Esther Chapter 1

1And it came to pass in the daysH3117 of AhasuerusH325 (that is, the AhasuerusH325 that reignedH4427 from IndiaH1912 even to Ethiopia, over a hundredH3967 and twenty-seven provincesH4082), 2in those daysH3117, when the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 sat on the throneH3678 of his kingdomH4438, which was in Shushan the fortress, 3in the third yearH8141 of his reignH4427, he madeH6213 a feastH4960 to all his princesH8269 and his servantsH5650; the power of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074, the nobles and the princesH8269 of the provincesH4082 being before him; 4when he shewed the glorious wealthH6239 of his kingdomH4438 and the splendid magnificence of his grandeur manyH7227 daysH3117, a hundredH3967 and eightyH8084 daysH3117. 5And when these daysH3117 were expired, the kingH4428 madeH6213 a feastH4960 to all the peopleH5971 that were present in Shushan the fortress, both to greatH1419 and smallH6996, sevenH7651 daysH3117, in the courtH2691 of the gardenH1594 of the king's palaceH1055. 6WhiteH2353, green, and blueH8504 [hangings] were fastened with cordsH2256 of byssus and purpleH713 to silverH3701 rings and pillarsH5982 of whiteH2353 marble; couchesH4296 of goldH2091 and silverH3701 [lay] upon a pavementH7531 of red and whiteH2353 marble, and alabaster, and black marble. 7And they gaveH8248 drinkH8248 in vesselsH3627 of goldH2091 (the vesselsH3627 being diverse one from another), and royal wineH3196 in abundance, according to the king's bounty. 8And the drinking was, according to commandment, without constraint; for so the kingH4428 had appointedH3245 to all the magnates of his houseH1004, that they should do according to every man's pleasureH7522. 9AlsoH1571 the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 madeH6213 a feastH4960 for the womenH802 of the royal houseH1004 which belonged to kingH4428 AhasuerusH325. 10On the seventhH7637 dayH3117, when the king's heartH3820 was merry with wineH3196, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, HarbonaH2726, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the sevenH7651 chamberlains that servedH8334 in the presenceH6440 of kingH4428 AhasuerusH325, 11to bringH935 VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 before the kingH4428 with the royal crownH3804 to shew the peoplesH5971 and the princesH8269 her beautyH3308; for she was of beautiful countenance. 12But the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 refusedH3985 to comeH935 at the wordH1697 of the kingH4428 which was [sent] by the chamberlains; and the kingH4428 was veryH3966 wroth, and his fury burnedH1197 in him. 13And the kingH4428 saidH559 to the wiseH2450 men who knewH3045 the timesH6256 (for soH3651 was the king's business [conducted] before all that knewH3045 lawH1881 and judgmentH1779; 14and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, TarshishH8659, Meres, Marsena, [and] MemucanH4462, the sevenH7651 princesH8269 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074, who sawH7200 the king's faceH6440, and who satH3427 firstH7223 in the kingdomH4438), 15What shall be done to the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 according to lawH1881, because she has not performed the word of the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 by the chamberlains? 16Then saidH559 MemucanH4462 before the kingH4428 and the princesH8269, The queenH4436 VashtiH2060 has not done wrong to the kingH4428 onlyH905, but also to all the princesH8269, and to all the peoplesH5971 that are in all the provincesH4082 of the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325. 17For the act of the queenH4436 will comeH935 abroad to all womenH802, so as to render their husbandsH1167 contemptible in their eyesH5869, when they shall sayH559, The kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 commanded the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 to be broughtH935 in before him, and she cameH935 not! 18And the princesses of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 who have heardH8085 of the queen's act, will sayH559 it this dayH3117 to all the king's princesH8269, and there will be contempt and anger enough. 19If it please the kingH4428, let a royal order goH3318 forthH3318 from him, and let it be writtenH3789 among the lawsH1881 of the Persians and the Medes, that it may not passH5674, That VashtiH2060 comeH935 no moreH4480 before kingH4428 AhasuerusH325; and let the kingH4428 giveH5414 her royal estate to another that is betterH2896 than she; 20and when the king's edict which he shall makeH5414 shall be heardH8085 throughout his realm — for it is greatH1419 — all the wivesH802 shall giveH5414 to their husbandsH1167 honour, from the greatestH1419 to the least. 21And the saying pleased the kingH4428 and the princesH8269; and the kingH4428 did according to the wordH1697 of MemucanH4462. 22And he sentH7971 lettersH5612 into all the king's provincesH4082, into every provinceH4082 according to the writing thereof, and to every peopleH5971 according to their languageH3956, That every manH376 should bear ruleH8323 in his own houseH1004, and should speakH1696 according to the languageH3956 of his peopleH5971.