Xerxes

From BibleWiki

The son of Darius Hystaspes, King of Persia (485-465 B.C.). He ruled over the kingdoms of Persia, Media, and Babylonia, "from India to Ethiopia."

His name, which is Khshayarsha in Persian, Ikhshiyarshu (with variants) in Babylonian, and Ξέρξης in Greek, frequently occurs, in the Old Testament. It is often written with ו instead of י, as in the Masoretic text, where it is spelled (Aḥashwerôsh) instead of (Ayḥashyarsh), with the prothetic vowel indispensable in Semitic before initial double consonants. Xerxes is mentioned in (Ez 4:6) in connection with a complaint lodged against the Jews by the Samaritans. He is the "king" of the Esther romance, and in Dan 9:1) he is mentioned as the father of Darius, "of the seed of the Medes."

In the LXX. version of the Book of Esther the name Artaxerxes occurs for Ahasuerus. He reigned for twenty-one years (B.C. 486-465). He invaded Greece with an army, it is said, of more than 2,000,000 soldiers, only 5,000 of whom returned with him. Leonidas, with his famous 300, arrested his progress at the Pass of Thermopylae, and then he was defeated disastrously by Themistocles at Salamis. It was after his return from this invasion that Esther was chosen as his queen.