Compare these two verses with Est 1.1-3.

Now King Darius gave a great banquet for all that were under him …: Translators should try to introduce this narrative with some indication that a new subject is beginning. We may begin with “When Darius was king, he…,” “One time, King Darius…,” or “Once, when King Darius ruled over Persia, he….” Darius ruled Persia from 521 to 486 B.C. A great banquet is a very large meal attended by many people. All that were under him refers to the Persian officials, both civilian and military, who were in Darius’ service.

And all that were born in his house probably does not refer only to members of his family, but also to all members of the palace staff. Serving the king was a family job for many of these people. Good News Bible says “all the members of his family and staff.”

And all the nobles of Media and Persia: Nobles refers to the leading men of influence because of family position rather than because of appointed office. Media, which was to the northeast of Persia, had been an independent kingdom until Cyrus conquered it in 550 B.C. and made it part of the Persian Kingdom. Here Media and Persia refer to the two original provinces in the kingdom. These two provinces covered roughly the area of modern Iran.

And all the satraps and generals and governors that were under him in the hundred and twenty-seven satrapies from India to Ethiopia: The Persian Kingdom was divided into satrapies, which are provinces. There actually seem to have been only about twenty satrapies, but the writer may be counting every political subdivision smaller than a satrapy, so he refers to the hundred and twenty-seven satrapies. The man who ruled a satrapy was a satrap. There is probably no technical difference between satraps and governors, and the translator need not worry about it. The important thing here is to convey the impression that Darius was giving a banquet for every man of influence and importance in the whole kingdom. Generals refers to the military leaders. India was the far eastern limit of the kingdom, Ethiopia was the furthest south and west. Ethiopia at that time was a geographical name covering not only part of modern Ethiopia, but most of modern Sudan as well.

Here is an alternative model for verses 1-2:

• 1 When Darius ruled the Persia Kingdom, he gave a big banquet for all his officials, the palace staff, the heads of important families in Media and Persia, 2 as well as the governors and generals who served him in the kingdom’s 127 provinces all the way from Ethiopia as far east as India.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Esdras. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.