Esther Chapter 1

1NowH1961 it cameH1961 to passH1961 in the daysH3117 of AhasuerusH325, (this is AhasuerusH325 whichH1931 reignedH4427, from IndiaH1912 evenH5704 unto EthiopiaH3568, over an hundredH3967 and sevenH7651 and twentyH6242 provincesH4082:) 2that in thoseH834 daysH3117, when the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 satH7675 on the throneH3678 of his kingdomH4438, whichH834 was in Shushan the palace, 3in the thirdH7969 yearH8141 of his reignH4427, he madeH6213 a feastH4960 unto allH3605 his princesH8269 and his servantsH5650; the power of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074, the noblesH6579 and princesH8269 of the provincesH4082, being beforeH6440 him: 4when he shewed the richesH6239 of his gloriousH8597 kingdomH4438 and the honour of his excellent majestyH1420 manyH7227 daysH3117, evenH853 an hundredH3967 and fourscore daysH3117. 5And when theseH428 daysH3117 were fulfilledH4390, he kingH4428 madeH6213 a feastH4960 unto allH3605 the peopleH5971 that were presentH4672 in Shushan the palaceH1055, bothH3605 greatH1419 and smallH6996, sevenH7651 daysH3117, in the courtH2691 of the gardenH1594 of the king’sH4428 palaceH1055; 6There were hangings of whiteH2353 cloth, of green, and of blueH8504, fastenedH270 with cordsH2256 of fineH8336 linenH8336 and purpleH713 to silverH3701 ringsH1550 and pillarsH5982 of marble: the couchesH4296 were of goldH2091 and silverH3701, uponH5921 a pavementH7531 of red, and whiteH2353, and yellow, and black marble. 7And they gaveH8248 them drinkH8248 in vesselsH3627 of goldH2091, (the vesselsH3627 being diverse one from another,) and royalH4438 wineH3196 in abundance, accordingH3027 to the bountyH3027 of the kingH4428. 8And the drinkingH8360 was accordingH5921 to the lawH1881; noneH369 couldH376 compel: for soH3651 the kingH4428 had appointedH3245 to allH3605 the officers of his houseH1004, that they should doH6213 accordingH5921 to everyH3605 man’sH376 pleasureH7522. 9Also VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 madeH6213 a feastH4960 for the womenH802 in the royalH4438 houseH1004 whichH834 belonged to kingH4428 AhasuerusH325. 10On the seventhH7637 dayH3117, when the heartH3820 of the kingH4428 was merry with wineH3196, he commandedH559 MehumanH4104, BizthaH968, HarbonaH2726, BigthaH903, and AbagthaH5, ZetharH2242, and Carcas, the sevenH7651 chamberlains that ministeredH8334 in the presenceH6440 of AhasuerusH325 the kingH4428, 11to bringH935 VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 with the crownH3804 royalH4438, to shew the peoplesH5971 and the princesH8269 herH7200 beautyH3308: for sheH1931 was fair to lookH7200 on. 12But the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 refusedH3985 to comeH935 at the king’sH4428 commandmentH1697 by the chamberlains: therefore was the kingH4428 veryH3966 wroth, and his angerH2534 burnedH1197 in him. 13Then the kingH4428 saidH559 to the wiseH2450 menH2450, whichH1697 knewH3045 the timesH6256, (for soH3651 was the king’sH4428 mannerH1697 towardH6440 allH3605 that knewH3045 lawH1881 and judgmentH1779; 14and the nextH7200 unto him was CarshenaH3771, ShetharH8369, AdmathaH133, TarshishH8659, MeresH4825, MarsenaH4826, and MemucanH4462, the sevenH7651 princesH8269 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074, which sawH7200 the king’sH4428 faceH6440, and satH3427 firstH7223 in the kingdomH4438:) 15WhatH4100 shall weH834 doH6213 unto the queenH4436 VashtiH2060 accordingH5921 to lawH1881, becauseH5921 sheH834 hath notH3808 doneH6213 the bidding of the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 by the chamberlains? 16And MemucanH4462 answeredH559 beforeH6440 the kingH4428 and the princesH8269, VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 hath notH3808 doneH3605 wrong to the kingH4428 onlyH905, but also to allH3605 the princesH8269, and to allH3605 the peoplesH5971 that are in allH3605 the provincesH4082 of the kingH4428 AhasuerusH325. 17For this deedH1697 of the queenH4436 shall comeH935 abroad unto allH3605 womenH802, to makeH3588 their husbandsH1167 contemptible in their eyesH5869, when it shall be reportedH935, The kingH4428 AhasuerusH325 commandedH559 VashtiH2060 the queenH4436 to be broughtH935 in beforeH6440 him, but sheH3588 cameH935 notH3808. 18And this dayH3117 shall the princessesH8282 of PersiaH6539 and MediaH4074 whichH834 have heardH8085 of the deedH1697 of the queenH4436 sayH559 the like unto allH3605 the king’sH4428 princesH8269, SoH834 shall there arise muchH1697 contemptH963 and wrathH7110. 19IfH518 it pleaseH2895 the kingH4428, letH5414 there goH3318 forthH3318 a royalH4438 commandmentH1697 from him, and letH5414 it be writtenH3789 among the lawsH1881 of the Persians and the MedesH4074, that it be notH3808 altered, that VashtiH2060 comeH935 noH3808 moreH4480 beforeH6440 kingH4428 AhasuerusH325; and letH5414 the kingH4428 giveH5414 herH5921 royalH4438 estate unto anotherH3808 that is betterH2896 thanH4480 sheH834. 20And when the king’sH4428 decree whichH834 he shall makeH5414 shall be published throughoutH3605 allH3605 his kingdomH4438, (for it is greatH1419,) allH3605 the wivesH802 shall giveH5414 to their husbandsH1167 honour, bothH3605 to greatH1419 and smallH6996. 21And the sayingH1697 pleasedH3190 the kingH4428 and the princesH8269; and the kingH4428 didH6213 according to the wordH1697 of MemucanH4462: 22for he sentH7971 lettersH5612 intoH413 allH3605 the king’sH4428 provincesH4082, intoH413 everyH3605 provinceH4082 accordingH413 to the writingH3791 thereof, and to everyH3605 peopleH5971 afterH1961 their languageH3956, that everyH3605 manH376 should bear ruleH8323 in his ownH1961 houseH1004, and should publish it accordingH413 to the languageH3956 of his peopleH5971.