בִּשְׁנַ֤ת שָׁלוֹשׁ֙ לְמָלְכ֔וֹ עָשָׂ֣ה מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה לְכָל־שָׂרָ֖יו וַעֲבָדָ֑יו חֵ֣יל ׀ פָּרַ֣ס וּמָדַ֗י הַֽפַּרְתְּמִ֛ים וְשָׂרֵ֥י הַמְּדִינ֖וֹת לְפָנָֽיו׃
noong ikatlong taon ng kanyang paghahari, naghanda siya ng isang piging para sa lahat ng kanyang mga pinuno at mga lingkod — ang hukbo ng Persia at Media, ang mga maharlika at ang mga pinuno ng mga lalawigan ay nasa harap niya —
Tze'enah Ure'enah
“For all of his ministers and servants” [1:3]. Here one asks a question. Why does it say that he made a banquet for his servants and afterwards its says, “and the ministers of the government” to the ministers? Was it was correct that one should first write about the servants and then the ministers? The explanation is that the ordinary servants whom Ahasuerus had for a long time before he became a king, and he considered them more important than the ministers who had been ministers for a long time and had served other kings.
Rashi
The nobles. Governors, in the Persian language.11Maseches Megillah 12a. Alternatively, people of royal descent. (Ibn Ezra)
Malbim
QUESTIONS:
WHY did Achashverosh host this huge banquet? The precise reason is not stated.WHAT need saw the writers of the Megillah to state all the details of the banquet?THE order of those called over [invited] is puzzling. First the “princes and servants” then the army, and then the text goes back to nobles and then to princes of the provinces. Why are “officials” mentioned twice and why are the “governors and officials” mentioned after the “servants” who are, presumably, of lower status? And one understands that princes of the provinces are included in the general princes.WHAT is the need to say “before him”?WHY does it say “in the third year of his reign,” whereas when Esther becomes queen, the phrase “in the seventh year of his kingdom” is used?
WHY did Achashverosh host this huge banquet? The precise reason is not stated.WHAT need saw the writers of the Megillah to state all the details of the banquet?THE order of those called over [invited] is puzzling. First the “princes and servants” then the army, and then the text goes back to nobles and then to princes of the provinces. Why are “officials” mentioned twice and why are the “governors and officials” mentioned after the “servants” who are, presumably, of lower status? And one understands that princes of the provinces are included in the general princes.WHAT is the need to say “before him”?WHY does it say “in the third year of his reign,” whereas when Esther becomes queen, the phrase “in the seventh year of his kingdom” is used?