Shethar

Shethar (meaning: a star or possibly of Persian origin meaning commander) was one of the seven princes of Persia and Media who had special access to the king's presence and sat first in the kingdom under Ahasuerus (Xerxes), as listed in Esther 1:14. These seven counselors formed the inner circle of the Persian royal court and were consulted when Queen Vashti refused the king's command to appear before his banquet guests.

It was these princes who advised the king that Vashti's refusal, if unpunished, would set a dangerous precedent for wives throughout the empire to despise their husbands. Their counsel led to Vashti's removal and ultimately to the beauty contest that brought Esther into the palace. Shethar and his colleagues represent the Persian administrative aristocracy whose power and influence were considerable — the same class of advisors from whom Haman later emerged as the king's chief minister. The names of the seven princes are Persian in character, consistent with the historical setting of the book.