Esther 1:3-5

Expanded Bible

³ In the third year of his ·rule [reign; ^Cabout 483 bc], he gave a banquet for all his ·important men [nobles] and ·royal officers [ministers; officials]. The ·army [military] leaders from Persia and Media and the ·important men [nobles] from all ·Xerxes’ empire [^Lhis provinces] were there.

⁴ The ·banquet [celebration] lasted one hundred eighty days. All during that time King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] ·was showing off [displayed] the ·great wealth of his kingdom [riches of his royal glory] and ·his own great riches and glory [splendor of his great majesty]. ⁵ When the one hundred eighty days were ·over [completed], the king gave another banquet [^Cthese celebrations may have been in preparation for the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 bc]. It was held in the courtyard of the palace garden for seven days, and it was for everybody in the ·palace [citadel; fortress] at Susa, from the greatest to the least.