Esther 1:3-12

3During the third year that he ruled, he gave a big feast for his leaders and officers. The soldiers from the army of Persia and Media came to the feast. The rulers and leaders of the regions in the kingdom also came.

4The feast continued for 180 days. King Xerxes wanted to show everyone how rich and powerful he was. He wanted to show that he was a great king.

5When this feast finished, he gave another feast for everyone who lived in Susa. It was for people who were important, and for ordinary people as well. The feast continued for seven days. It was in part of the garden of the king's palace.

6The gardens had curtains made of expensive white linen and purple material. They hung from silver rings on white stone pillars. White and purple strings held the curtains. There were seats made from gold and silver. The floor had many kinds of valuable stones to make it beautiful.

7People at the feast drank from gold cups. Each cup was different. The king gave plenty of his own wine to everyone to drink.

8Everyone could drink as much wine as they wanted. The king told his officers to give each person what they wanted, no more and no less.

9At the same time, the king's wife, Queen Vashti, gave a feast for all the women in the palace.

10On the seventh day of the feast, King Xerxes was feeling happy, because he had drunk so much wine. He had seven eunuchs who served him in the palace. Their names were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas.

11He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him. He said that she must wear her royal crown. He wanted to show everyone at his feast how beautiful his queen was. She was a very beautiful woman.

12The eunuchs told Queen Vashti what the king had commanded. But she refused to go to him. This made the king very angry.