The Bachelor: Ancient Persian Style
by Anybody here into the ubiquitous reality shows on TV these days? The Bachelor seems to be a huge hit – one guy surrounded by twenty five gorgeous women. If they had cameras and reality shows back in Persia around 400 BC, I don’t think the content of the following story could be shown on national television.
So… now King Xerxes was in the market for a new queen. His advisors suggested that he search the empire to find beautiful young virgins. The young women would be taken into the royal harem at Susa and given beauty treatments. After that, the young woman who pleased the king the most would be made queen instead of Vashti.
The king thought that this sounded like a good idea, so he put the plan into effect immediately.
To be Continued. Part Two: Enter Hadassah.
All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.
The text of this story is my paraphrase of the book of Esther in the Old Testament. I have taken dramatic license in some of the phrasing, such as using the word lawyer to describe the “experts in matters of law and justice, wise men who understood the times and were closest to the king, Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.”
I thought that “lawyer” could cover all that. Also the terms “nosh up” and binge fest” don’t appear in the NIV. They just use the term “banquet. I have not changed any of the details or events of the Biblical text.
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Post Commentrutherfranc
On February 18, 2009 at 10:50 am
very clever of you to associate the old with the new.. history does repeat itself, always. waiting for the continuation, don`t take too long..
R J Grant
On February 18, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Oh no, you don’t write a great part one and leave me hanging for part two. You could get banished or something. Let’s go, out with it!
Grant
Lee Altman
On February 18, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I agree with RJ come on with part 2, good reading
Betty Carew
On February 18, 2009 at 7:48 pm
I was just getting into it Karen I will look for part 2 if you have it published . Great write
Ruby Hawk
On February 18, 2009 at 9:09 pm
It’s one ofmy favorite bible stories. You did an outstanding job.
Yovita Siswati
On February 18, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Interesting. I wait for part 2.
Catelin Hoover
On February 21, 2009 at 10:38 pm
I was about to apologize for not being more attentive to reading your post sooner, (caregiver duties), but now I am pleased I delayed as I can go straight to the remaining sequels. This is a wonder rendition of the story of Esther (one of my favorites), Karen. I wish I would have been this clever when telling it to my younsgers in Children’s Church and the Kid’s Club!