ES-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:)

ES-1:2 [That] in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the

throne of his kingdom, which [was] in Shushan the palace,

ES-1:3 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:

ES-1:4 When he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the

honour of his excellent majesty many days, [even] and hundred

and fourscore days.

ES-1:5 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;

ES-1:6 [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.

ES-1:7 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.

ES-1:8 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.

ES-1:9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women [in] the

royal house which [belonged] to king Ahasuerus.

ES-1:10 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,

ES-1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown

royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty: for she

[was] fair to look on.

ES-1:12 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.

ES-1:13 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:

ES-1:14 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;)

ES-1:15 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?

ES-1:16 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.

ES-1:17 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.

ES-1:18 [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.

ES-1:19 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.

ES-1:20 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.

ES-1:21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the

king did according to the word of Memucan:

ES-1:22 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. 

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