Esther 1:10-21
1599 Geneva Bible
10 Upon the [a]seventh day when the King was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs, (that served in the presence of king Ahasuerus)
11 To bring Queen Vashti before the king with the crown royal, that he might show the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look upon.
12 But the Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s word, [b]which he had given in charge to the eunuchs: therefore the King was very angry, and his wrath kindled in him.
13 Then the King said to the wise men, [c]that knew the times (for so was the King’s manner towards all that knew the law and the judgment:
14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan the seven Princes of Persia, and Media, which saw the [d]King’s face, and sat the first in the kingdom.)
15 What shall we do unto the Queen Vashti according to the law, because she did not according to the word of the King Ahasuerus by the commission of the eunuchs?
16 Then Memucan answered before the king and the Princes, The Queen Vashti hath not only done [e]evil against the King, but against all the Princes, and against all the people that are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
17 For the [f]act of the Queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their own eyes, and shall say, The King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the Queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 So shall the [g]Princesses of Persia and Media this day say unto all the King’s Princes, when they hear of the act of the Queen: thus shall there be much despitefulness and wrath.
19 If it please the King, let a royal decree proceed from him, and let it be written among the statutes of Persia and Media, (and let it not be transgressed) that Vashti come [h]no more before king Ahasuerus: and let the king give her royal estate unto her companion that is better than she.
20 And when the decree of the King which shall be made, shall be published throughout all his kingdom (though it be [i]great) all the women shall give their husbands honor, both great and small.
21 And this saying pleased the King and the Princes, and the King did according to the word of Memucan.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 1:10 Which was the last day of the feast that the king made for the people, as verse 5.
- Esther 1:12 Hebrew, which was in the hand of the eunuchs.
- Esther 1:13 That had experience of things as they had learned by diligent marking in continuance of time.
- Esther 1:14 Which were his chief counselors, that might have always access to him.
- Esther 1:16 By her disobedience she hath given an example to all women to do the like to their husbands.
- Esther 1:17 That is, her disobedience.
- Esther 1:18 Meaning, that they would take first occasion thereof to do the like, and that the rest of women would by continuance do the same.
- Esther 1:19 Let her be divorced, and another made Queen.
- Esther 1:20 For he had under him an hundred twenty and seven countries.
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
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