Esther 1
1 And it came to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus, —the same, Ahasuerus that reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces:
This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
2 in those days, —when King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shusan the palace;
In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
3 in the third year of his reign, he made a banquet unto all his rulers, and his servants, —the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the rulers being before him;
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.
4 when he showed the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the splendour of his excellent majesty, many days, a hundred and eighty days;
And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 that, when these days were fulfilled, the king made—for all the people that were present in Shusan the palace, both for great and small—a banquet, seven days, —in the court of the garden of the palace of the king:
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.
6 white stuff, cotton and blue, being held fast with cords of fine linen and purple, upon rods of silver, and pillars of white marble, —the couches being of gold and silver, upon a pavement of alabaster and white marble, and pearl and black marble.
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.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, vessels, from vessels, being diverse, —even the wine of the kingdom in abundance, by the bounty of the king.
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.
8 And, the drinking, was according to the law, no one compelling, —for, so, had the king appointed unto every chief of his household, that every man, should do according to his pleasure.
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.
9 Also Vashti the queen, made a banquet for the women, —in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 On the seventh day, when merry was the heart of the king with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who were waiting before King Ahasuerus, —
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—
11 to bring in Vashti the queen, with the royal crown, —to show the peoples and the rulers her beauty, for, of pleasing appearance, was she.
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.
12 But Queen Vashti refused to come in at the command of the king, which was given through the eunuchs, —and the king was exceeding wroth, and, his anger, burned within him.
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.
13 Then said the king unto the wise men having knowledge of the times, —for, so, was the manner of the king before all having knowledge of law and judgment;
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.
14 and, near unto him, were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, —the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who used to behold the face of the king, who sat first, in the kingdom—
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.
15 According to law, what ought to be done, with Queen Vashti, —for that she hath not performed the command of King Ahasuerus, through the eunuchs?
“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?”
16 Then said Memucan before the king and the rulers, Not against the king alone, hath Vashti the queen acted perversely, —but against all the rulers, and against all the peoples, who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
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.
17 For the report of the queen, will go forth, unto all women, so putting contempt upon their lords, in their eyes, —when it is reported to them, King Ahasuerus, commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
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.’
18 And, this day, shall the ladies of Persia and Media, who have heard the report of the queen, tell it, unto all the lords of the king, —with enough of contempt and wrath.
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.
19 If, unto the king, it seem good, let there go forth a royal declaration from before him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media, so that it shall not pass away, —That Vashti, is not to come in, before King Ahasuerus, and, her royal estate, let the king give unto her neighbour, who is better than she.
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.
20 When the edict of the king which he shall make, is published throughout all his kingdom, for, great, it is, then, all wives, will give honour unto their lords, both great and small.
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.”
21 And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and the rulers, —and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan had advised.
22 So he sent letters, into all the provinces of the king, into every province according to she writing thereof, and unto every people according to their tongue, —That every man should he ruler in his own house, and issue his commands, according to the tongue of his people.
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.
