The term "palace-garden" refers to a garden associated with a royal palace, often serving as a place of beauty, leisure, and retreat for kings and their courts. In the context of the Bible, palace-gardens are mentioned as significant locations within the narratives, reflecting both the grandeur of ancient Near Eastern monarchies and the cultural importance of gardens as symbols of prosperity and divine blessing.

One of the most notable references to a palace-garden in the Bible is found in the Book of Esther. In Esther 1:5, King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) of Persia holds a lavish banquet in the garden of the king's palace: "At the end of this time, the king held a banquet lasting seven days in the garden courtyard of the king’s palace for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa." This garden setting underscores the opulence and wealth of the Persian Empire, as well as the king's desire to display his splendor to his subjects.

The palace-garden also plays a pivotal role in the dramatic events of Esther 7:7-8. After Queen Esther reveals Haman's plot to annihilate the Jews, King Ahasuerus, in his anger, retreats to the palace-garden to contemplate his next move: "The king arose in his anger from the banquet of wine and went to the palace garden, but Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king had determined a catastrophic end for him." The garden here serves as a place of reflection and decision-making, highlighting its function beyond mere aesthetics.

In the broader biblical context, gardens are often depicted as places of life and abundance, echoing the imagery of the Garden of Eden as a divine paradise. The presence of a garden within a royal palace can be seen as an earthly attempt to recreate such a paradise, symbolizing the king's power and the blessings of his reign. The palace-garden, therefore, is not only a physical space but also a representation of the king's ability to provide and sustain life, mirroring the divine provision seen throughout Scripture.

The concept of a palace-garden also aligns with the biblical theme of kingship and stewardship. Just as God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to "work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15), so too are kings expected to cultivate and maintain their realms, ensuring peace and prosperity for their people. The palace-garden, as a microcosm of the kingdom, reflects the king's responsibility to govern wisely and justly.

In summary, the palace-garden in biblical literature serves as a multifaceted symbol of royal authority, divine blessing, and the ideal of a harmonious and prosperous kingdom. Through its appearances in the narrative of Esther and other biblical texts, the palace-garden invites readers to consider the relationship between human governance and divine providence, as well as the enduring significance of gardens as places of beauty, reflection, and renewal.

Esther, the Queen.
... The palace garden was hung with awnings of white and green and violet,
fastened with cords and silver rings to pillars of marble. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxxiv esther the queen.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7. <. ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8. <. ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

Palace-garden (1 Occurrence)
Palace-garden. Palace-court, Palace-garden. Palaces . Multi-Version
Concordance Palace-garden (1 Occurrence). Esther ...
/p/palace-garden.htm - 6k

Palaces (37 Occurrences)

/p/palaces.htm - 17k

Garden (68 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Esther 7:7 The king arose in his
wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palacegarden. ...
/g/garden.htm - 38k

Banquet (58 Occurrences)
... WBS YLT NAS). Esther 7:7 The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of
wine and went into the palacegarden. Haman stood up to ...
/b/banquet.htm - 36k

Realizing (7 Occurrences)
... end, (See RSV). Esther 7:7 The king arose in his wrath from the banquet
of wine and went into the palacegarden. Haman stood up to ...
/r/realizing.htm - 8k

Molest (5 Occurrences)
... Esther 7:8 Then the king returned out of the palacegarden into the place of the
banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. ...
/m/molest.htm - 8k

Palace-court (2 Occurrences)
Palace-court. Palace, Palace-court. Palace-garden . Multi-Version Concordance ...
Palace, Palace-court. Palace-garden . Reference Bible.
/p/palace-court.htm - 6k

Assault (8 Occurrences)
... Esther 7:8 Then the king returned out of the palacegarden into the place of the
banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. ...
/a/assault.htm - 11k

Reclining (25 Occurrences)
... Esther 7:8 Then the king returned out of the palacegarden into the place of the
banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. ...
/r/reclining.htm - 14k

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