Although Israel’s track record for kings isn’t exactly squeaky clean—as Israelite kings engaged in idolatry and even child sacrifice—many non-Israelite kings we see in the Bible don’t have the best reputations either. Such was the case with King Xerxes, whom we see in the Book of Esther.
Although King Xerxes was a better king than most of the ones we spot in the Old Testament, he was certainly not without his flaws. In today’s article, we’ll explore Xerxes—his history, personality, and how he plays a greater role in the biblical narrative.
Who Was Xerxes in the Bible and Outside It?
King Xerxes was a king in the Persian Empire during Israel’s post-Exilic period. A Persian king before him allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding the walls and city. For more details on that process, consult the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Some Israelites stayed behind in the Persian Empire, including the prophet Daniel. Other Israelites who stayed behind included Mordecai and his goddaughter Hadassah (better known as Esther).
Inside and outside the biblical narrative, we learn several things about King Xerxes’ rule.
He Divorces His First Wife (Shown In the Bible)
She was known as Queen Vashti. We don’t know much about her, but in Esther 1, we learn that she didn’t want to appear (likely naked) in front of a pack of (male) partygoers, per a very drunk Xerxes’ request. King Xerxes is enraged by her disobedience and consults his advisors on what to do. Wary about how women throughout the Persian empire will react if they see a stubborn queen, they tell him to banish her. This sets the stage for Esther entering the scene as Xerxes’ second wife.
He Is an Unsuccessful War General (Shown Outside the Bible)
We don’t get a narrative about the 300 Spartans who stood against the Persians in the Bible. But we know that sometime between divorcing Vashti and marrying Esther, King Xerxes went to war against Greece.
He picked up the pieces of previous Persian kings and attempted another invasion. He did not meet with success. One record of the failed invasion describes Xerxes getting angry at the sea for working against his army, so Xerxes orders one of his men to whip the sea 300 times as a punishment.
He Has a Bad History of Trusting the Wrong People (Shown In the Bible)
After his unsuccessful war campaign in Greece, he returned home. As advised to do, he held a beauty pageant for all the eligible women in the Persian Empire. Esther ultimately wins the pageant and the titles of wife and queen.
During this time, Xerxes leaned heavily on the advice of a man named Haman—an enemy of God’s people. Haman was a proud man, and when Mordecai refused to bow to him, Haman plotted the genocide of the Israelites.
Haman convinced Xerxes to sign a document letting the Persians eradicate the Israelites. We don’t know if Haman got Xerxes inebriated to sign it or if Xerxes was just that dumb.
Thankfully, God uses Esther to open Xerxes’ eyes to Haman’s plot and to save her people.
Xerxes Dies by Asssasination
Unfortunately, life after the Book of Esther does not end happily for Xerxes. As many political leaders throughout Old and New Testament history experience, someone stronger abdicates the throne and gets rid of the old king in the process.
Why Was Xerxes Assassinated?
Why did Xerxes meet the end that he did? After all, he saved God’s people (after nearly killing them). Wouldn’t God have mercy on him and let him live a long life?
To make matters worse, it’s an inside job. A named Artabanus completes the deed. Who was he? The commander of the royal bodyguard—son of an important advisor to Xerxes.
Why did this happen? Historical documents hint at Artabanus’ motive—mostly, he seems like a man who wanted the throne, even if it was just for seven months.
But why would God allow this to happen?
Although the biblical narrative is silent on this matter, I’d like to point out a pattern in King Xerxes’ life. He often confided in and trusted unreliable advisors. We see this in the advisors telling him to divorce Vashti for not appearing naked in front of a crowd of men. We also see it in Xerxes trusting Haman’s word that an unspecified people—Haman never uses the words “Israelite people”—were plotting to overthrow Xerxes, and he should murder them preemptively.
Notice also Artabanus’s connection with Xerxes. He is in charge of the royal bodyguard and is also related to an advisor. Once again, Xerxes put the wrong people close to him.
The Book of Esther is fraught with poetic justice and irony. Although Xerxes ultimately saves the Israelites, he comes close to wiping out all the Israelites in his empire. Given his track record of foolishness, it’s perhaps not surprising that God allowed him to meet the end that he did.
What Happened to Queen Esther after Xerxes Died?
Xerxes’ assassination brings up the question of Queen Esther. Even if Xerxes may have deserved to meet the end he did, what happened to her?
To derive our answer, we must consider what happened to royal families and higher-ups in ancient times. In ancient times, when someone supplanted a ruler, they would eliminate anyone who could challenge the throne. Hence why one of Saul’s grandsons fears what King David will do to him when David replaces Saul on the throne (2 Samuel 9).
Supplanters also routinely killed people with esteemed positions in the royal court, including people like Mordecai and Esther. So, the evidence suggests that Esther and Mordecai died in the overthrow. Given that they aren’t mentioned as doing anything wrong in the Book of Esther, their deaths are especially tragic. Esther was a teenager pulled into the beauty contest, likely never asked whether she wanted to marry Xerxes. Mordecai was simply following God’s plan set before him.
More sadly, their lives end due to the person who nearly killed (and then saved) them. Had Xerxes pursued better advice and paid more attention to whom he hired, he may have preserved their lives as well as his own.
What Can We Learn from Xerxes?
Reading about the life of Xerxes leaves us on a rather sour note. Although he sometimes works in favor of the Israelite people, his life seems devoted to selfish choices and ignorant decisions.
However, there are still things we can learn from his story. Let’s draw three takeaways from this Persian king.
Be Careful from Whom You Receive Advice
Wisdom is a gem that is hard to find. Xerxes placed his faith in the wrong people, which secured his end.
History Repeats and Rhymes
Had Xerxes paid attention to ancient history a little more, he would’ve known what often happens to kings. This is why we should carefully consider behavior patterns in the Bible and the consequences that follow. We must be careful not to fall into the same fallen way of thinking so that our actions do not betray us down the road.
God Can Work through Broken People
Xerxes isn’t exactly the kind of person we want to model our lives after. However, God still used him. He played a role in saving the Israelites—even if he almost killed them in the first place. Xerxes was selfish, reckless, and destructive, but God still used him to preserve the Jewish people and bring glory to God’s name.
Further Reading:
5 Inspiring Esther Movies You Should See
Who Are the Major People in the Book of Esther?
Photo Credit: Engraving by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (March 26, 1794 - May 24, 1872). Courtesy of Getty Images/gldburger.
Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, book editor for hire, and the author of almost 30 books. More than 1500 of her works have been featured in various publications. Check out her books at hopebolinger.com for clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Check out her editing profile at Reedsy.com to find out about hiring her for your next book project.
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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