Esther 1
1 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: )
Now it came about in the days of Ahasuerus, (that Ahasuerus who was ruler of a hundred and twenty-seven divisions of the kingdom, from India as far as Ethiopia: )
2 [That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,
That in those days, when King Ahasuerus was ruling in Shushan, his strong town,
3 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:
In the third year of his rule he gave a feast to all his captains and his servants; and the captains of the army of Persia and Media, the great men and the rulers of the divisions of his kingdom, were present before him;
4 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, [even] a hundred and eighty days.
And for a long time, even a hundred and eighty days, he let them see all the wealth and the glory of his kingdom and the great power and honour which were his.
5 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;
And at the end of that time, the king gave a feast for all the people who were present in Shushan, the king's town, small as well as great, for seven days, in the outer square of the garden of the king's house.
6 [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.
There were fair hangings of white and green and blue, fixed with cords of purple and the best linen to silver rings and pillars of polished stone: the seats were of gold and silver on a floor of red and white and yellow and black stone.
7 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.
And they gave them drink in gold vessels, every vessel being different, and wine of the kingdom, freely given by the king.
8 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.
And the drinking was in keeping with the law; no one was forced: for the king had given orders to all the chief servants of his house to do as was pleasing to every man.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women [in] the royal house which [belonged] to king Ahasuerus.
And Vashti the queen gave a feast for the women in the house of King Ahasuerus.
10 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,
On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was glad with wine, he gave orders to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven unsexed servants who were waiting before Ahasuerus the king,
11 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.
That Vashti the queen was to come before him, crowned with her crown, and let the people and the captains see her: for she was very beautiful.
12 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.
But when the servants gave her the king's order, Vashti the queen said she would not come: then the king was very angry, and his heart was burning with wrath.
13 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:
And the king said to the wise men, who had knowledge of the times, (for this was the king's way with all who were expert in law and in the giving of decisions:
14 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; )
And second only to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom: )
15 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?
What is to be done by law to Vashti the queen, because she has not done what King Ahasuerus, by his servants, gave her orders to do?
16 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.
And before the king and the captains, Memucan gave his answer: Vashti the queen has done wrong, not only to the king, but to all the captains and to all the peoples in all the divisions of the kingdom of King Ahasuerus;
17 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.
For news of what the queen has done will come to the ears of all women, and they will no longer give respect to their husbands when it is said to them, King Ahasuerus gave orders for Vashti the queen to come before him and she came not.
18 [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.
And the wives of the captains of Persia and Media, hearing what the queen has done, will say the same to all the king's captains. So there will be much shame and wrath.
19 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.
If it is pleasing to the king, let an order go out from him, and let it be recorded among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it may never be changed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her place to another who is better than she.
20 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.
And when this order, given by the king, is made public through all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give honour to their husbands, great as well as small.
21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
And this suggestion seemed good to the king and the captains; and the king did as Memucan said;
22 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.
And sent letters to all the divisions of the kingdom, to every division in the writing commonly used there, and to every people in the language which was theirs, saying that every man was to be the ruler in his house, and that this order was to be given out in the language of his people.
