ASV_Strong : Esther 1
1. Now it came to pass in the days[H3117] of Ahasuerus[H325] (this is Ahasuerus[H325] who reigned[H4427] from India[H1912] even unto Ethiopia[H3568], over a hundred[H3967] and seven[H7651] and twenty[H6242] provinces[H4082]),
2. that in those days[H3117], when the king[H4428] Ahasuerus[H325] sat[H3427] on the throne[H3678] of his kingdom[H4438], which was in Shushan[H7800] the palace[H1002],
3. in the third[H7969] year[H8141] of his reign[H4427], he made[H6213] a feast[H4960] unto all his princes[H8269] and his servants[H5650]; the power[H2428] of Persia[H6539] and Media[H4074], the nobles[H6579] and princes[H8269] of the provinces[H4082], being before him[H6440];
4. when he showed[H7200] the riches[H6239] of his glorious[H3519] kingdom[H4438] and the honor[H3366] of his excellent[H8597] majesty[H1420] many[H7227] days[H3117], even a hundred[H3967] and fourscore[H8084] days[H3117].
5. And when these days[H3117] were fulfilled[H4390], the king[H4428] made[H6213] a feast[H4960] unto all the people[H5971] that were present[H4672] in Shushan[H7800] the palace[H1002], both great[H1419] and small[H6996], seven[H7651] days[H3117], in the court[H2691] of the garden[H1594] of the king[H4428]'s palace[H1055].
6. There were hangings of white[H2353] cloth[H3768], of green, and of blue[H8504], fastened[H270] with cords[H2256] of fine linen[H948] and purple[H713] to silver[H3701] rings[H1550] and pillars[H5982] of marble[H8336]: the couches[H4296] were of gold[H2091] and silver[H3701], upon a pavement[H7531] of red[H923], and white[H1858], and yellow[H8504], and black[H5508] marble[H8336].
7. And they gave them drink[H8248] in vessels[H3627] of gold[H2091] (the vessels[H3627] being diverse[H8138] one from another[H3627]), and royal[H4438] wine[H3196] in abundance[H7227], according to the bounty[H3027] of the king[H4428].
8. And the drinking[H8360] was according to the law[H1881]; none could compel[H597]: for so the king[H4428] had appointed[H3245] to all the officers[H7227] of his house[H1004], that they should do[H6213] according to every man[H376]'s pleasure[H7522].
9. Also Vashti[H2060] the queen[H4436] made[H6213] a feast[H4960] for the women[H802] in the royal[H4438] house[H1004] which belonged to king[H4428] Ahasuerus[H325].
10. On the seventh[H7637] day[H3117], when the heart[H3820] of the king[H4428] was merry[H2896] with wine[H3196], he commanded[H559] Mehuman[H4104], Biztha[H968], Harbona[H2726], Bigtha[H903], and Abagtha[H5], Zethar[H2242], and Carcas[H3752], the seven[H7651] chamberlains[H5631] that ministered[H8334] in the presence[H6440] of Ahasuerus[H325] the king[H4428],
11. to bring[H935] Vashti[H2060] the queen[H4436] before[H6440] the king[H4428] with the crown[H3804] royal[H4438], to show[H7200] the peoples[H5971] and the princes[H8269] her beauty[H3308]; for she was fair[H2896] to look on[H4758].
12. But the queen[H4436] Vashti[H2060] refused[H3985] to come[H935] at the king[H4428]'s commandment[H1697] by[H3027] the chamberlains[H5631]: therefore was the king[H4428] very[H3966] wroth[H7107], and his anger[H2534] burned in him[H1197].
13. Then the king[H4428] said[H559] to the wise men[H2450], who knew[H3045] the times[H6256], (for so was the king[H4428]'s manner[H1697] toward[H6440] all that knew[H3045] law[H1881] and judgment[H1779];
14. and the next[H7138] unto him were Carshena[H3771], Shethar[H8369], Admatha[H133], Tarshish[H8659], Meres[H4825], Marsena[H4826], and Memucan[H4462], the seven[H7651] princes[H8269] of Persia[H6539] and Media[H4074], who saw[H7200] the king[H4428]'s face[H6440], and sat[H3427] first[H7223] in the kingdom[H4438]),
15. What shall we do[H6213] unto the queen[H4436] Vashti[H2060] according to law[H1881], because she hath not done[H6213] the bidding[H3982] of the king[H4428] Ahasuerus[H325] by[H3027] the chamberlains[H5631]?
16. And Memucan[H4462] answered[H559] before[H6440] the king[H4428] and the princes[H8269], Vashti[H2060] the queen[H4436] hath not done wrong[H5753] to the king[H4428] only[H8269], but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples[H5971] that are in all the provinces[H4082] of the king[H4428] Ahasuerus[H325].
17. For this deed[H1697] of the queen[H4436] will come abroad[H3318] unto all women[H802], to make their husbands[H1167] contemptible[H959] in their eyes[H5869], when it shall be reported[H559], The king[H4428] Ahasuerus[H325] commanded[H559] Vashti[H2060] the queen[H4436] to be brought in[H935] before[H6440] him[H935], but she came not.
18. And this day[H3117] will the princesses[H8282] of Persia[H6539] and Media[H4074] who have heard[H8085] of the deed[H1697] of the queen[H4436] say[H559] the like unto all the king[H4428]'s princes[H8269]. So will there arise much[H1767] contempt[H963] and wrath[H7110].
19. If it please[H2895] the king[H4428], let there go[H3318] forth a royal[H4438] commandment[H1697] from him[H6440], and let it be written[H3789] among the laws[H1881] of the Persians[H6539] and the Medes[H4074], that it be not altered[H5674], that Vashti[H2060] come[H935] no more before[H6440] king[H4428] Ahasuerus[H325]; and let the king[H4428] give[H5414] her royal estate[H4438] unto another[H7468] that is better than she[H2896].
20. And when the king[H4428]'s decree[H6599] which he shall make[H6213] shall be published[H8085] throughout all his kingdom[H4438] (for it is great[H7227]), all the wives[H802] will give[H5414] to their husbands[H1167] honor[H3366], both to great[H1419] and small[H6996].
21. And the saying[H1697] pleased[H3190] the king[H4428] and the princes[H8269]; and the king[H4428] did[H6213] according to the word[H1697] of Memucan[H4462]:
22. for he sent[H7971] letters[H5612] into all the king[H4428]'s provinces[H4082], into every province[H4082] according to the writing[H3791] thereof[H5971], and to every people after their language[H3956], that every man[H376] should bear rule[H8323] in his own house[H1004], and should speak[H1696] according to the language[H3956] of his people[H5971].
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