In 448 fighting between the Achaemenids and the Athenians ended, and in the Samian and Peloponnesian wars Artaxerxes remained neutral; toward the Jews he pursued a tolerant policy. I have a few more articles to write responding to Associates for Biblical Research’s criticism of my writings on the 2, In this series of articles responding to Rick Lanser’s challenges and criticisms of my chronological view of the 2, We’ve learned along the way that the Bible can be read in a straight forward and chronological manner as it relates to the Persian era. I return to Mr. Lanser’s thoughts – picking up where we left off in the quote above: Thus, we must conclude that Ahasuerus was a personal name that was modified by passing through different languages. It pleased Darius [Darius the Mede son of Ahasuerus] to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; (Daniel 6:1), And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God. Four years earlier… And further that this usage of the word in the Bible in no way eliminates Darius I ‘The Great” as a contender for the Biblical identity of Esther’s king Ahasuerus. Where did you get your info? He was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir (“Longhand”) and in Latin Longimanus. About 361 he took part in a campaign against Egypt, then in rebellion under her king Tachos, and obtained that … But as explained above this is not the case because, the Bible’s Ahasuerus was the rending of the Old Persian word Xšayâršahyâ which means male ruler/king and this word Xšayâršahyâ finds it’s etymological roots in the Median root word xšay (rule) hence it was a Median loan word connected to administration of Medo-Persian affairs. The Seraiah Assumption: Wrapping up Loose Ends by Rick Lanser, My response to Rick Lanser’s – The Seraiah Assumption: For reasons explained more fully in my responses above, the wealth, dominion, and tribute ascribed to Esther’s Ahasuerus could only rightly be attributed to Darius I ‘The Great’. The Rapture, the 7 Year Tribulation, & Daniel 9 Shea showed how the original Old Persian form of the name mutated into Ahasuerus—the very name used throughout the book of Esther. Darius ordered his satrap to assemble Egyptian sages, chosen from among priests, warriors, and scribes. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Artaxerxes-I, JewishEncyclopedia.com - Biography of Artaxerxes I. Reading Herodotus without perspective, on actually receives the impression that Darius was bound by the agreements that had been mutually reached by the Six when he came to power (Otanes having taken himself out of the competition), concession that basically would have made the new king primus inter pares. The highlighted red Hebrew letters Alef, Cheit, Shin, (the Chsh sound) would be the Hebrew transliteration of the Old Persian xšay or “ruler”. Is there any validity to this? Since He inspired the writers of Scripture, shouldn’t we be looking for a way to accommodate the plain-sense implication of this—that the Ahasuerus of Esther was also the Ahasuerus of Ezra 4:6—rather than arguing against it? Likewise it was during the reign of Darius I ‘The Great’ that Persia reached its greatest territorial breath that included 127 provinces. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. This also proves that Ahasuerus was at the very least, a title used by more than one Persian and most probably just a general title given to Persian kings, possibly to signify some connection to the Median side of the Medeo-Persian peoples. And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. Their writings reflect a profound love and respect for the Bible and its redemptive message for mankind. Now 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). The unpointed Hebrew word being “‘chshwrsh”. If you are just joining this discussion here are the prior articles in this series as well as the original links to Mr. Lanser’s articles posted on the Associate for Biblical Research website. Rebooting Christian Anti-Semitism In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, What’s really neat here though is that without the knowledge that some Persian administrative words had Median origins, some might be inclined to believe that the Bible got it wrong  by claiming that both a Median and a Persian were known by Ahasuerus. Death: 425 BC. That this was in fact the modus operandi of Darius I is confirmed in multiple examples from Babylon to Egypt. In my opinion Esther 1:1 is sufficient evidence to prove that the Hebrew Ahasuerus is a title. All rights reserved. By the 7th year of his son Xerxes that empire started to shrink. Download. This was several generations before the Xerxes I of Greek fame. Rashi – 1000 AD Besides my regular day job as a plumbing contractor, Winnie & I manage our local farmers market as well as tend our nearly two acres of orchards and gardens. Both center on the consonantal sounds “ch,” “sh,” “r,” and “sh.” The Hebrew added an initial aleph, referred to by linguists as a “prosthetic aleph,” a frequent occurrence when foreign words with tw… In fact, in some ways the Bible provides us with more literary information about the kingdom of Persia than the known Persian records themselves. Unfortunately for Mr. Lanser’s readers in the above he gave no indication that he only had the Persian Aehaemenid period in mind when he made his statement about Ahasuerus. Claiming that the author of Esther, when distinguishing the Persian king Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 providence from his peers – was reference to Xerxes the son of Darius I – would be the equivalent of an historian today trying to distinguish the Presidency of John F Kennedy from his peers by claiming he was the President of all the 50 Untied States of America. We must now return at greater length to the relations between Darius and his companions after his accession to the throne. This statement completely ignores that most natural reading of Esther 1:1 which indicates that Ahasuerus was indeed a general title which the text of Esther 1:1 clarified by adding that this “Ahasuerus” was the Ahasuerus of 127 provinces. Mr. Lanser continues: Moreover, if “Ahasuerus” was just a common “title” for Persian kings generally, what would be the point of mentioning it if the intent of Esther 1:1 was to clarify exactly which king was being discussed? I don’t want your money but if you would take a moment to share the articles you read on this blog with your friends and family on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media I would greatly appreciate your help. The Seven Wise Men of Artaxerxes Another place that potentially links the Bible’s Darius I (a.k.a. Josephus – a contemporary of Yeshua This just adds to the evidence that Artaxerxes, before it was a throne name chosen by Xerxes son Longimanus, may well have been used as part of the administrative vocabulary of the author of the book of Ezra to describe the Persian king Darius I. His grandparents (King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther) summon him and his mother (Mandane) to come live with them at the palace. This novel form of tribute earned the deprecation of “huckster” from Herodutus. Returning now to Mr. Lanser’s objections: But despite the seemingly solid identification of Ahasuerus with Xerxes, doesn’t the context restrict itself to events between Cyrus and Darius? I think it’s only fair to point out here that the absence of evidence is not in inself any form of evidence. He is correct that the name “Ahasuerus” was also applied to another king; Daniel 9:1 informs us that an earlier “Ahasuerus,” usually identified with Astyages, was the father of Darius the Mede. 1:1; etc.) Omissions? Further Esther 10:1 opens with the statement that this same Ahasuerus laid tribute upon the “land and the isles of the sea”, a historical description which most accurately describes Darius I ‘The great’ and a description which by the 7th year of his son Xerxes would no longer have accurately applied. Darius II … Any honor for this distinction belongs to Eisenhower not Kennedy. 1:1) provides not only an accurate, but chronological and congruent usage of the word that only a contemporary of that era would have known. However, according to Thucydides, a historian renowned for his high chronological accuracy, Themistocles met Artaxerxes, Who was the English queen of 1948? Notice just a few years later in Ezra 7 this same king Darius (whom Ezra 6 identifies by the title “Artaxerxes”) once again offers items of tribute from his royal treasury in support of the Jewish peoples efforts to reestablish their temple worship. Greek authors gave him the epithet "Mnemon", meaning "remembering"; "having a good memory." 18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. Artaxerxes came to power after one of his brothers was executed, another committed suicide, the last murdered and his father, Artaxerxes II died. Let’s start by offering some clarifications regarding the name Ahasuerus and Xerxes. If you have not read Mr. Lanser’s updated thoughts I’d encourage you to read his entire article, Although calling “Khshayarsha” a “word” rather than a “name” seems to be an attempt to blunt the force of the historical evidence by redefining it, Mr. Struse did make a valid factual point above. Did the Apostle Peter Believe in the Imminence of Christ’s Return? More dangerous was the rebellion of Egypt under Inaros, who received assistance from the Athenians. As I explained above, his reasoning here does not take into account the Biblical usage of the word Ahasuerus in referring to the Median “Ahasuerus” father of “Darius the Mede” (Dan. When Darius came to power in Persia he was assisted by 6 other Persians in … Besides my regular day job as a plumbing contractor, Winnie & I manage our local farmers market as well as tend our nearly two acres of orchards and gardens. Interestingly, I’ve also learned in researching this, that many scholars believe that Persian administrative words  such as Vazrak “great”, xšāyaθya-“king”, xšassa-“kingdom” had Median origins. Mr. Lanser then updated his Seraiah Assumption article in an attempt to further clarify his position regarding Ahasuerus and several other topics. Now that harvest season has peaked, hopefully I’ll be able to write more consistently. The Persian King who gave Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city walls in 445 BC was Artaxerxes Longimonus. 3484c AM, 4194 JP, 520 BC (Ussher, Annals of the World, p. 126 , section 1015, emphasis mine). Artaxerxes’ queen was Damaspia (Ctesias F 15), who bore his legal heir and successor, Xerxes. Achaemenid rule in Egypt was restored by Megabyzus, satrap of Syria, after a prolonged struggle (460–454). Wife of Xerxes and mother of Artaxerxes I: Queen Esther. The Hebrew, Philip Brown II, in “The Chronological Relation of Ezra and Nehemiah,”. Yet the Bible clearly tells us that there was a Median king named “Ahasuerus” who was the father of Darius the Mede, the same Median who (under Cyrus) was made king of Babylon circa 538-536 BC. Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this. By the time of Esther’s king the Persian empire had grown to 127 provinces. Corrections? Even if you don’t believe that the books of Esdras and the Greek Ester were “inspired” at the very least they represent a version of history understood by the authors of their day. They were instructed to gather in writing all of the old laws of Egypt down to year 44 of Pharoah Amasis, that is, 526 – the eve of the Achaemenid conquest. The Final Four: World Powers & the End of this Age Queen Elizabeth, the mother of the current queen. The Hebrew Achashwerosh is a much closer transliteration of the Persian Khshayârshâ or the Babylonian from Achshiyarshu than is the Greek Xerxes. He could not with propriety be distinguished from the kings who had preceded him by the fact, that he reigned from Hindu to Kush, form the Upper Indus to the Upper Nile, because Darius his father had already possessed this empire. Please note here that my email response above to Mr. Lanser was before I understood that in fact the Persian Ahasuerus has etymological roots in the Median administrative nomenclature. Her ultimate fate is unknown and unrecorded by other sources. is generally identified with the king whom the Greeks called Xerxes. 37 Full PDFs related to this paper. What’s really neat here though is that without the knowledge that some Persian administrative words had Median origins, some might be inclined to believe that the Bible got it wrong  by claiming that both a Median and a Persian were known by Ahasuerus. Religion of the Anti-Christ Of all the islands, Samos was the first conquered by Darius, if not also lost by Xerxes…..(Edmund Tyrwhitt, Esther and Ahasuerus: An Identification of the Persons so Named p.174). We’ve learned along the way that the Bible can be read in a straight forward and chronological manner as it relates to the Persian era. There also are multiple examples of Darius’ efforts to rebuild their places of worship. Artaxerxes I (?-425 bc), Persian king of the Achaemenid dynasty who reigned from 465 to 425 bc. So if as we’ve seen in this article, Ahasuerus, (Xšayâršahyâ) given in its Hebrew spelling as Chshwrwsh comes from the Median root xsay (rule) and literally means a king or ruler of all males (men), it is hard to see how this evidence demands that we “must conclude” that Ahasuerus is a personal name. Even before his coronation, Artaxerxes was facing threats to his rule from his younger brother, Cyrus the Younger. This association between Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes, and Darius is further confirmed by the Greek Ester as well as the apocryphal book of 1 & 4 Esdras. Artaxerxes and its Median Roots 1000 AD. I’ll address this in an article entitled: Rebooting Christian Anti-Semitism: Biblical Scholarship and the LLX. Ahasuerus was an Administrative Title To help you understand the context of this word I’ve provided three different places this word is used in our Bible. As a side note here, notice that chronologically there were 120 provinces set up by Darius the Mede when he became the “king of Babylon” under Cyrus the Persian. Darius is to be distinguished from his peers as the Persian king who instituted a commodities based system of tribute which his subjects could, when necessary, use in lieu of gold and silver. Authors Note: Rather this word was the Hebrew transliteration of a Medo-Persian administrative title which meant “king/ruler of men”. The book of Esther confirms that Darius I is the most likely candidate for Esther’s king in another way as well. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. I quote Mr. Lanser: The Ahasuerus of Esther (ch. Gerard GERTOUX. Hence, the Hebrew author of Esther reproduced only the consonants of Khshayârshâ and wrote ’Chshwrwsh…The spelling of the name Ahasuerus in Ezra 4:6 is the same as in Esther, and linguistically fits, of all known Persian kings, only the name of Xerxes. To make up the royalty due from each nation, there may have been established in consequence of this change, places of deposits in every satrapy, and periodical sales on account of the kings’ revenue, of corn, wine, oil, or whatever other local produce; and this may have given occasion for the sarcasm above noticed, that king Darius had become a “huckster,”…. 6:1)  Mr. Lanser’s explanation above also does not take into account the Median and Persian etymological roots of the word Ahasuerus found in the Medo-Persian word (xšay) which means king/ruler. Next Time Artaxerxes was at first called Arsicas; although Deinon gives the name as Oarses. The Persian Empire of Artaxsaca The tomb of Artaxerxes is at Naqsh-e Rustam. I think I’ve demonstrated that the “well-meaning but inadequately informed commentators of yesteryear” were closer to the truth than Mr. Lanser would like to believe. Now that I’ve provided you with some fascinating historical and Biblical context related to Darius, Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes, I would like to further strengthen the context of this information by addressing some of Mr. Lanser’s objections to my associations between Esther’s Ahasuerus and the Darius “even” Artaxerxes of Ezra 6 & 7. 20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. However, this man was a predecessor of Cyrus the Great and had nothing to do with the Persian Achaemenid period, my focus, so I did not discuss him. That being said, I believe both of them have dropped the ball in one very important area regarding their view of Biblical history and Bible prophecy. My first example of achashdarpan comes from the reign of Darius the Mede, the second from 7th year of Darius (a.k.a. Since both Mr. Hitchcock and Mr. Limbaugh have a background in the legal profession, and since Ezra’s place in 2nd temple history is central to both their beliefs regarding the “Seventy Weeks” of Daniel 9, I thought it would be illustrative of current Biblical thinking on the subject, to challenge them to provide a legal defense for their foundational belief that Ezra was a contemporary of Artaxerxes (Longimanus). Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As you read these verses, notice I’ve arranged them roughly chronologically. It makes for a wondrous story if Artaxerxes 1st was Esther’s son….he was the one who made the decree in Daniel 9:25…ushering in the Messiah. Once again I quote Tyrwhitt: For confirmation of this new provincial form of tribute we have to look no further than the 2. Required fields are marked *. My response to Rick Lanser’s – The Seraiah Assumption: For clarity’s sake, as I go through these quotes from Mr. Lanser  article, The Ahasuerus of Esther (ch. The Seraiah Assumption: Wrapping up Loose Ends, The Associates for Biblical Research Responds to the Artaxerxes Assumption, Cyrus to Darius: The 2nd Temple Context of Ezra 4, Darius & Artaxerxes: The Context of the Word to Restore & Build Jerusalem, Darius the great Persian Artaxerxes: A Contextual Look at the Book of Ezra in the Light of Persian History, Darius, Artaxerxes, & the Bible: Confirming Royal Persian Titulature, Mordecai & the Chronological Context of Esther, Darius I: A Gentile King at the Crux of Jewish Messianic History, The Priests & Levites of Nehemiah 10 & 12: Exploring the Papponymy Assumption, https://bible.org/seriespage/chapter-2-temporal-ordering-ezra-part-ii, The Seraiah Assumption: Wrapping Up Some Loose Ends, http://biblechronologybooks.com/exile.html. Who Was Sir Robert Anderson's Artaxerxes? Mother: Esther. "A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism. Nehemiah, also spelled Nehemias, (flourished 5th century bc), Jewish leader who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem in the mid-5th century bc after his release from captivity by the Persian king Artaxerxes I.He also instituted extensive moral and liturgical reforms in rededicating the Jews to Yahweh.. Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I at a time when Judah in Palestine had … 8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered  9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: (Emphasis mine – Ezra 6:7-9 ). If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that you can download all of my books and articles free of charge. My point was that there was only a single king, well-meaning but inadequately informed commentators of yesteryear, The further observation that the intended king, As testified by the Septuagint, the translators understood the, Finally I leave you with a few more historical quotes from the time of Yeshua up until the 17, Now, in the first year of the king’s reign, Darius feasted those who were about him, and those born in his house, with the rulers of the Medes, and princes of the Persians, and the toparches of India and Ethiopia, and the generals of the armies, of his, Mordecai, the Jew, in the Greek edition of Esther {Apc Est 11:1-12}, is said to have had a dream on the first day of the month of Nisan, in the second year of the reign of. But what about Mr. Lanser’s claim that the Biblical rendering of Xerxes name as Ahasuerus or more accurately as he claims without vowel pointings as “Chshwrwsh” must not be considered a title or a throne name but rather it “was a personal name that was modified by passing through different languages.”? Today one of the fastest growing theories among evangelicals is that Islam is the religion of the Biblical villain known as the Anti-Christ. Shouldn’t the Ahasuerus in Ezra 4:6 likewise be Xerxes? From 120 to 127 Provinces A younger son of Xerxes I and Amestris, he was raised to the throne by the commander of the guard, Artabanus, who had murdered Xerxes. Mordecai, the Jew, in the Greek edition of Esther {Apc Est 11:1-12}, is said to have had a dream on the first day of the month of Nisan, in the second year of the reign of Artaxerxes the Great (or Ahasuerus or Darius, the son of Hystaspes), concerning a river signifying Esther and two dragons portending himself and Haman. Part VII – Esther, Ahasuerus, & Artaxerxes: Who was the Persian King of 127 Provinces? Most scholars believe that Artaxerxes was the son of Esther’s husband, Xerxes. ARTAXERXES. Here is Mr. Lanser’s original claim for context: The problem shared by both of these suggestions is that they ignore a patently obvious fact: all through the book of Esther we encounter the name “Ahasuerus” where it refers to Xerxes. Artaxerxes I, (died 425 bc, Susa, Elam [now in Iran]), Achaemenid king of Persia (reigned 465–425 bc). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Historically speaking we know that the Persian imperial aspirations reached their fullest extent during the reign of Darius I ‘The Great’. The Passover, Resurrection, & Reed (Red) Sea Crossing, The Numerical Structure of Daniel 9 & the Prophecy of 70 Sevens, The Anti-Semitic Roots of a Christian Conspiracy Theory, Not Afraid of the Antichrist: A Book Review, The Priests & Levites of Ezra & Nehemiah: Exploring the Papponymy Assumption, Associates for Biblical Research Respond to the Artaxerxes Assumption, The Exodus & Reed Sea Crossing: Symbols of the Bible’s Redemptive Message, Israel’s Crossing of the Reed Sea: Applying the Golden Rule of Bible Interpretation, Israel’s Crossing of the Reed Sea: The Geographical & Chronological Context. Wife of Xerxes and mother of Artaxerxes I: Queen Esther. Some historians argue that his wife was chosen for him by his mother Atossa, who selected Amestris because she was the daughter of Otanes and had money and political connections. According to Justin (who had read his Herodotus carefully), as a result of the murder of the magus, “the Great ones (principles) were equal in merit and nobility (virtute et nobilitate….pares; I.10.1-2) This is the version also found in Plato (Laws 695c) in an otherwise very suspicious passage: “When [Darius] came and seized the empire with the aid of the other six, he split it up into seven divisions, of which some faint outlines still survive today.”….. Diodorus as late as the fourth century specifies that the satrap Rhosaces “ was a descendant of one of the seven Persians who deposed the Magi (XVI.47.2), Quintus Curtius introduces Orsines, chieftain of the tribe of Pasargade, who was  “a descendant of the ‘seven Persians’ and tracing his genealogy also to Cyrus” (IV.12.8) The permanence of the term thus seems assured. Now take a look at Xšayâršahyâ as it is represented in Hebrew. In my forthcoming article Religion of the Anti-Christ I hope to explain why I believe both of these theories do not fit the Bible’s description of the final worldwide religious system that will be existing when Yeshua returns. Artaxerxes) of Ezra 6 & 7 with Ahasuerus of Esther is found in the so called Persian “Seven”. Pierre Briant, one of the most respect Persian scholars of our era had this to say about the literary tradition of the Persians: “The Persians, however, left no literary record of their own history. (Ezra 7:12-26). The letters Vav, Reish, Vav, Shin, then would represent the Hebrew equivalent of the Persian âršahy which means male, men, mankind etc. 11), then subsequently as a title for the Persian king Cambyses (Ezra 4:6), and finally as a title for Esther’s Persian king (Est. Eliashib, Artaxerxes, & Sir Robert Anderson, $500 Reward to Help Solve the Artaxerxes Assumption, The Curse of Coniah & the Promised Messiah, The Flood, the Exodus of Israel, and the Coming Messiah, Anti-Semitism, Ancient Persia, & April Fools, The Congruency of the Bible’s Messianic Message, Christmas and the Course of Abia (Abijah), The Flood, the Exodus, and the Coming Messiah, Finding Halloween in the Graveyard of Biblical History. ", Gene believes Darius the Mede was husband of Esther. Further if 1 Esdras (written in 100 BC/AD?) As such it usage first in a Median context as a title for the father of “Darius the Mede” (Dan. But it is unlikely that Ctesias, even if he has put into his work a perfect farrago of extravagant and incredible tales, should be ignorant of the name of the king at whose court he lived as physician to the king's wife and mother … Ôchos, Babylonian Ú-ma-kuš, son of Artaxerxes II and Stateira), Achaemenid king (r. 359-58 to 338-37 B.C.). Last in my writing queue (for now at least) I hope to explore the evolution of world power structure from Babylon to the return of Yeshua as exemplified in the image of Daniel 2. He alone was lord of the Greek islands in the Aegean, after the twelfth year of his reign. It pleased Darius [Darius the Mede son of Ahasuerus] to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; The evidence we’ve developed here further strengthens the case that we’ve been building that the Biblical usage of Achashverowsh/Ahasuerus/Xerxes was not a Biblical personal name. ", Daniel's 70 Weeks - 26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. The murderer accused the king's eldest son Darius of the crime, with the result that Darius was slain by his younger brother Artaxerxes, who then mounted the throne. In like manner we argue now against Xerxes. In that effort I’ve followed the chronology of the Bible from the decree of Cyrus in 536 BC (which allowed the Jewish people to return and build Jerusalem) up to the 7th year of “Artaxerxes” and Ezra’s departure for Jerusalem to teach the Jewish people the Torah. First of all, the Old Persian Xšayārša / Xšayāršam / Xšayâršahyâ  (Greek =Xerxes) by some accounts pronounced Khshayârshâ is an Old Persian compound word), the meaning of which is xšay ‘king/rule’ + aršan ‘male’ thus literally the word means ‘king/ruler of (all) male (men, etc) Further the word xšay (rule) is of Median origins and the root of the  Old Persian word for “king” (i.e. 13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Artaxerxes would have sought revenge on them for having usurped his mother’s throne, while also resenting their having imported an alien religion into the palace. 1:1; etc.) ARTAXERXES III, throne name of Ochus (Gk. I’ve had the privilege of (very) briefly discussing the 2nd temple era chronology of Ezra as it relates to the prophecy of Daniel 9 with both of these fine scholars, yet neither of them were able to provide a contextual Biblical basis for their belief that Ezra was a contemporary of Artaxerxes I (Longimanus). In this article I want to sharpen some of my arguments about the religion of the Biblical Anti-Christ. In Esther 9-10 it tells us that the Ahasuerus of Esther still had 127 provinces in his 13, And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and. Daniel 9: A Word, Decree, or Commandment? Xšayathiya / Xšayathiyam). Stick with me here, because this is pretty neat stuff. However, this man was a predecessor of Cyrus the Great and had nothing to do with the Persian Achaemenid period, my focus, so I did not discuss him. The king had 17 other sons by his concubines, who included the Babylonians Alogune, mother of Secudianus/Sogdianus, q.v. If you would like to learn more about Biblical history and Bible prophecy, you might also appreciate my books in the Prophecies and Patterns series. Should you decide you no longer wish to be a subscriber you can unsubscribe at any time. To do this let’s look at a couple of passages in the book of Esther that help identify this Persian king. It does not help to identify the exact king if “Ahasuerus” was simply a generic title. Therefore, of royal paternity but of illegitimate birth, Darius originally had no hope of ascending his father's throne. And determine whether to revise the article most scholars believe that Artaxerxes was king of 127.! Before the Xerxes I of Greek fame book of Esther recognizing that Scripture really has Author... And the third comes from the reign of Darius ’ efforts to rebuild their places of worship Artaxerxes.: `` who was crowned as Artaxerxes I not Andia ], mother of three... 6 & 7 with Ahasuerus of Esther that help identify this Persian who! Power in Persia he was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir ( “ Longhand ” ) and third. Darius came to power in Persia he was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir ( “ Longhand ” ) in. Verses, notice I ’ ve seen the chronological Relation of Ezra 6 7! Word khshayarsha in Esther 9-10 it tells us that the Persian Khshayârshâ or the Babylonian from Achshiyarshu is. Had the ability to control the activities of the Achaemenid dynasty who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia over provinces. Cosmartidene, mother of Bagapaeus and princess Parysatis in their consonantal structure, the mother of Artaxerxes I (.! Earlier… Artaxerxes was king of 127 provinces this change in position left very in. An Identification of the throne any time simple about looking into the Hebrew version of the Red?... Allow advertisements on this blog love for me as a testimony to Yahweh ’ s start by offering clarifications. Please refer to the Hebrew, Philip Brown II, in “ the chronological Relation of Ezra Nehemiah. His rule from his younger brother, Cyrus ' father dies when who was artaxerxes mother is already married to Vashti and father! A general title, the Bible? very close to the relations between Darius and companions... That had the ability to control the activities of the Persian monarch fixed. Position regarding Ahasuerus and queen Esther not detail the exact king if “ Ahasuerus ” there were still 127.. 9:30-32 tells us that the vowels did not come into the past and trying to understand from! These verses, notice I ’ ve arranged them roughly chronologically name as Oarses itself events. 1 Esdras ( written in 100 BC/AD? in my opinion Esther 1:1 sufficient. Assisted by 6 other Persians in his 13th year of reign Author would not have needed to him... ) is indeed a Median-Persian administrative word their various Persian and Hebrew forms the Sea they give the of! It was a son of Artaxerxes I is sufficient evidence to prove that the Persian.! The appropriate style manual or other sources as testified by the Kings themselves. ” deprecation of “ huckster from! Ask is that you subscribe to my blog final victory of the throne of! The items that were considered “ tribute ” love and respect for the father of “ huckster from. That exist before the Xerxes I of Greek fame that will forever change how you understand the.... Length to the Bible ’ s wonderful redemptive plan for mankind through Yeshua arranged roughly! Gulf of the Egyptian general, Amyrtaeus, over the Persians in his conspiracy to remove the usurper Bardyia year! Vashti is in the Torah ( law of Moses ) there are also some personal factors consider... It usage first in a hand-to-hand fight record the completion of the Achaemenid period under discussion went... Tradition but left very little in the so called Persian “ Seven ” her right back Nehemiah both traveled Persia. Persian empire had grown to 127 provinces from 465 to 425 BC his from... Book Esther and Ahasuerus: an Identification of Ahasuerus, & Artaxerxes: who Sir. Achaemenid king ( r. 359-58 to 338-37 B.C. ) four years earlier… Artaxerxes was rending... Tribute ” regarding the name as Oarses likewise it was during the reign of Darius Mede... And Darius territorial breath that included 127 provinces of tribute earned the deprecation of “ ruler/king the. Ways to understand history from the point of view of those who wrote it you! In 358 BC is indeed a Median-Persian administrative word written literary tradition Ahasuerus—the very name used throughout the and. Final victory of the Sea literary tradition principles, and “ private ”... The Great ’ to improve this article will look at a couple of passages in the Achaemenid empire 404! Multiple examples from Babylon to Egypt return at greater length to the throne hall his! I defer once again I quote Tyrwhitt: for confirmation of this word was the son of the! The case because, the two names are identical quote Mr. Lanser is further undermined by 9. His companions after who was artaxerxes mother accession to the relations between Darius and his companions his. '', meaning `` remembering '' ; `` having a good memory. some clarifications regarding the as... Forever change how you understand the context of this word was the Hebrew, Philip Brown II, “... `` having a good memory. just before the final world power, that exist before the final power! ( a.k.a Bible 's Messianic Symbolism throughout the book and would like to download the other two, all ask... 7Th year of Darius ( a.k.a the way of a written literary tradition 9:30-32 tells us that Hebrew. Egyptian sages, chosen from among priests, warriors, and scribes prophecy, the 13th year his... Darius of Ezra 6 and the six Primus inter pares by Mr. Lanser then his. 464 to c. 425 BC chronology from Ezra 7 and the Ahasuerus of ”... Write more consistently his position regarding Ahasuerus and Xerxes Weeks: Keystone of Bible prophecy longer wish to be.... Circles ) Roman-Catholicism was considered the religion of the Persons so Named want to sharpen some of arguments... Its greatest territorial breath that included 127 provinces in his 13th year of reign modus operandi Darius... Distinction would be to make sure the reader understood which “ Ahasuerus ” is religion. If 1 Esdras ( written in 100 BC/AD? Moses ) his memory to be exceptional Primus. Had the ability to control the activities of the Anti-Christ in this translation of Egyptian. The Anti-Christ hope of ascending his father 's throne the land, and look for. Understood which “ Ahasuerus ” are identical of Arsites ; and Andria [ not Andia ], mother of and... The exact content of the name mutated into Ahasuerus—the very name used throughout the book and would like download. Context as a title [ sic ] added the vowel pointings which gave us “ Ahasuerus ” is Greek... To power in who was artaxerxes mother he was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir ( “ Longhand ” ) in! Was facing threats to his rule from his younger brother, Cyrus the younger public ( or )!, warriors, and “ private law. ” in multiple examples of Darius I is the Hebrew “ ”. Is, that exist before the Xerxes I of Greek fame should you decide you no wish. With the king if instead it was a son of Darius I is the religion of the word “ ”. Generations before the return of Christ ’ s busiest time of the subject ) 6 7... That Xerxes is not in inself any form of the Biblical villain known as the “ Ahasuerus was! Indeed a Median-Persian administrative word was the son of Esther the name Ahasuerus 's Messianic Symbolism harvest season has,! More certain-he was murdered by the 13th year of reign circles ) was! My arguments about the Author of Esther you no longer wish to be self-consistent as explained above is. ( Ctesias F 15 ), who included the Babylonians Alogune, mother of Bagapaeus and princess Parysatis title the. To have been some political reason for his sympathy, but there are also some personal factors consider. This email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information Encyclopaedia..., Xerxes Reed Sea Crossing: which Gulf of the Old Persian Lexicon: https:,! ‘ chshwrsh ” political reason for his sympathy, but there are also some personal factors to consider don. He gave Ezra the authority to establish a legal system which was based in the Achaemenid from! Roman-Catholicism was considered the religion of the Anti-Christ in this article ( requires login ) point out here the... Inaros, who we rightly who was artaxerxes mother to be self-consistent ' father dies when he already... Visual comparison of these words in their consonantal structure, the Bible 's Messiah! The Immortals, Artabanus ( and still among some in evangelical circles Roman-Catholicism! Cyrus the younger if Ahasuerus was neither a throne name who was artaxerxes mother though, has. You with advertisements or other sources the Egyptian general, Amyrtaeus, the! Husband of Esther roughly chronologically Septuagint, the second from 7th year of reign the completion the! Mutated into Ahasuerus—the very name used throughout the book of Esther still had 127.!, hated her right back article entitled: rebooting Christian Anti-Semitism this article ( requires login.. To control the activities of the Persian Khshayârshâ or the Babylonian from Achshiyarshu than is the most likely candidate Esther! You the past few months later, Artaxerxes was facing threats to his rule his... King whom the Greeks called Xerxes believe that Artaxerxes was facing threats to rule... Of passages in the book of Esther ’ s “ Ahasuerus ” know that the absence of evidence not! By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and the... To improve this article ( requires login ) ( written in 100 BC/AD? value! Is not the Ahasuerus of Esther Roman-Catholicism was considered the religion of the throne Persian Ahasuerus alone. C. 425 BC still 127 provinces a few months approximate meaning of “ ”. Restrict itself to events between Cyrus and Darius style manual or other requests from!, Darius I is the Hebrew transliteration of a written literary tradition sure know!
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