3. The third year. This year ran from approximately April 14, 483 , to April 2, 482 Perhaps the “feast,” which continued for six months, began in the early spring of the year when the rains were past and travel would be easier and more pleasant.
A feast. Or, “banquet.” The word originally meant a “drinking bout.” In view of the fact that Ahasuerus left Shushan a year or two later for his invasion of Greece (see Introduction to Esther), it has been suggested that the princes, governors, and army chiefs were called in from all parts of the realm to participate in planning what all fully expected to be a brilliant and successful campaign. Herodotus (vii. 8) records that Xerxes convened such a council. Perhaps the various officials were summoned in relays over the six months’ period, each for the purpose of discussing with the king his particular responsibility in connection with the campaign. It would be most improbable to find all the officials of the vast empire gathered together thus except for specific political and military discussions.
Princes. Or, “[appointed] officials.”
Servants. That is, his “courtiers.”
Power. chayil, “host” (Ex. 14:4), “army” ( 9), “valiant [man]” (1 Sam. 16:18), etc. If one objective of the feast was, as suggested, the laying of plans for the coming Greek campaign, Ahasuerus would certainly include his chief military officers.
Persia and Media. This order, the reverse of that in Daniel ( 5:28; 6:8, 12, 15; 8:20), appears repeatedly in the Esther narrative ( 1:3, 14, 18, 19) and implies that the account belongs to the time when Persia had replaced Media as the leading partner in the dual empire (see Dan. 7:5; 8:3). In Esther 10:2 the original order is given, perhaps because in “the chronicles” the Median kings came first.
Nobles. From a Persian word adopted into the Hebrew language, meaning “the first [men].”
Princes of the provinces. That is, the governors, or satraps, in charge of conquered territories. History attests the presence of the satraps at a great convocation in Susa prior to the disastrous campaign against Greece.