Xerxes
Peopleâš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)
Xerxes I reigned as King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 486 to 465 BC, best known for launching the second Persian invasion of Greece, which culminated in the battles of Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea, and was later assassinated by his chief bodyguard Artabanus.
What is the meaning of Xerxes in the Bible?
Xerxes I reigned as King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 486 to 465 BC, best known for launching the second Persian invasion of Greece, which culminated in the battles of Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea, and was later assassinated by his chief bodyguard Artabanus.
SIGNIFICANCE
Identifying Xerxes as the husband of Queen Esther and the ruler during the rebuilding of the Jewish temple under Darius clarifies the historical backdrop of the biblical books of Esther, Ezra, and Nehemiah, demonstrating how Persian imperial policy influenced the restoration of Judah.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Xerxes in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Xerxes clarify?
Source Attribution & Provenance
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.