Esther 1
Christian Standard Bible
Vashti Angers the King
1 These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus,(A) who ruled 127 provinces(B) from India to Cush. 2 In those days King Ahasuerus reigned from his royal throne(C) in the fortress at Susa.(D) 3 He held a feast(E) in the third year of his reign for all his officials and staff, the army of Persia and Media,(F) the nobles,(G) and the officials from the provinces. 4 He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness(H) for a total of 180 days.
5 At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet(I) in the garden courtyard(J) of the royal palace(K) for all the people, from the greatest to the least,(L) who were present in the fortress of Susa.(M) 6 White and blue linen hangings were fastened with fine white and purple linen cords to silver rods on marble[a] columns. Gold and silver couches(N) were arranged on a mosaic pavement of red feldspar,[b] marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.
7 Drinks were served in an array of gold goblets,(O) each with a different design. Royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.(P) 8 The drinking was according to royal decree: “There are no restrictions.” The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve whatever each person wanted. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women of King Ahasuerus’s palace.
10 On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine,(Q) Ahasuerus commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,(R) Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—the seven eunuchs(S) who personally served him— 11 to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful.(T) 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command that was delivered by his eunuchs. The king became furious and his anger burned within him.(U)
The King’s Decree
13 The king consulted the wise men(V) who understood the times,[c](W) for it was his normal procedure to confer with experts in law and justice. 14 The most trusted ones[d] were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials(X) of Persia and Media(Y) who had personal access to the king(Z) and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom.(AA) 15 The king asked, “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey King Ahasuerus’s command that was delivered by the eunuchs?”
16 Memucan said in the presence of the king and his officials, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples who are in every one of King Ahasuerus’s provinces.(AB) 17 For the queen’s action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.’ 18 Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen’s act will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in more contempt and fury.
19 “If it meets the king’s approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be revoked:(AC) Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus’s presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she.(AD) 20 The decree the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom,(AE) so all women will honor their husbands,(AF) from the greatest to the least.”(AG)
21 The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan’s advice. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language,(AH) that every man should be master of his own house and speak in the language of his own people.
Esther 1
King James Version
1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
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:
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 king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
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 to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.
Esther 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
1 Now it came to pass in the yamim of Achashverosh, (this is Achashverosh which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces;)
2 That in those yamim, when HaMelech Achashverosh sat on his kisse malkhut (royal throne), which was in the [Persian] capital, Shushan,
3 In the shnat shalosh (third year) of his reign, he gave a mishteh (feast, banquet) unto all his sarim (princes) and his avadim (officials); the might of Persia and Media, the nobles and sarim (princes) of the provinces, being before him;
4 When he displayed the osher kavod malkhut (riches of the glorious kingdom) of his and the yekar (honor [see 1:20]) of his tiferet gedulah (glorious majesty) yamim rabbim, even a hundred and eighty days.
5 And when these yamim were expired, HaMelech gave a mishteh (feast) unto all the people that were present in the capital of Shushan, both gadol (great) and katan (small), shivat yamim (seven days), in the khatzer (courtyard) of the garden of the palace of HaMelech,
6 Where were white and blue linen curtains, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to rings of silver and pillars of marble; the mittot (couches) were of zahav and kesef, upon an inlaid floor of purplish-red exquisite stone and mother-of-pearl and marble.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of zahav, the vessels being different one from another, and yayin malkhut (royal wine) in abundance, according to the [bountiful] yad HaMelech.
8 And the drinking was according to the dat ein ones (rule [which was] not compulsory, restricting); for so HaMelech had ordered all the wine stewards in his bais, that they should serve kirtzon ish va’ish (according to the good pleasure of each man).
9 Also Vashti HaMalkah gave a mishteh (feast, banquet) for the nashim (women, wives) in the Beit HaMalkhut (the royal palace) which belonged to HaMelech Achashverosh.
10 On the yom hashevi’i, when the lev of HaMelech was tov with yayin, he commanded Mehuman, Bizta, Charvona, Bigta, and Avagta, Zetar, and Carkas, the shivat hasarisim (the seven eunuchs) that served in the presence of HaMelech Achashverosh,
11 To bring Vashti HaMalkah before HaMelech with the keter malkhut (royal crown), to show the people and the sarim (princes) her beauty, for she was lovely to behold.
12 But HaMalkah Vashti refused to come at the devar HaMelech at the agency of his sarisim (eunuchs); therefore HaMelech became furious, and his wrath burned in him.
13 Then HaMelech said to the chachamim, which had da’as of the times; for so was the custom of HaMelech toward all the meyvinim (experts) in dat (law) and din (judgment),
14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shetar, Admata, Tarshish, Meres, Marsna, and Memuchan, the shivat sarim (princes) of Persia and Media, which had access to HaMelech and which ranked rishonah (highest) in the Malkhut (kingdom);
15 What shall we do unto the Malkah Vashti according to dat (law), because she hath not performed the commandment of HaMelech Achashverosh at the agency of the sarisim (eunuchs)?
16 And Memuchan answered before HaMelech and the sarim (princes), Vashti HaMalkah hath not done wrong to HaMelech only, but also to all the sarim (nobles), and to kol haAmim that are in all the provinces of HaMelech Achashverosh.
17 For this deed of HaMalkah shall spread abroad unto all the nashim (women, wives), so that they shall despise their be’alim (husbands) in their eyes, when it shall be reported that HaMelech Achashverosh commanded Vashti HaMalkah to be brought in before him, but she came not.
18 Likewise, when they will have heard of the conduct of HaMalkah, the sarot (ladies of the nobility) of Persia and Media shall similarly respond this day unto all the sarim (nobles) of HaMelech. Thus shall there arise too much bizzayon (contempt) and ketzef (wrath).
19 If it please HaMelech, let there go forth a royal decree from him, and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, laws that shall not pass away, that Vashti come no more before HaMelech Achashverosh; and let HaMelech give her royalty unto another that is better than she.
20 And when the edict of HaMelech which he shall make shall be published throughout all his Malkhut (realm)—for it is great—-all the nashim (women, wives) shall give to their be’alim (husbands) yekar (honor, respect), both to gadol and katan.
21 And the proposal was good in the eyes of HaMelech and the sarim (nobles); and HaMelech did according to the devar Memuchan;
22 For he sent sefarim into all the provinces of HaMelech, into every province according to the script thereof, and to every people after their leshon, that every ish should bear rule in his own bais, and speak in the leshon of his own people.
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