|
Chapter 1 |
| 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. |
