַּרְשְׁנָ֤אkar.she.Na'[were] Carshena שֵׁתָר֙she.TarShethar אַדְמָ֣תָא'ad.Ma.ta'Admatha תַרְשִׁ֔ישׁtar.ShishTarshish מֶ֥רֶסMe.resMeres מַרְסְנָ֖אmar.se.Na'Marsena מְמוּכָ֑ןme.mu.KhanMemucan שִׁבְעַ֞תshiv.'At[the] seven שָׂרֵ֣י׀sa.Rei[the] officials of פָּרַ֣סpa.RasPersia וּמָדַ֗יu./ma.Daiand/ Media רֹאֵי֙ro.'Ei[who] saw פְּנֵ֣יpe.Nei<of> [the] face of הַמֶּ֔לֶךְha./Me.lekhthe/ king הַיֹּשְׁבִ֥יםhai./yo.she.Vimwho/ sat רִאשֹׁנָ֖הri.sho.Nahforemost בַּמַּלְכֽוּת׃ba./mal.Khutin the/ kingdom

King James Version

And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

Cross-references

2 Kings 25:19 Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as five royal advisors. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city.
Ezra 7:14 You are sent by the king and his seven counselors to evaluate Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
Matthew 18:10 See that you do not look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of My Father in heaven.
Revelation 22:4 They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.

People named

MemucanAdmathaCarshenaMarsenaMeresShetharTarshish