Esther 1:8

THE MESSAGE

The guests could drink as much as they liked—king's orders!—with waiters at their elbows to refill the drinks. Meanwhile, Queen Vashti was throwing a separate party for women inside King Xerxes' royal palace.

Parallel Translations

New King James Version
In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man's pleasure.

Literal Translation
And the drinking was according to the law, no one compelling; for so the king had ordered every first one of his house that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Easy-to-Read Version
The king had given a command to his servants. He told them that each guest must be given as much wine as he wanted, and the wine server obeyed the king.

World English Bible
The drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

King James Version (1611)
And the drinking was according to the law, none did compell: for the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should doe according to euery mans pleasure.

King James Version
And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And no man was appoynted what he shulde drinke: for the kynge had commaunded all the officers of his house, that euery one shulde do as it lyked him.

American Standard Version
And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Bible in Basic English
And the drinking was in keeping with the law; no one was forced: for the king had given orders to all the chief servants of his house to do as was pleasing to every man.

Update Bible Version
And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the drinking [was] according to the law; none constrained: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

New English Translation
There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed all of his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired.

Contemporary English Version
and said to them, "Drink all you want!" Then he told his servants, "Keep their cups full."

Complete Jewish Bible
The drinking was not according to any fixed rule, for the king had ordered the stewards to serve each man what he wanted.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the drinking was by an order, none might compel: for so the King had appoynted vnto all the officers of his house, that they should do according to euery mans pleasure.

George Lamsa Translation
And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had commanded to all the stewards of his household, that they should do according to every mans pleasure.

Amplified Bible
The drinking was carried on in accordance with the law; no one was compelled [to drink], for the king had directed each official of his household to comply with each guest's wishes.

Hebrew Names Version
The drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

New Living Translation
By edict of the king, no limits were placed on the drinking, for the king had instructed all his palace officials to serve each man as much as he wanted.

New Life Bible
Drinking was done by the law. No one was made to drink. The king had told all the workmen of his house that they should give each person what he wanted.

New Revised Standard
Drinking was by flagons, without restraint; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as each one desired.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.

English Revised Version
And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible
By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every wine steward was to serve each man whatever he desired.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, the drinking, was according to the law, no one compelling, - for, so, had the king appointed unto every chief of his household, that every man, should do according to his pleasure.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.

Lexham English Bible
There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed every official of his palace to do as each one pleased.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the drinking was by an order, none might compell: for so the king had appoynted to all the officers of his house, that they shoulde do according to euery mans pleasure.

Darby Translation
And the drinking was, according to commandment, without constraint; for so the king had appointed to all the magnates of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

English Standard Version
And drinking was according to this edict: "There is no compulsion." For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired.

New American Standard Bible
But the drinking was done according to the royal law; there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household, that he was to do as each person pleased.

New Century Version
The king commanded that the guests be permitted to drink as much as they wished. He told the wine servers to serve each man what he wanted.

Good News Translation
There were no limits on the drinks; the king had given orders to the palace servants that everyone could have as much as they wanted.

Christian Standard Bible®
and no restraint was placed on the drinking. The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve as much as each person wanted.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And `noon was that constreynede `men not willynge to drynke; but so the kyng hadde ordeyned, `makynge souereyns of hise princes `to alle boordis, that ech man schulde take that, that he wolde.

Young's Literal Translation
And the drinking [is] according to law, none is pressing, for so hath the king appointed for every chief one of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man and man.

Revised Standard Version
And drinking was according to the law, no one was compelled; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as every man desired.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the drinking was done according to the law; there was no compulsion, for so the king had established it for each official of his household—that he should do according to what pleased each person.

Contextual Overview

¹This is the story of something that happened in the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled from India to Ethiopia—127 provinces in all. King Xerxes ruled from his royal throne in the palace complex of Susa. In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The military brass of Persia and Media were also there, along with the princes and governors of the provinces. ⁴For six months he put on exhibit the huge wealth of his empire and its stunningly beautiful royal splendors. At the conclusion of the exhibit, the king threw a weeklong party for everyone living in Susa, the capital—important and unimportant alike. The party was in the garden courtyard of the king's summer house. The courtyard was elaborately decorated with white and blue cotton curtains tied with linen and purple cords to silver rings on marble columns. Silver and gold couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones. Drinks were served in gold chalices, each chalice one-of-a-kind. The royal wine flowed freely—a generous king! ⁸The guests could drink as much as they liked—king's orders!—with waiters at their elbows to refill the drinks. Meanwhile, Queen Vashti was throwing a separate party for women inside King Xerxes' royal palace.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

none did compel: Every person drank what he pleased. Among the Greeks, however, each guest was obliged to keep the round, or leave the company: hence the proverb  ניטי, ח בניטי, Drink, or begone. Mr. Herbert, in his poem entitled "The Church Porch," has severely reprobated this vile custom. In Britain, however, this demoralizing custom is now almost destroyed, and a new era of social pleasure is arising, by temperate habits, increased domestic comforts, and the spread of gospel truths. Jeremiah 35:8, Jeremiah 51:7, Habakkuk 2:15, Habakkuk 2:16

the officers: John 2:8

Reciprocal: Ezra 2:1 - the children

Cross-References

Genesis 1:31
God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning— Day Six.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the drinking was according to the law, none did compel,.... According to the law Ahasuerus gave to his officers next mentioned, which was not to oblige any man to drink more than he chose; the Targum is,

`according to the custom of his body;'

that is, as a man is able to bear it, so they drank: some f read it, "the drinking according to the law, let none exact"; or require it to be, according to the custom then in use in Persia; for they were degenerated from their former manners, and indulged to intemperance, as Xenophon g suggests: the law formerly was, not to carry large vessels into feasts; but now, says he, they drink so much, that they themselves must be carried out, because they cannot go upright: and so it became a law with the Greeks, at their festivals, that either a man must drink or go out h; so the master of a feast, at which Empedocles was, ordered either that he should drink, or the wine be poured on his head i; but such force or compulsion Ahasuerus forbad: and thus with the Chinese now, they force none to drink, but modestly invite them k:

for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure; to let them have what wine they would, but not force them to drink more than was agreeable to them.

f Vid. Drusium in loc. g Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 51. h Cicero. Tusculan. Quaest. l. 5. i Laert. in Vit. ejus, l. 8. p. 608. k Semedo's History of China, par. 1. c. 13.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

According to the law - An exception to the ordinary practice of compulsory drinking had been made on this occasion by the king’s order.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Esther 1:8. None did compel: for so the king had appointed — Every person drank what he pleased; he was not obliged to take more than he had reason to think would do him good.

Among the Greeks, each guest was obliged to keep the round, or leave the company: hence the proverb ηπιθιηαπιθι; Drink or begone. To this Horace refers, but gives more license: -

Pasco libatis dapibus; prout cuique libido est.

Siccat inaequales calices conviva, solutus

Legibus insanis: seu quis capit acria fortis

Pocula; seu modicis humescit aetius.

HORAT. Sat. lib. ii., s. vi., ver. 67.

There, every guest may drink and fill

As much or little as he will;

Exempted from the Bedlam rules

Of roaring prodigals and fools.

Whether, in merry mood or whim,

He fills his goblet to the brim;

Or, better pleased to let it pass,

Is cheerful with a moderate glass.

FRANCIS.

At the Roman feasts there was a person chosen by the cast of dice, who was the Arbiter bibendi, and prescribed rules to the company, which all were obliged to observe. References to this custom may be seen in the same poet. ODAR. lib. i., Od. iv., ver. 18: -

Non regna vini sortiere talis.

And in lib. ii., Od. vii., ver. 25: -

____ Quem Venus arbitrum Dicet bibendi?

Mr. Herbert, in his excellent poem, The Church Porch, has five verses on this vile custom and its rule: -

Drink not the third glass, which thou canst not tame

When once it is within thee, but before

Mayst rule it as thou list; and pour the shame,

Which it would pour on thee, upon the floor.

It is most just to throw that on the ground,

Which would throw me there if I keep the round.

He that is drunken may his mother kill,

Big with his sister; he hath lost the reins;

Is outlawed by himself. All kinds of ill

Did with his liquor slide into his veins.

The drunkard forfeits man; and doth divest

All worldly right, save what he hath by beast.

Nothing too severe can be said on this destructive practice.