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.
Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this [is] Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Cush, [over] a hundred and seven and twenty provinces: )
2 At the time King Xerxes was ruling from his royal throne at the fortress in Susa.
[That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,
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 made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, [being] before him:
4 He put on display his wealth and the glory of his kingdom, showing how majestic, splendid, and glorious he was, for 180 days.
When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, [even] a hundred and eighty 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.
And when these days had expired, the king made a feast for all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both for great and small, seven days, in the court 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.
[Where were] white, green, and blue [hangings], fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds [were of] gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black marble.
7 Drinks were served in golden goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine flowed freely because of the king's generosity.
And they gave [them] drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another, ) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
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.
And the drinking [was] according to the law; none constrained: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Xerxes.
Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women [in] the royal house which [belonged] to 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 heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
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 Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she [was] fair to look on.
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 the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by [his] chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in 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.
Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for so [was] the king's manner towards all that knew 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.
And the next to him [was] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, [and] who sat the first in 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!”
What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
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.
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that [are] in all the provinces of the 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 [this] deed of the queen will come abroad to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
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!
[Likewise] will the ladies of Persia and Media say this day to all the king's princes, who have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus [will there arise] too much contempt and wrath.
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 pleaseth the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another that 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.”
And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great, ) all the wives will give to their husbands honor, both to great and small.
21 This advice looked good to the king and the nobles, so the king did what Memucan had said.
And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
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.
For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing of it, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that [it] should be published according to the language of every people.
