Esther Chapter 1

Xerxes’ Royal Feast

1This is what happenedH1961 in the daysH3117 of XerxesH325H1931,1 who reigned overH4427 127H7651H6242H3967 provincesH4082 from IndiaH1912 toH5704 CushH3568.2 2In thoseH1992 daysH3117 KingH4428 XerxesH325 satH3427 onH5921 his royalH4438 throneH3678 in the citadelH1002 of SusaH7800.

3In the thirdH7969 yearH8141 of his reignH4427, Xerxes heldH6213 a feastH4960 for allH3605 his officialsH8269 and servantsH5650. The military leadersH2428 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 were there, along with the noblesH6579 and princesH8269 of the provincesH4082. 4And for a fullH7227 180H8084H3967H3117 daysH3117 he displayedH7200 the gloriousH3519 richesH6239 of his kingdomH4438 andH853 the magnificentH8597 splendorH3366 of his greatnessH1420.

5At the endH4390 of thisH428 timeH3117, in the gardenH1594 courtH2691 of the royalH4428 palaceH1055, the kingH4428 heldH6213 a seven-dayH7651H3117 feastH4960 for allH3605 the peopleH5971 in the citadelH1002 of SusaH7800, from the leastH6996 toH5704 the greatestH1419. 6Hangings of whiteH2353 and blueH8504 linenH3768 were fastenedH270 with cordsH2256 of fine whiteH948 and purpleH713 material toH5921 silverH3701 ringsH1550 on the marbleH8336 pillarsH5982. GoldH2091 and silverH3701 couchesH4296 were arrangedH5921 on a mosaic pavementH7531 of porphyryH923, marbleH8336, mother-of-pearlH1858, and other costly stonesH5508.

7Beverages were servedH8248 in an array of gobletsH3627 of goldH2091, eachH3627 with a different designH8138, and the royalH4438 wineH3196 flowed freelyH7227, according to the king’sH4428 bountyH3027. 8ByH1881 orderH3245 of the kingH4428, noH369 limit was placedH597 on the drinkingH8360H5921, and everyH3605 officialH7227 of his householdH1004 was to serveH6213 eachH376 manH376 whatever he desiredH7522.

Queen Vashti’s Refusal

9QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 alsoH1571 gaveH6213 a banquetH4960 for the womenH802 in the royalH4438 palaceH1004 of KingH4428 XerxesH325.

10On the seventhH7637 dayH3117, when the king’sH4428 heartH3820 was merryH2895 with wineH3196, he orderedH559 the sevenH7651 eunuchsH5631 who servedH8334H854H6440H4428 himH325—MehumanH4104, BizthaH968, HarbonaH2726, BigthaH903, AbagthaH5, ZetharH2242, and CarkasH3752— 11to bringH935 QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 beforeH6440 himH4428, wearing her royalH4438 crownH3804, to displayH7200 her beautyH3308 to the peopleH5971 and officialsH8269. ForH3588 sheH1931 was beautifulH2896 to beholdH4758.

12QueenH4436 Vashti, howeverH2060, refusedH3985 to comeH935 at the king’sH4428 commandH1697 brought byH3027 his eunuchsH5631. And the kingH4428 became furiousH7107H3966, and his angerH2534 burnedH1197 within him.

Queen Vashti Deposed

13Then the kingH4428 consultedH559 the wise menH2450 who knewH3045 the timesH6256, for it wasH3588 customaryH3651 for himH4428 to conferH1697 withH6440H3605 the expertsH3045 in lawH1881 and justiceH1779. 14His closest advisorsH7138 were CarshenaH3771, ShetharH8369, AdmathaH133, TarshishH8659, MeresH4825, MarsenaH4826, and MemucanH4462, the sevenH7651 princesH8269 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 who had personal access toH7200H6440 the kingH4428 and rankedH3427 highestH7223 in the kingdomH4438.

15“According to lawH1881,” he asked, “whatH4100 should be doneH6213 with QueenH4436 VashtiH2060, sinceH5921 she refused to obeyH3808H6213 the commandH3982 of KingH4428 XerxesH325 delivered byH3027 the eunuchsH5631?”

16And in the presenceH6440 of the kingH4428 and his princesH8269, MemucanH4462 repliedH559, “QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 has wrongedH5753 notH3808H5921 onlyH905 the kingH4428, butH3588H5921 allH3605 the princesH8269H5921 and the peoplesH5971 in allH3605 the provincesH4082 of KingH4428 XerxesH325. 17ForH3588 the conductH1697 of the queenH4436 will become knownH3318 toH5921 allH3605 womenH802, causing them to despiseH959H5869 their husbandsH11673 and sayH559, ‘KingH4428 XerxesH325 orderedH559 QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 to be broughtH935 before himH6440, but she did notH3808 comeH935.’

18ThisH2088 very dayH3117 the noble womenH8282 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 whoH834 have heardH8085 aboutH853 the queen’sH4436 conductH1697 will sayH559 the same thing to allH3605 the king’sH4428 officialsH8269, resulting in muchH1767 contemptH963 and wrathH7110.

19So ifH518H5921 it pleasesH2896 the kingH4428H6440, let him issueH3318 a royalH4438 decreeH1697, and let it be recordedH3789 in the lawsH1881 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 so that it cannotH3808 be repealedH5674, thatH834 VashtiH2060 shall never againH3808 enterH935 the presenceH6440 of KingH4428 XerxesH325, and that her royal positionH4438 shall be givenH5414H4428 to a womanH7468 betterH2896 than sheH4480. 20The edictH6599 the kingH4428 issuesH6213 will be heardH8085 throughoutH3605 his vastH7227H1931 kingdomH4438—and soH3588 allH3605 womenH802, from the leastH6996 toH5704 the greatestH1419, will honorH5414H3366 their husbandsH1167.”

21The kingH4428 and his princesH8269 were pleasedH3190H5869 with this counselH1697; so the kingH4428 didH6213 as MemucanH4462 advisedH1697. 22He sentH7971 lettersH5612 toH413 allH3605 the provincesH4082 of the kingdomH4428, toH413 each provinceH4082 in its own scriptH3791 and toH413 each peopleH5971 in their own languageH3956, proclaimingH16964 that everyH3605 manH376 should beH1961 masterH8323 of his own householdH1004.