Esther 1
1 This is an account of what happened during the time of King Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
In the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India as far as Cush, over 127 provinces),
2 At the time King Xerxes was ruling from his royal throne at the fortress in Susa.
in those days King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the fortress of Susa.
3 In the third year of his reign he organized a feast for his officials and administrators. The army commanders of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the provincial officials were all there with him.
In the third year of his reign, he gave a feast to all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media, the noblemen, and governors of the provinces were in his presence.
4 He put on display his wealth and the glory of his kingdom, showing how majestic, splendid, and glorious he was, for 180 days.
He displayed the wealth of the splendor of his kingdom and the honor of the glory of his greatness for many days, for 180 days.
5 After that the king gave a feast lasting for seven days for all the people, great and small, who were there in the fortress of Susa in the garden courtyard of the king's pavilion.
When these days were completed, the king gave a feast lasting seven days. It was for all the people in the fortress of Susa, from the greatest to the least significant. It was held in the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace.
6 It was decorated with white and blue cotton curtains tied with cords of fine linen and purple thread on silver rings, held up by marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were placed on a pavement made of purple porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and expensive stones.
The courtyard of the garden was decorated with curtains of white cotton and violet, with cords of fine linen and purple, hung on silver rings from pillars of marble. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored paving stones.
7 Drinks were served in golden goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine flowed freely because of the king's generosity.
Drinks were served in golden cups. Each cup was unique and there was much royal wine that came because of the king's generosity.
8 The king had ruled that there was to be no limit on how much a guest could drink; he had told his servants to give each guest whatever they wanted.
The drinking was carried out in keeping with the decree, “There must be no compulsion,” for in this way the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do according to the desire of each man.
9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Xerxes.
Also, Queen Vashti gave a feast for the women in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.
10 On the seventh day of the feast, the king, feeling happy from drinking wine, ordered the seven eunuchs who were his attendants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas,
On the seventh day, when the king's heart was feeling happy because of the wine, he told Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas (the seven officials who served before him),
11 to bring Queen Vashti to him wearing her royal headdress, so he could show her beauty to the people and officials, for she was very good-looking.
to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty, for her features were stunning.
12 But when the eunuchs delivered the order from the king, Queen Vashti refused to come. The king became extremely angry—he was absolutely furious.
But Queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king that had been brought to her by the officials. Then the king became very angry; his rage burned within him.
13 Then the king spoke with the wise men who would know what to do, for it was the custom for him to ask the opinion of experts in procedures and legal matters.
So the king conferred with the men who were known to be wise, who understood the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were expert in law and judgment).
14 Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had frequent meetings with the king and had the highest positions in the kingdom.
Now the ones close to him were Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memukan, seven princes of Persia and Media. They had access to the king, and they held the highest offices within the kingdom.
15 “What does the law say should be done with Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She refused to obey the direct order of King Xerxes as delivered by the eunuchs!”
“In compliance with the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus, which was brought to her by the officials?”
16 Memucan gave his answer before the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti hasn't just insulted the king but all the nobles and all the people of all the provinces of King Xerxes.
Memukan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Vashti the queen done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
17 Once it gets out what the queen has done, all wives will despise their husbands, looking down on them and telling them, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti brought to him but she didn't come!’
For the matter of the queen will become known to all women. It will cause them to treat their husbands with contempt. They will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought before him, but she refused.'
18 By the end of the day, the wives of all the nobles throughout Persia and Media who have heard what the queen did will treat their noble husbands with angry contempt!
Before the end of this very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the matter of the queen will say the same thing to all the king's officials. There will be much contempt and anger.
19 If it please Your Majesty, issue a royal decree, in accordance with the laws of Persia and Media which cannot be changed, that Vashti is banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that Your Majesty will give her royal position to another, one who is better than her.
If it pleases the king, let a royal decree be sent out from him, and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come before him. Let the king give her position as queen to another who is better than she.
20 When Your Majesty's decree is proclaimed throughout your vast empire, all wives will respect their husbands, highborn or lowborn.”
When the king's decree is proclaimed throughout all his vast kingdom, all the wives will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least significant.”
21 This advice looked good to the king and the nobles, so the king did what Memucan had said.
The king and his noblemen were pleased with this advice, and the king did as Memukan proposed.
22 He sent letters to all provinces in the empire, in each province's script and language, that every man should rule his own home, and use his own mother tongue.
He sent out letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own writing, and to each people in their own language. He ordered that every man should be master of his own household. This decree was given in the language of each people in the empire.
