Esther 1:9-22

9QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 alsoH1571 heldH6213 a banquetH4960 for the womenH802 in the 1palaceH1004 whichH834 belonged to KingH4428 AhasuerusH325.

10On the seventhH7637 dayH3117, when the heartH3820 of the kingH4428 was 2cheerfulH2895 with wineH3196, he orderedH559 MehumanH4104, BizthaH968, HarbonaH2726, BigthaH903, AbagthaH5, ZetharH2242, and CarkasH3752, the sevenH7651 eunuchsH5631 who servedH8334 in the presenceH6440 of KingH4428 AhasuerusH325, 11to bringH935 QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 with her royalH4438 3turbanH3804 in order to displayH7200 her beautyH3308 to the peopleH5971 and the officialsH8269, for she was beautifulH2896H4758. 12But QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 refusedH3985 to comeH935 at the king’sH4428 orderH1697 4deliveredH3027 by the eunuchsH5631. So the kingH4428 becameH7107 veryH3966 angryH7107, and his wrathH2534 burnedH1197 within him.

13Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to 5the wiseH2450 menH2450 6who understoodH3045 the timesH6256--for it was the customH1697 of the kingH4428 to speak thisH3651 wayH3651 beforeH6440 allH3605 who knewH3045 Persian lawH1881 and justiceH1779 14and were closeH7138 to him, namely, CarshenaH3771, ShetharH8369, AdmathaH133, TarshishH8659, MeresH4825, MarsenaH4826, and MemucanH4462, the sevenH7651 officialsH8269 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 7who 8hadH7200 accessH7200 to the king’sH4428 presenceH6440 and satH3427 in the firstH7223 place in the kingdomH4438-- 15“According to lawH1881, whatH4100 is to be doneH6213 with QueenH4436 VashtiH2060, sinceH5921H834 she did not 9obeyH6213 the commandH3982 of KingH4428 AhasuerusH325 10delivered by the eunuchsH5631?” 16And in the presenceH6440 of the kingH4428 and the other officialsH8269, MemucanH4462 saidH559, “QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 has wrongedH5753 not onlyH905 the kingH4428 but also allH3605 the officialsH8269 and allH3605 the peoplesH5971 whoH834 are in allH3605 the provincesH4082 of KingH4428 AhasuerusH325. 17For the queen’sH4436 conductH1697 will 11becomeH3318 knownH3318 to allH3605 the womenH802 so as to makeH959 their own husbandsH1167 despicableH959 in their sightH5869, when they sayH559, ‘KingH4428 AhasuerusH325 12commandedH559 that QueenH4436 VashtiH2060 be broughtH935 inH935 to his presenceH6440, but she did not comeH935.’ 18And thisH2088 dayH3117 the wivesH8282 ofH8282 theH8282 officialsH8282 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 whoH834 have heardH8085 about the queen’sH4436 conductH1697 will talkH559 about it to allH3605 the king’sH4428 officialsH8269, and there will be plentyH1767 of contemptH963 and angerH7110. 19IfH518 it pleasesH2895 the kingH4428, let a royalH4438 13edictH1697 be issuedH3318 by him and let it be writtenH3789 in the lawsH1881 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 so 14that it cannotH3808 15be repealedH5674, that VashtiH2060 may not comeH935 into the presenceH6440 of KingH4428 AhasuerusH325, and let the kingH4428 giveH5414 her royalH4438 positionH4438 to 16anotherH7468 who is moreH4480 worthyH2896 thanH4480 she. 20When the king’sH4428 edictH6599 whichH834 he will makeH6213 is heardH8085 throughoutH3605 his kingdomH4438, 17greatH7227 as it is, then 18allH3605 womenH802 will giveH5414 honorH3366 to their husbandsH1167, greatH1419 and smallH6996.”

21Now this wordH1697 pleasedH3190H5869 the kingH4428 and the officialsH8269, and the kingH4428 didH6213 19as MemucanH4462 proposedH1697. 22So he sentH7971 lettersH5612 to allH3605 the king’sH4428 provincesH4082, 20to eachH4082 provinceH4082 according to its scriptH3791 and to everyH5971 peopleH5971 according to their languageH3956, that everyH3605 manH376 was to 21beH8323 theH8323 rulerH8323 in his own houseH1004 and the one who speaksH1696 in the languageH3956 of his own peopleH5971.