Esther 1:9-22

9Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the 1palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was 2merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal 3crown in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. 12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him.

13Then the king said to 4the wise men 5who understood the times--for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice 14and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media 6who 7had access to the king’s presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom-- 15“According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not 8obey the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 16In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17For the queen’s conduct will 9become known to all the women causing them 10to look with contempt on their husbands by saying, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.’ 18This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s conduct will speak in the same way to all the king’s princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. 19If it pleases the king, let a royal 11edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so 12that it cannot 13be repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to 14another who is more worthy than she. 20When the king’s edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, 15great as it is, then 16all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small.”

21This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did 17as Memucan proposed. 22So he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, 18to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should 19be the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.