Esther 1

1It happened in the days of Ahasuerus—the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush, over one hundred twenty-seven provinces—

2In those days, when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne, which was in Susa the citadel,

3In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and servants—the army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials of the provinces before him.

4while he displayed the riches of the glory of his kingdom and the splendor of the honor of his greatness for many days—one hundred and eighty days.

5And when these days were completed, the king gave a banquet for all the people who were present in Susa the citadel, from great to small, for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

6There were hangings of white cotton and blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars, and couches of gold and silver on a pavement of alabaster, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.

7Drinks were served in vessels of gold, with vessels differing from vessel to vessel, and royal wine in abundance, according to the king’s bounty.

8And the drinking was according to the law: there was no compulsion, for so the king had instructed every official of his household to do according to the desire of each man.

9Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the royal house that belonged to King Ahasuerus.

10On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he told Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas—the seven eunuchs who attended King Ahasuerus—

11to bring Queen Vashti before the king with the royal crown, to show the peoples and the officials her beauty, for she was beautiful in appearance.

12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king became very angry, and his wrath burned within him.

13Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times—for this was the king’s procedure before all who knew law and judgment—

14And those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king’s face and sat first in the kingdom.

15According to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti because she did not carry out the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?

16Then Memucan said before the king and the officials, “Queen Vashti has done wrong not against the king alone, but against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.”

17For the queen’s matter will go out to all women, causing them to despise their husbands in their eyes, when they say, ‘King Ahasuerus said to bring Queen Vashti before him, but she did not come.’

18And today the noblewomen of Persia and Media who have heard the queen’s word will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be enough contempt and wrath.

19If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from before him and be written among the laws of Persia and Media, so that it may not be revoked: that Vashti is not to come before King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another woman better than she.

20And when the king’s decree that he makes is heard throughout all his kingdom—for it is vast—all the women will give honor to their husbands, from great to small.

21The matter pleased the king and the officials, and the king did according to the word of Memucan.

22And he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, that every man should be master in his own house and speak the language of his own people.