1 This|strong="H1931" is|strong="H1931" what happened|strong="H1961" during|strong="H3117" the|strong="H5704" time|strong="H3117" when|strong="H1961" Xerxes was|strong="H1961" king|strong="H4427". Xerxes ruled|strong="H4427" over|strong="H5704" the|strong="H5704" 127 provinces|strong="H4082" from|strong="H5704" India|strong="H1912" to|strong="H5704" Ethiopia|strong="H3568".
2 King|strong="H4428" Xerxes ruled|strong="H4428" from|strong="H5921" his|strong="H5921" throne|strong="H3678" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" capital city of|strong="H4428" Susa|strong="H7800".
3 In|strong="H8141" the|strong="H3605" third|strong="H7969" year|strong="H8141" of|strong="H8141" Xerxes’ rule|strong="H4427", he|strong="H6213" gave|strong="H6213" a|strong="H3605" party for|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" officers|strong="H8269" and|strong="H5650" leaders|strong="H8269". The|strong="H3605" army|strong="H2426" leaders|strong="H8269" and|strong="H5650" important leaders|strong="H8269" from|strong="H6440" all|strong="H3605" of|strong="H8141" Persia|strong="H6539" and|strong="H5650" Media|strong="H4074" were|strong="H5650" there|strong="H3605".
4 The|strong="H0853" party continued for|strong="H3117" 180 days|strong="H3117". All|strong="H3117" during|strong="H3117" this|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117", King Xerxes was|strong="H3117" showing the|strong="H0853" great|strong="H7227" wealth|strong="H6239" of|strong="H3117" his|strong="H7200" kingdom|strong="H4438" and|strong="H3967" the|strong="H0853" majestic|strong="H3519" beauty|strong="H8597" and|strong="H3967" wealth|strong="H6239" of|strong="H3117" his|strong="H7200" palace.
5 And|strong="H4428" when|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3605" 180 days|strong="H3117" were|strong="H0428" over|strong="H5704", King|strong="H4428" Xerxes gave|strong="H6213" another party that|strong="H3605" continued for|strong="H3117" seven|strong="H7651" days|strong="H3117". It|strong="H5704" was|strong="H4428" held|strong="H6213" in|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" inside garden|strong="H1594" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" palace|strong="H1055". All|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H5971" who|strong="H3605" were|strong="H0428" in|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" capital city of|strong="H4428" Susa|strong="H7800" were|strong="H0428" invited, from|strong="H5704" the|strong="H3605" most|strong="H4428" important|strong="H5704" to|strong="H5704" the|strong="H3605" least important|strong="H5704".
6 The|strong="H5921" inside garden had white|strong="H2353" and|strong="H3701" blue|strong="H8504" linen|strong="H8336" hangings around|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" room. They|strong="H5921" were|strong="H5921" held|strong="H0270" in|strong="H5921" place with|strong="H5921" cords|strong="H2256" of|strong="H5921" white|strong="H2353" linen|strong="H8336" and|strong="H3701" purple|strong="H0713" material on|strong="H5921" silver|strong="H3701" rings|strong="H1550" and|strong="H3701" marble pillars|strong="H5982". There were|strong="H5921" couches|strong="H4296" made of|strong="H5921" gold|strong="H2091" and|strong="H3701" silver|strong="H3701". They|strong="H5921" were|strong="H5921" sitting on|strong="H5921" mosaic pavement|strong="H7531" made of|strong="H5921" porphyry|strong="H0923", marble, mother-of-pearl|strong="H1858", and|strong="H3701" other expensive stones|strong="H5508".
7 Wine|strong="H3196" was|strong="H4428" served|strong="H8248" in|strong="H4428" golden|strong="H2091" cups, and|strong="H3027" every cup was|strong="H4428" different. There was|strong="H4428" plenty|strong="H7227" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3027" king’s|strong="H4428" wine|strong="H3196", because|strong="H3027" the|strong="H3027" king|strong="H4428" was|strong="H4428" very|strong="H7227" generous.
8 The|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" had|strong="H0369" given|strong="H3245" a|strong="H3588" command|strong="H5921" to|strong="H5921" his|strong="H3605" servants|strong="H0376". He|strong="H3588" told|strong="H6213" them|strong="H5921" that|strong="H3588" each|strong="H0376" guest must be|strong="H0376" given|strong="H3245" as|strong="H3651" much|strong="H7227" wine as|strong="H3651" he|strong="H3588" wanted, and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" wine server obeyed the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428".
9 Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" also|strong="H1571" gave|strong="H6213" a|strong="H0834" party for|strong="H1004" the|strong="H0834" women|strong="H0802" in|strong="H1004" the|strong="H0834" king’s|strong="H4428" palace|strong="H1004".
12 But|strong="H0935" when|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0834" eunuchs|strong="H5631" told|strong="H1697" Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" about|strong="H1697" the|strong="H0834" king’s|strong="H4428" command|strong="H1697", she|strong="H0834" refused|strong="H3985" to|strong="H0935" come|strong="H0935". Then|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0834" king|strong="H4428" was|strong="H0834" very|strong="H3966" angry|strong="H7107".
15 The|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" asked|strong="H4100" them|strong="H0853", “What|strong="H4100" does|strong="H6213" the|strong="H0853" law|strong="H1881" say must|strong="H0853" be|strong="H3808" done|strong="H6213" to|strong="H5921" Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060"? She|strong="H0834" has|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" obeyed the|strong="H0853" command|strong="H3982" of|strong="H4428" King|strong="H4428" Xerxes that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H0853" eunuchs|strong="H5631" had|strong="H0834" taken to|strong="H5921" her|strong="H5921".”
16 Then|strong="H0559" Memucan|strong="H4462" answered|strong="H0559" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" with|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" officials|strong="H8269" listening, “Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" has|strong="H0834" done|strong="H3605" wrong. She|strong="H0834" has|strong="H0834" done|strong="H3605" wrong against|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" and|strong="H4428" also|strong="H4428" against|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" leaders|strong="H8269" and|strong="H4428" people|strong="H5971" of|strong="H4428" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" provinces|strong="H4082" of|strong="H4428" King|strong="H4428" Xerxes.
17 I|strong="H3588" say|strong="H0559" this|strong="H3588", because|strong="H3588" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" other|strong="H3605" women|strong="H0802" will|strong="H4428" hear about|strong="H5921" what|strong="H1697" Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" did|strong="H3808". Then|strong="H3318" they|strong="H3588" will|strong="H4428" stop|strong="H3808" obeying their|strong="H3605" husbands|strong="H1167". They|strong="H3588" will|strong="H4428" say|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" their|strong="H3605" husbands|strong="H1167", ‘King|strong="H4428" Xerxes commanded|strong="H0559" Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" to|strong="H0559" be|strong="H3808" brought|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0559" him|strong="H5921", but|strong="H3588" she|strong="H3588" refused|strong="H3808" to|strong="H0559" come|strong="H0935".’
18 “Today|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3605" wives of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" Persian and|strong="H4428" Median|strong="H4074" leaders|strong="H8269" have|strong="H0834" heard|strong="H8085" what|strong="H0834" the|strong="H3605" queen|strong="H4436" did|strong="H0834", and|strong="H4428" these|strong="H2088" women will|strong="H0834" be|strong="H1697" influenced by|strong="H3117" what|strong="H0834" she|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834". They|strong="H0834" will|strong="H0834" do|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" same|strong="H2088" thing|strong="H1697" to|strong="H0559" the|strong="H3605" king’s|strong="H4428" important leaders|strong="H8269". And|strong="H4428" there|strong="H2088" will|strong="H0834" be|strong="H1697" plenty|strong="H3605" of|strong="H4428" disrespect and|strong="H4428" anger.
19 “So|strong="H4480" if|strong="H0518" it|strong="H5414" pleases|strong="H2895" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428", here|strong="H3318" is|strong="H0834" a|strong="H5414" suggestion: Let|strong="H5414" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" a|strong="H5414" royal|strong="H4438" command|strong="H1697" and|strong="H0935" let|strong="H5414" it|strong="H5414" be|strong="H3808" written|strong="H3789" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H6440" laws|strong="H1881" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539" and|strong="H0935" Media|strong="H4074". The|strong="H6440" laws|strong="H1881" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539" and|strong="H0935" Media|strong="H4074" cannot|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" changed. The|strong="H6440" royal|strong="H4438" command|strong="H1697" should|strong="H0518" be|strong="H3808" that|strong="H0834" Vashti|strong="H2060" is|strong="H0834" never|strong="H3808" again|strong="H6440" to|strong="H0935" enter|strong="H0935" the|strong="H6440" presence|strong="H6440" of|strong="H4428" King|strong="H4428" Xerxes. Let|strong="H5414" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" also|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" her|strong="H5921" royal|strong="H4438" position|strong="H4438" to|strong="H0935" someone|strong="H5414" else|strong="H3808" who|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" better|strong="H2896" than|strong="H4480" she|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834".
20 Then|strong="H5414" when|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" king’s|strong="H4428" command is|strong="H0834" announced|strong="H8085" in|strong="H8085" all|strong="H3605" parts of|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3605" large|strong="H1419" kingdom|strong="H4438", all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" women|strong="H0802" will|strong="H0834" respect their|strong="H3605" husbands|strong="H1167". From|strong="H8085" the|strong="H3605" most|strong="H4428" important|strong="H5704" to|strong="H5704" the|strong="H3605" least important|strong="H5704", all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" women|strong="H0802" will|strong="H0834" respect their|strong="H3605" husbands|strong="H1167".”
21 The|strong="H1697" king|strong="H4428" and|strong="H4428" his|strong="H4428" important officials|strong="H8269" were|strong="H1697" happy|strong="H3190" with|strong="H1697" this|strong="H1697" advice|strong="H1697", so|strong="H6213" King|strong="H4428" Xerxes did|strong="H6213" as|strong="H1697" Memucan|strong="H4462" suggested.
22 King|strong="H4428" Xerxes sent|strong="H7971" letters|strong="H5612" to|strong="H0413" all|strong="H3605" parts of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" kingdom|strong="H4428". He|strong="H0376" sent|strong="H7971" them|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" each|strong="H0376" province|strong="H4082", written in|strong="H0413" its|strong="H3605" own|strong="H1961" language|strong="H3956". He|strong="H0376" sent|strong="H7971" them|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" each|strong="H0376" nation|strong="H5971" in|strong="H0413" its|strong="H3605" own|strong="H1961" language|strong="H3956". These|strong="H1696" letters|strong="H5612" announced|strong="H1696" in|strong="H0413" each|strong="H0376" person’s language|strong="H3956" that|strong="H3605" every|strong="H3605" man|strong="H0376" was|strong="H1961" to|strong="H0413" be|strong="H1961" the|strong="H3605" ruler over|strong="H0413" his|strong="H3605" own|strong="H1961" family|strong="H1004".