Esther
Chapter 1
1 During the time of King Ahasuerus, who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
2 In those days, when King Ahasuerus was ruling from his throne in his kingdom at the palace in Shushan,
3 In the third year of being king, he prepared a big meal for all his leaders and workers; the important people of Persia and Media and the leaders from the regions were present.
4 He showed off his kingdom’s wealth and his great honor for many days, 180 days to be exact.
5 When the days were over, the king held a feast for all the people in Shushan palace, for both important and unimportant, lasting seven days, in the garden area of the king’s palace.
6 There were white, green, and blue curtains, tied with fine linen and purple cords to silver rings and marble pillars; the couches were made of gold and silver, set on a floor with red, blue, white, and black marble.
7 They served drinks in golden cups, all different from each other, and gave lots of fine wine, as much as the king allowed.
8 The drinking followed the rule; no one was forced to drink because the king had ordered his household officers to let everyone drink as they wished.
9 Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the women in the palace of King Ahasuerus.
10 On the seventh day, when the king felt happy from wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, his seven servants, to come to King Ahasuerus.
11 To bring Queen Vashti before the king with the royal crown, to show her beauty to the people and the princes: for she was beautiful to see.
12 But Queen Vashti wouldn’t come when the king ordered her through his servants; so the king got very angry, and he burned with rage.
13 The king spoke to the wise men who understood the times, since this was the king’s usual way with all who were experts in law and decisions.
14 Next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven leaders of Persia and Media, who saw the king and were the highest in the kingdom.
15 What should we do to Queen Vashti by law since she did not follow King Ahasuerus’s order given through his officials?
16 Memucan spoke to the king and the leaders, saying, “Queen Vashti didn’t disrespect just the king, but also all the leaders and everyone in King Ahasuerus’ provinces.”
17 Because of the queen’s action, all women will hear about it and look down on their husbands, thinking, ‘The king ordered Queen Vashti to come to him, but she didn’t.’
18 The women of Persia and Media will tell the king’s leaders today about what the queen has done. This will cause a lot of disrespect and anger.
19 If the king agrees, let him issue a royal order and make it a law of the Persians and Medes, so it cannot be changed: Vashti will not come before King Ahasuerus again; and let the king give her royal position to someone better than her.
20 When the king’s order is announced to his whole kingdom (because it is large), all wives will respect their husbands, whether they are high-ranking or not.
21 The king and his officials liked the idea, and the king followed Memucan’s advice.
22 He sent letters to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, so that every man should be in charge of his own house, and it should be announced in the language of each people.