| 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. |
