At Esther 2:18 it is related that the Persian monarch Ahasuerus, after making Esther his queen, held a great banquet in her honor and granted “an amnesty for the jurisdictional districts” of his domain. The Hebrew word hana·chahʹ here used occurs but once in the Scriptures. It is variously rendered as “release” (LXX, KJ), “remission of taxes” (one Targum and RS), “rest” (Vg), “holiday” (AT); and commentators suggest  that the release, or amnesty, may have involved a remission of tribute, a remission of military service, release from prison, or a combination of these. A different Hebrew word (shemit·tahʹ) is used elsewhere in the Scriptures to describe a releasing from debt or suspension of labor.​—De 15:1, 2, 9; 31:10; see SABBATH YEAR.

As to a release of prisoners, it may be noted that during the reign of Xerxes I, believed to be the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther, a number of revolts occurred. An inscription from Persepolis attributed to Xerxes states: “After I became king, there were (some) among these countries . . . which revolted (but) I crushed (lit.: killed) these countries, . . . and I put them (again) into their (former political) status.” (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. B. Pritchard, 1974, p. 317) Political prisoners doubtless resulted from such suppression of uprisings, and the festive time of Esther’s being made queen may have been the occasion for Ahasuerus to efface the charges against such ones and grant them amnesty, or release. (Compare Mt 27:15.) The precise nature of the amnesty, however, remains undetermined.