1 Now it came to pass in the days|strong="H3117" of Ahasuerus|strong="H0325", (this is Ahasuerus|strong="H0325" which reigned|strong="H4427", from India|strong="H1912" even unto Ethiopia|strong="H3568", over an hundred|strong="H3967" and seven|strong="H7651" and twenty|strong="H6242" provinces|strong="H4082":)
2 That in those days|strong="H3117", when the king|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus|strong="H0325" sat|strong="H3427" on the throne|strong="H3678" of his kingdom|strong="H4438", which was in Shushan|strong="H7800" the palace|strong="H1002",
3 In the third|strong="H7969" year|strong="H8141" of his reign|strong="H4427", he made|strong="H6213" a feast|strong="H4960" unto all his princes|strong="H8269" and his servants|strong="H5650"; the power|strong="H2428" of Persia|strong="H6539" and Media|strong="H4074", the nobles|strong="H6579" and princes|strong="H8269" of the provinces|strong="H4082", being before|strong="H6440" him:
4 When he shewed|strong="H7200" the riches|strong="H6239" of his glorious|strong="H3519" kingdom|strong="H4438" and the honour|strong="H3366" of his excellent|strong="H8597" majesty|strong="H1420" many|strong="H7227" days|strong="H3117", even an hundred|strong="H3967" and fourscore|strong="H8084" days|strong="H3117".
5 And when these days|strong="H3117" were expired|strong="H4390", the king|strong="H4428" made|strong="H6213" a feast|strong="H4960" unto all the people|strong="H5971" that were present|strong="H4672" in Shushan|strong="H7800" the palace|strong="H1002", both unto great|strong="H1419" and small|strong="H6996", seven|strong="H7651" days|strong="H3117", in the court|strong="H2691" of the garden|strong="H1594" of the king’s|strong="H4428" palace|strong="H1055";
6 Where were white|strong="H2353", green|strong="H3768", and blue|strong="H8504", hangings, fastened|strong="H0270" with cords|strong="H2256" of fine linen|strong="H0948" and purple|strong="H0713" to silver|strong="H3701" rings|strong="H1550" and pillars|strong="H5982" of marble|strong="H8336": the beds|strong="H4296" were of gold|strong="H2091" and silver|strong="H3701", upon a pavement|strong="H7531" of red|strong="H0923", and blue|strong="H8504", and white|strong="H1858", and black|strong="H5508", marble|strong="H8336".
7 And they gave them drink|strong="H8248" in vessels|strong="H3627" of gold|strong="H2091", (the vessels|strong="H3627" being diverse|strong="H8138" one from another|strong="H3627",) and royal|strong="H4438" wine|strong="H3196" in abundance|strong="H7227", according to the state|strong="H3027" of the king|strong="H4428".
8 And the drinking|strong="H8360" was according to the law|strong="H1881"; none did compel|strong="H0597": for so the king|strong="H4428" had appointed|strong="H3245" to all the officers|strong="H7227" of his house|strong="H1004", that they should do|strong="H6213" according to every man’s|strong="H0376" pleasure|strong="H7522".
9 Also Vashti|strong="H2060" the queen|strong="H4436" made|strong="H6213" a feast|strong="H4960" for the women|strong="H0802" in the royal|strong="H4438" house|strong="H1004" which belonged to king|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus|strong="H0325".
10 On the seventh|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117", when the heart|strong="H3820" of the king|strong="H4428" was merry|strong="H2896" with wine|strong="H3196", he commanded|strong="H0559" Mehuman|strong="H4104", Biztha|strong="H0968", Harbona|strong="H2726", Bigtha|strong="H0903", and Abagtha|strong="H0005", Zethar|strong="H2242", and Carcas|strong="H3752", the seven|strong="H7651" chamberlains|strong="H5631" that served|strong="H8334" in the presence|strong="H6440" of Ahasuerus|strong="H0325" the king|strong="H4428",
11 To bring|strong="H0935" Vashti|strong="H2060" the queen|strong="H4436" before|strong="H6440" the king|strong="H4428" with the crown|strong="H3804" royal|strong="H4438", to shew|strong="H7200" the people|strong="H5971" and the princes|strong="H8269" her beauty|strong="H3308": for she was fair|strong="H2896" to look on|strong="H4758".
12 But the queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" refused|strong="H3985" to come|strong="H0935" at the king’s|strong="H4428" commandment|strong="H1697" by|strong="H3027" his chamberlains|strong="H5631": therefore was the king|strong="H4428" very|strong="H3966" wroth|strong="H7107", and his anger|strong="H2534" burned|strong="H1197" in him.
13 Then the king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H0559" to the wise men|strong="H2450", which knew|strong="H3045" the times|strong="H6256", (for so was the king’s|strong="H4428" manner|strong="H1697" toward|strong="H6440" all that knew|strong="H3045" law|strong="H1881" and judgment|strong="H1779":
14 And the next|strong="H7138" unto him was Carshena|strong="H3771", Shethar|strong="H8369", Admatha|strong="H0133", Tarshish|strong="H8659", Meres|strong="H4825", Marsena|strong="H4826", and Memucan|strong="H4462", the seven|strong="H7651" princes|strong="H8269" of Persia|strong="H6539" and Media|strong="H4074", which saw|strong="H7200" the king’s|strong="H4428" face|strong="H6440", and which sat|strong="H3427" the first|strong="H7223" in the kingdom|strong="H4438";)
15 What shall we do|strong="H6213" unto the queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" according to law|strong="H1881", because she hath not performed|strong="H6213" the commandment|strong="H3982" of the king|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus|strong="H0325" by|strong="H3027" the chamberlains|strong="H5631"?
16 And Memucan|strong="H4462" answered|strong="H0559" before|strong="H6440" the king|strong="H4428" and the princes|strong="H8269", Vashti|strong="H2060" the queen|strong="H4436" hath not done wrong|strong="H5753" to the king|strong="H4428" only, but also to all the princes|strong="H8269", and to all the people|strong="H5971" that are in all the provinces|strong="H4082" of the king|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus|strong="H0325".
17 For this deed|strong="H1697" of the queen|strong="H4436" shall come abroad|strong="H3318" unto all women|strong="H0802", so that they shall despise|strong="H0959" their husbands|strong="H1167" in their eyes|strong="H5869", when it shall be reported|strong="H0559", The king|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus|strong="H0325" commanded|strong="H0559" Vashti|strong="H2060" the queen|strong="H4436" to be brought in|strong="H0935" before|strong="H6440" him, but she came|strong="H0935" not.
18 Likewise shall the ladies|strong="H8282" of Persia|strong="H6539" and Media|strong="H4074" say|strong="H0559" this day|strong="H3117" unto all the king’s|strong="H4428" princes|strong="H8269", which have heard|strong="H8085" of the deed|strong="H1697" of the queen|strong="H4436". Thus shall there arise too much|strong="H1767" contempt|strong="H0963" and wrath|strong="H7110".
19 If it please|strong="H2895" the king|strong="H4428", let there go|strong="H3318" a royal|strong="H4438" commandment|strong="H1697" from him|strong="H6440", and let it be written|strong="H3789" among the laws|strong="H1881" of the Persians|strong="H6539" and the Medes|strong="H4074", that it be not altered|strong="H5674", That Vashti|strong="H2060" come|strong="H0935" no more before|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus|strong="H0325"; and let the king|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" her royal estate|strong="H4438" unto another|strong="H7468" that is better|strong="H2896" than she.
20 And when the king’s|strong="H4428" decree|strong="H6599" which he shall make|strong="H6213" shall be published|strong="H8085" throughout all his empire|strong="H4438", (for it is great|strong="H7227",) all the wives|strong="H0802" shall give|strong="H5414" to their husbands|strong="H1167" honour|strong="H3366", both to great|strong="H1419" and small|strong="H6996".
21 And the saying|strong="H1697" pleased|strong="H3190" the king|strong="H4428" and the princes|strong="H8269"; and the king|strong="H4428" did|strong="H6213" according to the word|strong="H1697" of Memucan|strong="H4462":
22 For he sent|strong="H7971" letters|strong="H5612" into all the king’s|strong="H4428" provinces|strong="H4082", into every province|strong="H4082" according to the writing|strong="H3791" thereof, and to every people|strong="H5971" after their language|strong="H3956", that every man|strong="H0376" should bear rule|strong="H8323" in his own house|strong="H1004", and that it should be published|strong="H1696" according to the language|strong="H3956" of every people|strong="H5971".