Esther 1
1 It was in the days of Ahasuerus—the Ahasuerus who ruled from India to Cush over 127 provinces.
2 In those days, King Ahasuerus was seated on the throne of his kingdom in Susa, the citadel.
3 In the third year of his reign, he held a banquet for all his officials and attendants. The army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the governors of the provinces were before him.
4 He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the splendid honor of his greatness for many days—180 days.
5 When those days were over, the king held a seven-day banquet for all the people in Susa, the citadel, from the greatest to the least, in the courtyard of the garden of the royal palace.
6 There were curtains of white linen and blue fabric, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and dark stones.
7 They served drinks in gold cups, each cup different from the others, and royal wine flowed freely, as the king could afford.
8 Drinking followed the rule: no one was compelled, for the king had instructed all the stewards of his household to let each person do as he wished.
9 Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.
10 On the seventh day, when wine had made the king merry, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas—the seven eunuchs who served before King Ahasuerus—
11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing her royal crown, so he could show the peoples and the officials her beauty, for she was beautiful to look at.
12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command, delivered by the eunuchs. The king became very angry, and his fury blazed within him.
13 Then the king spoke with the wise men who understood the times—for it was the king’s custom to consult all who knew the law and justice.
14 Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king and held the highest rank in the kingdom.
15 “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti for disobeying the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?”
16 Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but also all the officials and all the peoples in every province of King Ahasuerus.
17 For the queen’s conduct will become known to all women, and they will come to despise their husbands, saying, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
18 Even today, the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same to all the king’s officials. There will be no end to contempt and anger.
19 If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media so it cannot be revoked: Vashti must never again appear before King Ahasuerus, and the king must give her royal position to another woman who is better than she is.
20 When the king’s decree is heard throughout his vast kingdom, all women will honor their husbands, from the greatest to the least.”
21 This advice pleased the king and the officials, and the king did as Memucan had said.
22 He sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language: every man was to be master in his own household and speak the language of his own people.
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