Esther 1:1-12

New International Version

Queen Vashti Deposed

1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,^[a]^(A) the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces^(B) stretching from India to Cush^[b]:^(C) ²At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,^(D) ³and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet^(E) for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.

⁴For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. ⁵When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days,^(F) in the enclosed garden^(G) of the king’s palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa. ⁶The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches^(H) of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones. ⁷Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king’s liberality.^(I) ⁸By the king’s command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.

⁹Queen Vashti also gave a banquet^(J) for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

¹⁰On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits^(K) from wine,^(L) he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,^(M) Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— ¹¹to bring^(N) before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty^(O) to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. ¹²But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.^(P)

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Footnotes

Esther 1:1 Hebrew Ahasuerus; here and throughout Esther
Esther 1:1 That is, the upper Nile region

Esther 2:1-10

New International Version

Esther Made Queen

2 Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided,^(A) he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. ²Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. ³Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. ⁴Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it.

⁵Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish,^(B) ⁶who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin^[a]^(C) king of Judah.^(D) ⁷Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther,^(E) had a lovely figure^(F) and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

⁸When the king’s order and edict had been proclaimed, many young women were brought to the citadel of Susa^(G) and put under the care of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the king’s palace and entrusted to Hegai, who had charge of the harem. ⁹She pleased him and won his favor.^(H) Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food.^(I) He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem.

¹⁰Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.^(J)

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