Esther 1
American Standard Version
1 Now it came to pass in the days of [a]Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over a 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 [b]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 showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and fourscore days. 5 And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6 There were hangings of [c]white cloth, of [d]green, and of blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the couches were of gold and silver, upon a pavement [e]of red, and white, and yellow, 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 [f]bounty of the king. 8 And the drinking was according to the law; none could 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 [g]chamberlains that ministered in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, 11 to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples 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 the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
13 Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment; 14 and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom), 15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not done the bidding 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 peoples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. 17 For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible 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 And this day will the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen [h]say the like unto all the king’s princes. So will there arise [i]much contempt and wrath. 19 If it please the king, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, [j]that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate [k]unto another that is better than she. 20 And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give to their husbands honor, 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 should speak according to the language of his people.
Footnotes
- Esther 1:1 Or, Xerxes. Hebrew Ahashverosh.
- Esther 1:2 Or, castle
- Esther 1:6 Or, fine cloth, white and blue
- Esther 1:6 Or, cotton
- Esther 1:6 Or, of porphyry, and white marble and alabaster, and stone of blue color
- Esther 1:7 Hebrew hand.
- Esther 1:10 Or, eunuchs (and so in verse 12, etc.)
- Esther 1:18 Or, tell it
- Esther 1:18 Or, enough
- Esther 1:19 Hebrew that it pass not away.
- Esther 1:19 Hebrew unto her companion.
Esther 1
Lexham English Bible
The King’s Banquets
1 And it happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush[a]—over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces.[b] 2 In those days as King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in the citadel of Susa, 3 he gave a banquet in the third year of his reign for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and officials of the provinces were in his presence 4 as he displayed the wealth of the glory of his kingdom and the glorious splendor of his greatness for many days, one hundred and eighty days[c].
5 And when those days were completed, the king gave for all the people that were present at the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet in the courtyard of the king’s palace garden that lasted seven days. 6 There were curtains of finely woven linen and blue cloth tied with cords of fine white linen and purple cloth to silver curtain rings and pillars of alabaster, and couches of gold and silver on a paved floor of alabaster, precious stone, mother-of-pearl, and costly stones.[d] 7 Drinks were served in goblets of gold and goblets of different kinds,[e] and there was plentiful royal wine according to the bounty of the king.[f] 8 There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed every official of his palace to do as each one pleased. 9 Furthermore, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the palace[g] that belonged to King Ahasuerus.
Queen Vashti Refuses the King’s Request
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven of the eunuchs attending King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown[h] to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was very attractive.[i] 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king that was conveyed by[j] the eunuchs. And the king became very angry, and his anger burned in him.
13 And the king said to the wise men, the ones who know the times[k]—for it was the procedure of the king before all those who knew law and rights;[l] 14 and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had access to the king[m] and sat first in the kingdom— 15 “According to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she has not done the command of King Ahasuerus conveyed by[n] the eunuchs? 16 And Memucan said before the king and the officials, “Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but to all the officials and all of the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For this deed of the queen will be known[o] to all the women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands,[p] as they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him but she did not come!’ 18 This day the women of nobility from Persia and Media will respond to all the officials of the king and there will be no end to contempt and anger. 19 If it pleases[q] the king, let a royal edict[r] go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media so that it will not be altered, that Vashti cannot come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to her neighbor who is better than she. 20 And let the king’s decree that he will make be proclaimed in all his kingdom, because it is vast and all the women will honor their husbands, great and small.”[s]
21 This advice pleased the king[t] and the officials, and the king acted according to the word of Memucan. 22 And he sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province according to its own script, and to every people in their own language,[u] that every man should be the master of his house and who speaks in the language[v] of his people.
Footnotes
- Esther 1:1 That is, “Ethiopia”
- Esther 1:1 Hebrew “province”
- Esther 1:4 Hebrew “day”
- Esther 1:6 Hebrew “stone”
- Esther 1:7 Literally “goblets from changing goblets”
- Esther 1:7 Literally “much wine of the kingdom according to the hand of the king”
- Esther 1:9 Literally “in the house of the reign” or “in the house of the kingdom”
- Esther 1:11 Literally “with her headdress of the kingdom”
- Esther 1:11 Literally “for she was of good appearance”
- Esther 1:12 Literally “by the hand of”
- Esther 1:13 Literally “the knowers of the times”
- Esther 1:13 Or “custom and legalities”
- Esther 1:14 Literally “saw the face of the king”
- Esther 1:15 Literally “by the hand of”
- Esther 1:17 Literally “will go out”
- Esther 1:17 Literally “to despise their husbands in their eyes”
- Esther 1:19 Literally “If it is good to”
- Esther 1:19 Literally “a word of the kingdom”
- Esther 1:20 Or “high and low”
- Esther 1:21 Literally “The word was good in the eyes of the king
- Esther 1:22 Literally “tongue”
- Esther 1:22 Literally “tongue”
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