Xerxes was a king of Persia who ruled from about 486 to 465 BC. He is mentioned several times in the Old Testament books of Ezra, Esther, Daniel, and Haggai. Xerxes is best known for his appearance in the book of Esther, where he plays a central role in the Purim story.
Xerxes’ Hebrew name was Ahasuerus. He was the son and successor of King Darius I. Xerxes continued his father’s massive building projects, including the palace at Persepolis. He also led an unsuccessful invasion of Greece in 480 BC, which was rebuffed at the famous Battle of Thermopylae (as chronicled in the movie 300).
Xerxes in the book of Esther
Xerxes is the king who banished Queen Vashti and later chose Esther to be his new queen (Esther 1-2). Esther was a Jewish woman who had been brought to the palace as part of Xerxes’ harem. Esther did not reveal her Jewish identity.
Haman, one of Xerxes’ officials, hatched a plot to exterminate all the Jews in the Persian Empire. Esther’s cousin Mordecai appealed to Esther to intervene with the king to save her people. At great personal risk, Esther approached Xerxes and invited him and Haman to a series of banquets. She eventually revealed Haman’s genocidal scheme against the Jews (Esther 3-5).
Xerxes was enraged when he learned of Haman’s plot. He ordered Haman to be hanged on the very gallows Haman had prepared for Mordecai (Esther 7). Xerxes then permitted the Jews to defend themselves against any who would try to harm them (Esther 8). This resulted in the Jewish celebration of Purim, commemorating their deliverance from destruction.
Key verses:
“These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.” (Esther 9:28)
“For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.” (Esther 8:16)
Xerxes in the book of Ezra
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah record events happening early in the reign of Xerxes. The original decree to rebuild the Jewish temple in Jerusalem was made by Xerxes’ father Cyrus. But opposition from neighbors stalled the project.
Ezra 4:6 mentions that the Samaritans wrote an accusation against the Jews during the reign of Xerxes. This caused the rebuilding efforts to be halted until the second year of Darius II (Ezra 4:24).
Key verses:
“They lodged an accusation against the people of Judah and Jerusalem, saying, ‘Judah and Jerusalem have been rebuilt as towns for treason against kings and provinces! War will break out again between us if the building goes on.’ So by force of arms the work on The Temple of God in Jerusalem stopped and remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.” (Ezra 4:12, 24)
Xerxes in the book of Daniel
The prophecies of Daniel mention Xerxes before he became king. Daniel 11:2 accurately predicted that there would be four Persian kings in succession after Cyrus, of which Xerxes was the third (after Cambyses and Darius I).
Key verse:
“Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will arise in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.” (Daniel 11:2)
Xerxes in the book of Haggai
The prophet Haggai encouraged Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem after it had been delayed. Haggai refers to Xerxes in passing during the reign of Darius I as the one who would someday rule over kingdoms and nations (Haggai 2:22).
Key verse:
“On that day, declares the Lord Almighty, I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord Almighty.” (Haggai 2:23)
Overview of Xerxes’ life
Some key facts about Xerxes:
- Ruled the Persian Empire 486-465 BC
- Son and successor of Darius I
- Married a woman named Amestris shortly before becoming king
- Commissioned the building projects at Persepolis
- His wife Amestris influenced many of his political decisions
- Invaded Greece in 480 BC but was defeated
- Best known for his role in the book of Esther
- Deposed and assassinated by palace guard captain Artabanus in 465 BC
Xerxes is believed to be the king mentioned in the biblical books of Esther, Ezra, Daniel, and Haggai. Though he was an ambitious ruler, the Bible shows that Xerxes’ pride was humbled when he learned of Haman’s plot against the Jews. This Gentile king played an important part in fulfilling God’s promises to protect His chosen people.
Xerxes’ reign
Xerxes ascended to the throne after the death of his father, King Darius I, in 486 BC. Prior to this, Xerxes had been governing Babylon on his father’s behalf. The Bible suggests that he may have taken the name Xerxes upon becoming king, as his Persian name was Ahasuerus (Esther 1:1).
Xerxes continued his father’s focus on ambitious building programs. The massive palace complex at Persepolis was constructed primarily during Xerxes’ reign. Its grandeur was meant to reflect the power and might of the Persian Empire.
Again following his father’s precedent, Xerxes crushed rebellions in Egypt and Babylon early in his reign. But he is most famous for launching a massive invasion of Greece around 480 BC. This was in retaliation for Athens’ involvement in the Ionian Revolt during the reign of Darius I.
Xerxes spent four years amassing a huge army of soldiers and ships from throughout his empire. But the Greeks, led by Athens and Sparta, formed an alliance to resist Persian domination. A key battle occurred at Thermopylae where 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas famously held off Xerxes’ forces before ultimately being defeated. The Greeks went on to win a decisive naval battle against Xerxes at Salamis.
These losses forced Xerxes to withdraw most of his troops, leaving his general Mardonius behind with a smaller force that was later routed as well. Xerxes’ grandiose invasion attempt ultimately proved to be a disaster, with tremendous loss of resources and manpower for little gain.
For the remainder of his reign, Xerxes seems to have focused on palace intrigue and bureaucratic matters within Persia proper. He clearly maintained control of his empire and oversaw projects like the completion of the palace complex at Persepolis.
But Xerxes was ultimately killed in a palace conspiracy led by one of his guards in 465 BC after ruling for about 21 years. He apparently left no son as heir, so was succeeded on the throne by one of his sons named Artaxerxes.
Xerxes in the book of Esther
The most famous story about Xerxes comes from the biblical book of Esther. While the account may contain some literary elements, its core reflects the basic historical setting of the Persian royal court during Xerxes’ reign.
According to Esther 1, Xerxes held a lavish banquet in his third year as king where he summoned his wife Vashti to appear before the guests. But Vashti refused, angering Xerxes who then deposed her as queen. Afterward, Xerxes hosted a beauty pageant of sorts to select a new queen from among the attractive virgins of the realm.
A Jewish girl named Esther was taken to the palace as part of the king’s harem. She impressed Xerxes more than any of the other women and was crowned the new queen. However, Esther kept her Jewish identity secret per the urging of her cousin Mordecai.
Later, when Mordecai offended Xerxes’ highest official Haman, Haman plotted to get revenge against all the Jews. He deceived Xerxes into authorizing a royal edict to massacre the Jews. Esther was informed of the plot by Mordecai and bravely risked her life by approaching Xerxes to expose Haman’s evil scheme.
Esther held a banquet where she revealed to the king that she herself was a Jewess who would be killed under the edict he had approved. This enraged Xerxes who ordered Haman hanged instead. The king then allowed Mordecai and the Jews to defend themselves from anyone who would try to slaughter them.
This unexpected turn of events led to great celebration among the Jews at their deliverance from certain doom. The festival of Purim continues to commemorate these events annually in Judaism. The courageous actions of Esther, and the willingness of Xerxes to revise his policies, resulted in the preservation of the Jewish people at that time in Persia’s history.
Xerxes’ pride and later magnanimity
The book of Esther provides interesting insights into the character of Xerxes. On the one hand, it shows he was certainly prone to pride and arrogance. This is seen in his extravagant royal banquets, his rage when Queen Vashti dared disobey his summons, and his naive approval of Haman’s genocidal proposal.
However, Esther also shows Xerxes’ capacity to change his mind and his willingness to revise previous decisions. When Esther revealed Haman’s plot and her Jewish identity, Xerxes did not punish her or maintain his original edict. Instead, he executed Haman and allowed the Jews to defend themselves.
While Xerxes at times acted rashly or pretentiously as an all-powerful monarch, he also displayed willingness to grant exceptions and make more just policies. Thus Esther presents Xerxes in a somewhat balanced way – neither thoroughly good or bad, but flawed yet adaptable when confronted with the truth.
Xerxes’ reversal resulted in the Jewish people being rescued from potential genocide. This great deliverance has been considered evidence of God’s providential protection over His people throughout history.
Xerxes in modern culture
As one of the most famous Persian kings, Xerxes has been depicted many times in modern literature, art, film, and games:
- 300 – Frank Miller’s 1998 graphic novel (and 2007 film adaptation) portrayed a stylized version of Xerxes invading Greece. He is depicted as an effeminate, bejeweled giant.
- One Night with the King – Historical fiction novel and 2006 film about Esther’s rise to become Queen of Persia during the reign of Xerxes.
- Meet the Spartans – This 2008 parody film features Xerxes planning his invasion of Greece.
- Assassin’s Creed – Xerxes appears as a NPC character in some games of this popular franchise.
- Civilization – Xerxes leads the Persian civilization in several of these turn-based strategy games.
While sometimes portrayed stereotypically or exaggerated for entertainment, these cultural depictions show the ongoing interest in and importance of King Xerxes centuries after his rule.
Xerxes’ legacy
As one of the greatest kings of the First Persian Empire, Xerxes left a rich legacy:
- He continued the vigorous expansion, defense and consolidation of the empire begun by his predecessors Cyrus and Darius.
- Xerxes brutally crushed revolts in Egypt and Babylon, maintaining Persian control over these key territories.
- The opulent palace complex at Persepolis was constructed mainly during his reign, becoming a magnificent symbol of Persia’s wealth and power.
- His failed invasion of Greece ended Persia’s attempts to extend its empire deeper into Europe.
- His role in the Purim story of the book of Esther established Xerxes as a pivotal figure in Jewish history.
- Xerxes set the stage for Persia’s gradual decline in the ensuing decades, leaving the empire vulnerable to the later conquests of Alexander the Great.
As an archetype of the powerful yet oftencapricious absolute monarch, Xerxes has retained great fame centuries after his death. Through references in the Bible and depictions in popular culture, the legacy of King Xerxes endures.
Conclusion
Xerxes ruled the Persian Empire during one of its peaks of power and extravagance. Though best known from the biblical book of Esther, he was also referenced by other Old Testament prophets and chroniclers. Xerxes exemplified both the pretentiousness and impressiveness of the Persian monarchy during its heyday. His fame has lived on through the centuries thanks to Persian records, the Hebrew Bible, and modern culture.
Though at times an arrogant and wrathful king, the surprising denouement of Esther’s story showed Xerxes also capable of reason and clemency. His reversal saved the Jewish people and demonstrated God’s providence. The ongoing celebration of Purim stands as an enduring reminder of King Xerxes’ central role in this dramatic deliverance.