Esther 1
1 This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
And it came to pass in the days of Achashverosh, of the same Achashverosh who reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces,
2 In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
In those days, when this king Achashverosh was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the capital,
3 In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.
That, in the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of the provinces who were near him:
4 And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
When he showed the riches and the glory of his kingdom, and the brilliance [and] the splendor of his greatness, during many days, a hundred and eighty days.
5 At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.
And when these days were completed, the king made unto all the people that were found in Shushan the capital, unto every one, from the great even to the small, a feast of seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
6 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.
[Where were] white, green, and blue [hangings], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple, on rollers of silver and pillars of marble; couches of gold and silver, upon a pavement of green, and white, and yellow, and black marble.
7 Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.
And they gave them to drink in vessels of gold, —the vessels being diverse one from the other, —and the royal wine was in abundance, according to the ability of the king.
8 By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.
And the drinking was, according to the [king's] order, without compulsion; for so had the king enjoined on all the officers of his house, to do according to the pleasure of every man.
9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women, in the royal house which belonged to king Achashverosh.
10 On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Charbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of king Achashverosh,
11 to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
To bring Vashti the queen before the king [ornamented] with the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was handsome in appearance.
12 Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.
But queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king brought by the hand of the chamberlains; and the king was very wroth, and his fury burnt in him.
13 Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
Then said the king to the wise men, who knew [the occurrences of] the times; for so [came] every affair of the king before all acquainted with law and state institutions;
14 His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.
And those next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tharshish, Meress, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who could see [at all times] the king's face, who sat in the first rank in the kingdom:
15 “According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
What should according to law be done with queen Vashti; because she had not fulfilled the order of king Achashverosh by the hand of the chamberlains?
16 And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.
Then said Memuchan before the king and the princes, Not against the king alone hath Vashti the queen done wrong, but also against all the princes, and against all the people that are in all the provinces of king Achashverosh.
17 For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
For the conduct of the queen will go abroad unto all the women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, King Achashverosh ordered Vashti the queen to be brought into his presence, but she came not.
18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
And even this day will the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard of the conduct of the queen, say this unto all the princes of the king; and there will arise too much contempt and quarrel.
19 So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
If it please the king, let there go forth a royal order from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that no one transgress it, That Vashti come no more before king Achashverosh: and let the king give her royal dignity unto another that is better than she.
20 The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom—and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
And when the king's decree which he will make shall be published throughout all his kingdom, however great it is: all the wives will show respect to their husbands, unto every one, from the great even to the small.
21 The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
And the speech was pleasing in the eyes of the king and of the princes; and the king did according to the speech of Memuchan.
22 He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.
And he sent letters unto all the provinces of the king, unto every province according to its writing, and to every people according to its language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, however he may speak according to the language of his people.
