Now it took place
in the days
of aAhasuerus
, the Ahasuerus
who reigned
bfrom India
to 1Ethiopia
over c127
provinces
,
in those days
as King
Ahasuerus
asat
on his royal
throne
which
was at the citadel
in bSusa
,
in the third year
of his reign
ahe gave
a banquet
for all
his princes
and attendants
, the army
officers of Persia
and Media
, the nobles
and the princes
of his provinces
being in his presence
.
1And he displayed the riches
of his royal
glory
and the splendor
of his great
majesty
for many
days
, 180
days
.
When these days
were completed
, the king
gave
a banquet
lasting seven
days
for all
the people
who were present
at the citadel
in Susa
, from the greatest
to the least
, in the court
of athe garden
of the king's
palace
.
There were hangings of fine white
and violet
linen
held
by cords
of fine
purple
linen
on silver
rings
and marble
columns
, and acouches
of gold
and silver
on a mosaic
pavement
of porphyry
, marble
, mother-of-pearl
and precious
stones
.
Drinks were served
in golden
vessels
of various
kinds
, and the royal
wine
was plentiful
aaccording to the king's
1bounty
.
The drinking was done according to the law
, there
was no
compulsion
, for so
the king
had given
orders
to each
official
of his household
that he should do
according to the desires
of each
person
.
Queen Vashti
also
gave
a banquet
for the women
in the 1palace
which
belonged to King
Ahasuerus
.
On the seventh day
, when the heart
of the king
was amerry
with wine
, he commanded
Mehuman
, Biztha
, Harbona
, Bigtha
, Abagtha
, Zethar
and Carkas
, the seven
eunuchs
who served
in the presence
of King
Ahasuerus
,
to bring Queen
Vashti
before
the king
with her royal
acrown
in order to display
her beauty
to the people
and the princes
, for she was beautiful
.
But 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.
Then the king said
to athe wise
men
bwho understood
the times
--for it was the custom
of the king
so
to speak before
all
who knew
law
and justice
and were close to him: Carshena
, Shethar
, Admatha
, Tarshish
, Meres
, Marsena
and Memucan
, the seven
princes
of Persia
and Media
awho 1had access
to the king's
presence
and sat
in the first
place in the kingdom
--
"According to law, what
is to be done
with Queen
Vashti
, because
she did not 1obey
the command
of King
Ahasuerus
delivered by the eunuchs
?"
In 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
.
"For the queen's conduct
will 1become
known
to all
the women
causing them 2to 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
.'
"This 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
.
"If it pleases
the king
, let a royal
1edict
be issued
by him and let it be written
in the laws
of Persia
and Media
so athat it cannot
2be repealed
, that Vashti
may no
longer come
into the presence
of King
Ahasuerus
, and let the king
give
her royal
position
to 3another
who is more
worthy
than
she.
"When the king's edict
which
he will make
is heard
throughout all
his kingdom
, 1great
as it is, then aall
women
will give
honor
to their husbands
, great
and small
."
This word pleased
the king
and the princes
, and the king
did
1as Memucan
proposed
.
So he sent letters
to all
the king's
provinces
, ato each
province
according to its script
and to every
people
according to their language
, that every
man
should bbe the master
in his own house
and the one who speaks
in the language
of his own people
.