Esther 1
1 King Xerxes ruled [a very big empire which had] 127 provinces. It extended from India [in the east] to Ethiopia [in the west].
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:
2 He ruled the empire [while he lived] in the capital city, Susa.
in those days, —when King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shusan the palace;
3 During the third year that he ruled his empire, he invited all his administrators and [other] officials to a big banquet/feast. He invited all the commanders of the armies of Persia and Media to come to the banquet. He also invited the governors and other leaders of the provinces.
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;
4 [The celebration] lasted for six months. During that time the king showed his guests all his wealth and other things that showed how great his kingdom was (OR, how great a king he was).
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;
5 At the end of those six months, the king invited people to another banquet. He invited to the banquet all the men who worked in the palace, including those who had important jobs and those who had unimportant jobs. [This celebration] lasted for seven days. It was in the courtyard of the palace in Susa.
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:
6 [In the courtyard] were beautiful blue and white curtains that were fastened by white and purple cords/ribbons to rings that were on pillars made from [expensive white stone called] marble. [The guests sat on] gold and silver couches. The couches were on a pavement/floor which had on top of it designs made from various kinds of expensive stones.
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.
7 [The guests] drank wine from gold cups. Each cup had a different design on it.
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.
8 There was a lot of wine, because the king wanted the guests to drink as much as they wanted. But the king told the servants that they should not force anyone to drink more than he wanted.
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.
9 [At the same time, the king’s wife, ] Queen Vashti, invited the wives of the men who worked in the palace to a banquet [in another room in the palace].
Also Vashti the queen, made a banquet for the women, —in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
10 On the last/seventh day of those banquets, when King Xerxes was partially drunk from drinking wine, he [summoned] seven of his personal servants. They were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas.
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, —
11 He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him, wearing her crown. He wanted his guests to see that she was very beautiful.
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.
12 But when those servants told Vashti what the king wanted, she refused to go to the king [because she did not want to display her beauty in front of a group of half-drunk men]. So that caused the king to become very angry.
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.
13 Immediately he had a meeting with the seven men who were the most important officials in Persia and Media. They were the men whom he often asked (for their advice/what he should do). And they were men who knew all the customs and laws [of Persia]. Their names were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan.
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;
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—
15 The king said to them, “Queen Vashti has refused to obey me when I sent my servants [to tell her to come here]. What do our laws say that we should do to someone who [acts/behaves like that]?”
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?
16 While the other officials were present, Memucan told the king, [“Your majesty], Queen Vashti has (insulted/done wrong against) you, but she has also insulted all your officials and everyone else (in your empire/that you rule over).
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.
17 All the women [throughout the empire] will hear what she has done, and they will say, ‘The king commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.’ [So they will not obey their husbands. Instead, ] they will begin to not respect their husbands.
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.
18 Before this day ends, the wives of all us officials in Persia and Media will hear what the queen did, and they also will refuse to obey their husbands. They will not respect us, and they will cause us to become very angry.
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.
19 So if it pleases you, O king, you should write a law. Like all the other laws of Persia and Media, it will be a law that (no one can change/cannot be changed.) Write a law that states that Queen Vashti will never be allowed to see you again [and will not continue to be the queen]. Then you can choose another woman to be queen, a woman who deserves to be queen more than Vashti does.
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.
20 Then, when everyone in your empire hears what you have commanded, all the women, including those who are important and those who are not important, will respect and obey their husbands.”
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.
21 The king and the other officials liked what Memucan suggested, so he [did that. He wrote a law] proclaiming that.
And the thing seemed good in the eyes of the king, and the rulers, —and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
22 Then he sent letters to all the provinces, stating that all men should have complete authority over their wives and their children. He wrote the letters in every language and type of writing/alphabet that was used in each province.
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.
