|
The Banquets of the King
1 Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, R1 the Ahasuerus who reigned from R2 India to Ethiopia F1 over 127 R3 provinces, 2 in those days as King Ahasuerus sat R4 on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa, R5 3 in the third year of his reign he R6 gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence. 4 And F2 he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days.
5 When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the R7 garden of the king's palace. 6 There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches R8 of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according R9 to the king's bounty. F3 8 The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the palace F4 which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
Queen Vashti's Refusal
10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry R10 with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown R11 in order to display her beauty to the people and the princes, for she was beautiful. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. Then the king became very angry and his wrath burned within him.
13 Then the king said to the R12 wise men who R13 understood the times--for it was the custom of the king so to speak before all who knew law and justice 14 and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who R14 had F5 access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom-- 15 "According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she did not obey F6 the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?" 16 In the presence of the king and the princes, Memucan said, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the princes and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 "For the queen's conduct will become F7 known to all the women causing them to F8 look with contempt on their husbands by saying, `King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.' 18 "This day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's princes, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. 19 "If it pleases the king, let a royal edict F9 be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so that R15 it cannot be F10 repealed, that Vashti may no longer come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to another F11 who is more worthy than she. 20 "When the king's edict which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom, great F12 as it is, then all R16 women will give honor to their husbands, great and small."
21 This word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as F13 Memucan proposed. 22 So he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to R17 each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man should be R18 the master in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.
FOOTNOTES:
F1: Lit Cush
F2: Lit When
F3: Lit hand
F4: Lit royal house
F5: Lit saw the face of the king
F6: Lit do
F7: Lit go forth
F8: Lit to despise...in their eyes
F9: Lit word go forth from
F10: Lit pass away
F11: Lit her neighbor
F12: Lit for great is it
F13: Lit according to the word of
CROSS REFERENCES:
R1: Ezra 4:6; Daniel 9:1
R2: Esther 8:9
R3: Esther 9:30
R4: 1 Kings 1:46
R5: Nehemiah 1:1; Daniel 8:2
R6: Esther 2:18
R7: Esther 7:7,8
R8: Ezekiel 23:41; Amos 6:4
R9: Esther 2:18
R10: Judges 16:25
R11: Esther 2:17; 6:8
R12: Jeremiah 10:7; Daniel 2:2
R13: 1 Chronicles 12:32
R14: 2 Kings 25:19; Matthew 18:10
R15: Esther 8:8; Daniel 6:8
R16: Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18
R17: Esther 3:12; 8:9
R18: Ephesians 5:22-24
| 
HOME
TOP