THE BOOK OF
ESTHER
Esther 1 ©
King Ahasuerus makes a royal feast for all his lords and princes, v. 1, etc. Also for all the people at Shushan, 4. Queen Vashti makes also a feast for the women, 9. The king commands queen Vashti to come before him, the princes and all the people, 10. Which she refuses to do, 12. For which cause he casts her off, 13. That other women might take example by it, 17. Whence a law is made that every man should bear rule in his own house, 22.
NOW it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is 1Ahasuerus which reigned, 2from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was 3in Shushan the palace,
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 4nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
When he shewed 5the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people 6that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: 7the beds were of gold and silver, upon a 8pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, 9marble.
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (10the vessels being diverse one from another,) and 11royal wine in abundance, 12according to the 13state of the king.
And the drinking was according to the law; 14none did compel: for 15so the king had appointed 16to all the officers of his house, that they should do according 17to every man's pleasure.
Also Vashti the queen made 18a feast for the women 19in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
¶On 20the seventh day, when the heart of the king was 21merry with wine, he 22commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven 23chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
24To bring Vashti the queen before the king 25with the crown royal, to shew 26the people and the princes her beauty: for she was 27fair to look on.
But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment 28by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
¶Then the king said to the wise men, which knew 29the times, 30(for so 31was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
And the 32next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the 33seven princes of Persia and Media, 34which saw the king's face, and which sat 35the first in the kingdom;)
What shall we do unto the queen Vashti 36according to law, 37because she hath not performed 38the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
39And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong 40to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
For 41this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, 42so 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.
Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of 43the deed of the queen. 44Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
45If it please the king, let there 46go a royal commandment 47from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, 48that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her 49royal estate 50unto another that is better than she.
And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (51for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands 52honour, both to great and small.
And the 53saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
For 54he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, 55into every province according to the writing thereof, and 56to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and 57that it should be published according to the language of every people.