Feast of Ahasuerus
1:1 Now it so happened in the days of Ahasuerus, (he is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over one hundred and twenty seven provinces:)
1:2 in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
1:3 In the third year of his reign, he made a banquet for all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, were before him:
1:4 When he made known the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent greatness many days, even one hundred and eighty days.
1:5 And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a banquet for all the people who were found in Shushan the palace, both to great and small, for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;
1:6 [There] was overlaying with white linen and violet, with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of white marble: the couches [were of] gold and silver, on a [red] and white and pearl, and black marble flooring.
1:7 And they gave out drinks in vessels of gold, the vessels being different from one another, and royal wine in abundance, according to the hand of the king.
1:8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had ordered to every chief of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
1:9 Also Vashti the queen made a banquet for the women in the royal house which king Ahasuerus owned.
Vashti Refuses to come
1:10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty. Because she was beautiful to look upon.
1:12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command by his eunuchs. Therefore was the king very angry, and his fury burned within him.
Vashti’s punishment
1:13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
1:14 And the ones next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and who sat first in the kingdom; )
1:15 What shall be done with queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the command of the king Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?
1:16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hasn’t only done wrong to the king , but also to all the princes, and to all the people who [are] in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
1:17 For this matter of the queen shall come out to all women, to make their husbands despised in their eyes, in their reporting [that] king Ahasuerus said to bring in Vashti the queen before him, but she didn’t come.
1:18 And this day the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard the queens word shall say [the same] to all the king’s princes, and there shall be contempt and strife.
1:19 If it please the king, let a royal decree go from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media so that it can’t altered, That Vashti can’t come any more before king Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal estate to a neighbor who is better than she is.
1:20 And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give honor to their husbands , both great and small.
1:21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
1:22 For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to its writing, and to people and peoples according to their language, so that every man should be ruling in his house, and speaking according to the language of his people.
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