Esther 1:14

Good News Translation

Those he most often turned to for advice were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven officials of Persia and Media who held the highest offices in the kingdom.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The most trusted ones were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom.

Hebrew Names Version
and the next to him were Karshena, ShetarShibah|Shiv`ah, Admata, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memukhan, the seven princes of Paras and Madai, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),

King James Version
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;)

English Standard Version
the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom):

New Century Version
The wise men the king usually talked to were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven of the important men of Persia and Media. These seven had special privileges to see the king and had the highest rank in the kingdom.

New English Translation
Those who were closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis and had the most prominent offices in the kingdom.

Amplified Bible
and who were close to him [as advisors]: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had access to the king and were ranked highest in the kingdom.

New American Standard Bible
and were close to him, namely, Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom—

World English Bible
and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the next vnto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan the seuen princes of Persia and Media, which sawe the Kings face, and sate the first in the kingdome)

Legacy Standard Bible
and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom—

Berean Standard Bible
His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.

Complete Jewish Bible
With him were Karshna, Shetar, Admata, Tarshish, Meres, Marsna and Memukhan, the seven vice-regents of Persia and Media, who were part of the king's inner circle and were the most important officials in the kingdom.

Darby Translation
and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and who sat first in the kingdom),

George Lamsa Translation
And those who were next to him were Barnashi, Shetar, Armoth, Remos, Tarshish, Mesriah, Meaucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who sat in the presence of the king and were seen before him at the gate of the royal palace.

Lexham English Bible
and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had access to the king and sat first in the kingdom—

Literal Translation
and the ones next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media who saw the king's face, who sat first in the kingdom),

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the nexte vnto him were, Charsena, Sethar, Admatha, Tharsis, Meres, Marsena and Memuchan, the seuen prynces of the Persias, and Meedes, which sawe the kynges face, and satt aboue in the kyngdome)

American Standard Version
and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),

Bible in Basic English
And second only to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who were friends of the king, and had the first places in the kingdom:)

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the next vnto hym were, Carsena, Sethar, Admata, Thersis, Mares, Marsena, and Memuchan, the seuen princes of Persia and Media, whiche sawe the kinges face, and sate the first in the kingdome.)

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat the first in the kingdom:

King James Version (1611)
And the next vnto him, was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshis, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seuen Princes of Persia, and Media, which saw the Kings face, and which sate the first in the kingdome.)

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So Arkesaeus, and Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief in rank by the king, drew near to him,

English Revised Version
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 sat first in the kingdom:)

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
forsothe the firste and the nexte weren Carsena, and Sechaaba, Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Manucha, seuene duykis of Persis and of Medeis, that sien the face of the kyng, and weren wont to sitte the firste aftir hym;

Update Bible Version
and the next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom),

Webster's Bible Translation
And the next to him [was] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, [and] Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, [and] who sat the first in the kingdom;)

New King James Version
those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king's presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom):

New Living Translation
The names of these men were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire.

New Life Bible
These men next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media. They were allowed to visit with the king and were next to the king in the nation.

New Revised Standard
and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media, who had access to the king, and sat first in the kingdom):

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and, near unto him, were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, - the seven rulers of Persia and Media, who used to behold the face of the king, who sat first, in the kingdom -

Douay-Rheims Bible
(Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven princes of the Persians and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and were used to sit first after him:)

Revised Standard Version
the men next to him being Carshe'na, Shethar, Adma'tha, Tarshish, Meres, Marse'na, and Memu'can, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom--:

Young's Literal Translation
and he who is near unto him [is] Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, seven heads of Persia and Media seeing the face of the king, who are sitting first in the kingdom --

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and were close to him: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king's presence and sat in the first place in the kingdom—

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ On the seventh day of his banquet the king was drinking and feeling happy, so he called in the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas. ¹¹ He ordered them to bring in Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. The queen was a beautiful woman, and the king wanted to show off her beauty to the officials and all his guests. ¹² But when the servants told Queen Vashti of the king's command, she refused to come. This made the king furious. ¹³ Now it was the king's custom to ask for expert opinion on questions of law and order, so he called for his advisers, who would know what should be done. ¹⁴ Those he most often turned to for advice were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven officials of Persia and Media who held the highest offices in the kingdom. ¹⁵ He said to these men, "I, King Xerxes, sent my servants to Queen Vashti with a command, and she refused to obey it! What does the law say that we should do with her?" ¹⁶ Then Memucan declared to the king and his officials: "Queen Vashti has insulted not only the king but also his officials—in fact, every man in the empire! ¹⁷ Every woman in the empire will start looking down on her husband as soon as she hears what the queen has done. They'll say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.' ¹⁸ When the wives of the royal officials of Persia and Media hear about the queen's behavior, they will be telling their husbands about it before the day is out. Wives everywhere will have no respect for their husbands, and husbands will be angry with their wives. ¹⁹ If it please Your Majesty, issue a royal proclamation that Vashti may never again appear before the king. Have it written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it can never be changed. Then give her place as queen to some better woman.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the seven: Ezra 7:14

saw: 2 Kings 25:19, Matthew 18:10, Revelation 22:4

Reciprocal: Esther 1:3 - of Persia Esther 2:2 - king's servants Esther 3:1 - above all the princes Esther 8:1 - came before Jeremiah 52:25 - were near the king's person

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, when God created the universe,

Genesis 1:2
the earth was formless and desolate. The raging ocean that covered everything was engulfed in total darkness, and the Spirit of God was moving over the water.

Genesis 1:3
Then God commanded, "Let there be light"—and light appeared.

Genesis 1:4
God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from the darkness,

Genesis 1:6
Then God commanded, "Let there be a dome to divide the water and to keep it in two separate places"—and it was done. So God made a dome, and it separated the water under it from the water above it.

Genesis 1:8
He named the dome "Sky." Evening passed and morning came—that was the second day.

Genesis 1:9
Then God commanded, "Let the water below the sky come together in one place, so that the land will appear"—and it was done.

Genesis 1:12
So the earth produced all kinds of plants, and God was pleased with what he saw.

Genesis 1:14
Then God commanded, "Let lights appear in the sky to separate day from night and to show the time when days, years, and religious festivals begin;

Genesis 1:16
So God made the two larger lights, the sun to rule over the day and the moon to rule over the night; he also made the stars.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the next unto him,.... That sat next to the king, and was the chief in dignity and authority under him:

was Carshena; and so everyone in their rank and order, as next mentioned:

Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan; who, according to the latter Targum, were of different countries; the first of Africa, the second of India, the third of Idumea, the fourth of Egypt, the fifth of Resen, Genesis 10:12 which is framed out of Marsena, who is dropped, and the last of Jerusalem, said to be Daniel; though the former Targum makes him to be Haman:

the seven powers of Persia and Media; which custom of having seven counsellors with the kings of Persia arose from the seven princes that slew Smerdis the pretender, and made Darius Hystaspis king, the father of Xerxes:

which saw the king's face; were intimate and familiar with him, often in his presence; yea, might go into it when they pleased, without the ceremony of being introduced; which privilege the above persons reserved to themselves, when they placed Darius on the throne, as Herodotus relates u:

and which sat the first in the kingdom; next to the king, and were assisting to him in the administration of government, see Ezra 7:14.

u lb. (Thalia, sive, l. 3.) c. 84, 118.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In Marsena we may perhaps recognize the famous Mardonius, and in Admatha, Xerxes’ uncle, Artabanus.

The seven princes - There were seven families of the first rank in Persia, from which alone the king could take his wives. Their chiefs were entitled to have free access to the monarch’s person. See the margin reference note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. And the next unto him - the seven princes — Probably, the privy counsellors of the king. Which saw the king's face - were at all times admitted to the royal presence.