1:1 Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus is believed by some to be a title rather than a personal name, but most scholars argue that Ahasuerus was the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek Xerxes, who reigned over the Persian empire during the period 486–464 B.C. Assuming this identification is correct, the events recorded in the book of Esther must have taken place in the period between the sixth and seventh chapters of Ezra, with the Artaxerxes mentioned in Ezra and Nehemiah identified then as the son of Ahasuerus.

1:1 India even to Ethiopia. At one of Xerxes’ capitals, Persepolis, a foundation tablet was excavated in which the emperor boasted that his empire extended to India and Kush (i.e., Ethiopia). The “India” referred to is the region of Punjab today.