Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
Whether this Ahasuerus was Artaxerxes or another king of Persia remains uncertain among the learned, but his 127 provinces, exceeding even Darius's 120, show an over-grown kingdom that would lose ground as fast as it gained it. His lavish feast was mere vain glory; had he spent such treasure on the temple of God as later kings did, his magnificence would have meant something.
AI summary
Commenting on Esther 1:1-9
Where were white, green, and blue hangings,.... Or curtains of fine linen, as the Targum, which were of these several colours; the first letter of the word for "white" is larger than usual, to denote the exceeding whiteness of them. The next word is "carpas", which Ben Melech observes is a dyed colour, said to be green.
Where were white, green, and blue hangings, &c.--The fashion, in the houses of the great, on festive occasions, was to decorate the chambers from the middle of the wall downward with damask or velvet hangings of variegated colors suspended on hooks, or taken down at pleasure.