Esther 1:1-9
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Vashti Angers the King
1 These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus,[a](A) who ruled 127 provinces(B) from India[b] 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 violet linen hangings were fastened with fine white and purple linen cords to silver rods on marble[c] columns. Gold and silver couches(N) were arranged on a mosaic pavement of red feldspar,[d] marble,[e] mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.
7 Beverages 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 and no restraint was placed on the drinking. The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve as much as each person wanted. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women of King Ahasuerus’s palace.
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- Esther 1:1 = Xerxes; he reigned 486-465 b.c.
- Esther 1:1 = modern Pakistan
- Esther 1:6 Or alabaster
- Esther 1:6 Or of porphyry
- Esther 1:6 Or alabaster
Esther 1:1-9
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.
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- 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”
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