1 These|strong="H1931" events happened|strong="H1961" in|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3117" time|strong="H3117" of|strong="H3117" Ahasuerus, who|strong="H1931" ruled|strong="H4427" over|strong="H4427" a|strong="H3068" hundred|strong="H3967" and|strong="H3967" twenty-seven|strong="H6242" provinces|strong="H4082" from|strong="H3117" India|strong="H1912" to|strong="H5704" Ethiopia|strong="H3568"
2 from|strong="H5921" his|strong="H5921" royal|strong="H4438" throne|strong="H3678" in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" fortified palace|strong="H1002" of|strong="H4428" Susa|strong="H7800".
3 In|strong="H8141" the|strong="H3605" third|strong="H7969" year|strong="H8141" of|strong="H8141" his|strong="H3605" reign|strong="H4427", the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4427" gave|strong="H6213" a|strong="H3068" feast|strong="H4960" for|strong="H6213" all|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" officers|strong="H8269" and|strong="H5650" courtiers. The|strong="H3605" commanders|strong="H8269" of|strong="H8141" the|strong="H3605" military forces of|strong="H8141" Persia|strong="H6539" and|strong="H5650" Media|strong="H4074", the|strong="H3605" nobles|strong="H6579" and|strong="H5650" provincial rulers|strong="H8269" were|strong="H5650" present|strong="H6213"
4 while|strong="H3117" for|strong="H3117" one|strong="H7200" hundred|strong="H3967" and|strong="H3967" eighty|strong="H8084" days|strong="H3117" he|strong="H3117" showed|strong="H7200" them|strong="H7200" the|strong="H7200" glorious|strong="H8597" riches|strong="H6239" of|strong="H3117" his|strong="H7200" kingdom|strong="H4438" and|strong="H3967" the|strong="H7200" costliness of|strong="H3117" his|strong="H7200" magnificent regalia.
5 When|strong="H3117" these|strong="H6213" days|strong="H3117" were|strong="H5971" ended|strong="H4390", the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" held|strong="H4428" a|strong="H3068" banquet|strong="H4960" for|strong="H5704" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H5971" who|strong="H3605" were|strong="H5971" present|strong="H4672" in|strong="H6213" the|strong="H3605" royal|strong="H4428" palace|strong="H1002" at|strong="H3117" Susa|strong="H7800", high|strong="H1419" and|strong="H4428" low alike. It|strong="H6213" was|strong="H3117" a|strong="H3068" seven|strong="H7651" days|strong="H3117"’ feast|strong="H4960" in|strong="H6213" the|strong="H3605" enclosed garden|strong="H1594" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" royal|strong="H4428" palace|strong="H1002".
6 There were|strong="H5921" white|strong="H2353" and|strong="H3701" violet|strong="H8504" cotton curtains fastened to|strong="H5921" silver|strong="H3701" rings|strong="H1550" and|strong="H3701" pillars|strong="H5982" of|strong="H5982" marble|strong="H8336" with|strong="H5921" cords|strong="H2256" of|strong="H5982" fine|strong="H8336" purple|strong="H8504" wool and|strong="H3701" linen|strong="H8336". The|strong="H5921" couches|strong="H4296" were|strong="H5921" of|strong="H5982" gold|strong="H2091" and|strong="H3701" silver|strong="H3701" placed upon|strong="H5921" a|strong="H3068" mosaic|strong="H7531" pavement|strong="H7531" of|strong="H5982" alabaster|strong="H8336", white|strong="H2353" marble|strong="H8336", mother-of-pearl|strong="H1858", and|strong="H3701" dark stone.
7 Drink|strong="H8248" was|strong="H4428" brought|strong="H4428" in|strong="H4428" vessels|strong="H3627" of|strong="H4428" gold|strong="H2091" – which|strong="H2091" were|strong="H3027" all different – and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3027" king|strong="H4428"’s wine|strong="H3196" was|strong="H4428" provided|strong="H8248" with|strong="H3027" royal|strong="H4438" liberality.
8 The|strong="H3605" drinking|strong="H8360" was|strong="H4428" unrestricted, for|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" had|strong="H4428" directed all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" officers|strong="H7227" of|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3605" household|strong="H1004" to|strong="H6213" let|strong="H3651" each|strong="H3605" man|strong="H3605" do|strong="H6213" as|strong="H6213" he|strong="H3588" pleased|strong="H7522".
9 Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" also|strong="H1571" gave|strong="H6213" a|strong="H3068" feast|strong="H4960" for|strong="H6213" the|strong="H6213" women in|strong="H6213" the|strong="H6213" King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus’ royal|strong="H4438" palace|strong="H1004".
10 On|strong="H3117" the|strong="H6440" seventh|strong="H7637" day|strong="H3117", when|strong="H3117" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" was|strong="H3820" merry|strong="H2896" with|strong="H6440" wine|strong="H3196", he|strong="H3117" commanded Mehuman|strong="H4104", Biztha, Harbona|strong="H2726", Bigtha, Abagtha, Zathar and|strong="H4428" Carkas|strong="H3752", his|strong="H6440" seven|strong="H7651" eunuch|strong="H5631" attendants
11 to|strong="H6440" bring Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" before|strong="H6440" him|strong="H6440" with|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" royal|strong="H4438" diadem on|strong="H7200" her|strong="H7200" head|strong="H8269", to|strong="H6440" show|strong="H7200" her|strong="H7200" beauty|strong="H3308" to|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" people|strong="H5971" and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6440" officials|strong="H8269", for|strong="H3588" she|strong="H1931" was|strong="H1931" very|strong="H2896" beautiful|strong="H2896".
12 But|strong="H4428" Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" refused|strong="H3985" to|strong="H3027" come|strong="H2534" as|strong="H1697" the|strong="H1697" king|strong="H4428" commanded through|strong="H3027" the|strong="H1697" eunuchs|strong="H5631". Then|strong="H4428" the|strong="H1697" king|strong="H4428" became|strong="H1697" very|strong="H3966" angry|strong="H7107" and|strong="H4428" his|strong="H3027" fury|strong="H2534" burned|strong="H1197" within him|strong="H3027".
13 The|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" turned|strong="H6256" to|strong="H6256" the|strong="H3605" wise|strong="H2450" men|strong="H2450" who|strong="H3605" knew|strong="H3045" the|strong="H3605" precedents, for|strong="H3588" it|strong="H3588" was|strong="H1697" his|strong="H3605" custom|strong="H3651" to|strong="H6256" confer with|strong="H1697" those|strong="H3605" wise|strong="H2450" in|strong="H4428" law|strong="H1881".
14 Those|strong="H3427" next|strong="H7138" to|strong="H6440" him|strong="H6440" were|strong="H8269" Carshena|strong="H3771", Shethar|strong="H8369", Admatha, Tarshish|strong="H8659", Meres|strong="H4825", Marsena|strong="H4826" and|strong="H4428" Memucan|strong="H4462", seven|strong="H7651" officials|strong="H8269" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539" and|strong="H4428" Media|strong="H4074" who|strong="H3427" had|strong="H4428" access|strong="H7200" to|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" and|strong="H4428" were|strong="H8269" highest in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H6440" kingdom|strong="H4438".
15 ‘Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060"’, the|strong="H5921" king|strong="H4428" said|strong="H3982", ‘has|strong="H4428" failed|strong="H3808" to|strong="H6213" obey|strong="H6213" my|strong="H5921" royal|strong="H4428" command|strong="H3027" – the|strong="H5921" command|strong="H3027" of|strong="H4428" King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus conveyed through|strong="H3027" the|strong="H5921" eunuchs|strong="H5631"! What|strong="H4100" does|strong="H6213" the|strong="H5921" law|strong="H1881" say should|strong="H4100" be|strong="H3808" done|strong="H6213" to|strong="H6213" her|strong="H5921"?’
16 Memucan|strong="H4462" replied before|strong="H6440" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" officials|strong="H8269", ‘Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" has|strong="H4428" done|strong="H3605" wrong|strong="H5753" not|strong="H3808" only|strong="H3588" to|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428" but|strong="H3588" also|strong="H4428" to|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" officials|strong="H8269" and|strong="H4428" to|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" peoples|strong="H5971" in|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428"’s provinces|strong="H4082".
17 The|strong="H3605" refusal of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" queen|strong="H4436" will|strong="H4428" be|strong="H3808" reported|strong="H3318" to|strong="H3318" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" women with|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" result that|strong="H3588" it|strong="H5921" will|strong="H4428" make|strong="H3588" them|strong="H5921" despise their|strong="H3605" husbands|strong="H1167". They|strong="H3588" will|strong="H4428" say|strong="H1697", “King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus commanded Queen|strong="H4436" Vashti|strong="H2060" to|strong="H3318" be|strong="H3808" brought|strong="H3318" in|strong="H5921" before|strong="H6440" him|strong="H6440", but|strong="H3588" she|strong="H3588" did|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" come|strong="H3318"!”
18 This|strong="H2088" very|strong="H2088" day|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3605" ladies|strong="H8282" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539" and|strong="H4428" Media|strong="H4074" who|strong="H3605" have|strong="H1697" heard|strong="H8085" of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" refusal of|strong="H4428" the|strong="H3605" queen|strong="H4436" will|strong="H4428" tell|strong="H8085" it|strong="H3117" to|strong="H3117" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428"’s officials|strong="H8269", and|strong="H4428" there|strong="H2088" will|strong="H4428" be|strong="H1697" contempt and|strong="H4428" strife!
19 If it|strong="H5414" seems|strong="H2896" best|strong="H2896" to|strong="H3318" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428", let|strong="H5414" him|strong="H5414" send|strong="H5414" out|strong="H3318" a|strong="H3068" royal|strong="H4438" edict|strong="H1697". Let|strong="H5414" it|strong="H5414" be|strong="H3808" written|strong="H3789" among|strong="H4480" the|strong="H6440" laws|strong="H1881" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539" and|strong="H4428" Media|strong="H4074", never|strong="H3808" to|strong="H3318" be|strong="H3808" repealed|strong="H5674", that|strong="H1697" Vashti|strong="H2060" may|strong="H4428" never|strong="H3808" again|strong="H6440" come|strong="H3318" before|strong="H6440" King|strong="H4428" Ahasuerus. Let|strong="H5414" the|strong="H6440" king|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" her|strong="H5414" place|strong="H5414" as|strong="H1697" queen to|strong="H3318" another|strong="H7468" who|strong="H4428" is|strong="H1697" more|strong="H4480" worthy|strong="H2896" than|strong="H4480" she|strong="H5921".
20 When|strong="H3588" the|strong="H3605" king|strong="H4428"’s decree|strong="H6599" which|strong="H1931" he|strong="H1931" makes|strong="H6213" is|strong="H1931" heard|strong="H8085" throughout|strong="H3605" his|strong="H3605" kingdom|strong="H4438" – great|strong="H1419" as|strong="H5704" it|strong="H5414" is|strong="H1931" – the|strong="H3605" wives of|strong="H4428" all|strong="H3605" classes will|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" honour|strong="H3366" to|strong="H5704" their|strong="H3605" husbands|strong="H1167".’
21 The|strong="H6213" proposal|strong="H1697" pleased|strong="H3190" the|strong="H6213" king|strong="H4428" and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6213" officials|strong="H8269", and|strong="H4428" the|strong="H6213" king|strong="H4428" did|strong="H6213" as|strong="H1697" Memucan|strong="H4462" advised.
22 He|strong="H3605" sent|strong="H7971" letters|strong="H5612" to|strong="H1696" all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" provinces|strong="H4082", to|strong="H1696" every|strong="H3605" province|strong="H4082" in|strong="H1004" its|strong="H3605" own|strong="H1961" system of|strong="H4428" writing|strong="H3791" and|strong="H7971" to|strong="H1696" every|strong="H3605" people|strong="H5971" in|strong="H1004" their|strong="H3605" language|strong="H3956", that|strong="H5971" every|strong="H3605" man|strong="H3605" should|strong="H4428" be|strong="H1961" master|strong="H8323" in|strong="H1004" his|strong="H3605" own|strong="H1961" house|strong="H1004"!