Esther 1
1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10
1 Now it came to pass in the
days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto
Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
2 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 made
a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media,
the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
4 When he shewed the riches of his
glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even
an hundred and fourscore days.
5 And when these days were expired, the
king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace,
both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s
palace;
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.
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.
8 And the drinking was according to
the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of
his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for
the women in the royal house which belonged to 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,
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the
king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for
she was fair to look on.
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.
13 Then the king said to the wise men,
which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that
knew law and judgment:
14 And the next unto him was
Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the
seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which
sat the first in the kingdom;)
15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti
according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king
Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
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.
17 For this deed of the queen shall
come abroad unto all women, so that they shall 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 Likewise shall the ladies of
Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of
the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and
wrath.
19 If it please the king, let there go a
royal commandment 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 unto another that 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 shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21 And the saying pleased the king and the
princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22 For he sent letters into all the king’s
provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, 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.
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