Lives of Scripture
Susa
Winter capital of the Persian Empire, Susa is where nearly the entire book of Esther takes place: King Ahasuerus's court, Esther's rise to queen, Haman's plot against the Jews, and Mordecai's and Esther's eventual reversal of it (Esther 1-9). Nehemiah was serving as the king's cupbearer in Susa's citadel when he heard news of Jerusalem's broken walls, prompting his request to return and rebuild them (Nehemiah 1:1; 2:1-8). Daniel also received one of his visions while in Susa, though the text does not say he was living there permanently at the time (Daniel 8:2).
References: Nehemiah 1:1; Esther 1; Esther 2-9; Daniel 8:2
People connected to Susa
- Ahasuerus (M) — the Persian king who reigned from this citadel and made Esther queen
Esther 1:2; Esther 2:16-17
- Artaxerxes (M) — the Persian king from whose court here Nehemiah was sent to Judah
Nehemiah 1:1; Nehemiah 2:1
- Bigthan (M) — a royal guard here who plotted to assassinate the king
Esther 2:21
- Daniel (M) — saw the vision of the ram and the goat while at this citadel
Daniel 8:2
- Esther (F) — the Jewish queen who risked her life before the king in this citadel
Esther 4:16; Esther 5:1-2
- Haman (M) — the king's chief official here, hanged on the gallows he built for Mordecai
Esther 3:1; Esther 7:9-10
- Hanani (M) — brought Nehemiah the news here of Jerusalem's broken walls
Nehemiah 1:2-3
- Harbona (M) — the king's eunuch here, who pointed out Haman's gallows
Esther 7:9
- Hathach (M) — the eunuch here who carried messages between Esther and Mordecai
Esther 4:5-10
- Hegai (M) — the eunuch in charge of the harem here, who favored Esther
Esther 2:8-9
- Memucan (M) — the prince here who advised deposing Queen Vashti
Esther 1:16-21
- Mordecai (M) — the Jew at the king's gate here, raised to second in the kingdom
Esther 2:19-21; Esther 10:3
- Nehemiah (M) — cupbearer to the king in this citadel before returning to rebuild Judah
Nehemiah 1:11; Nehemiah 2:1
- Vashti (F) — the queen here, deposed for refusing the king's summons
Esther 1:9-19