Esther

Chapter 1

1  Ahasuerus maketh royal feasts.  10  Vashti, sent for, refuseth to come.  13  Ahasuerus, by the counsel of Memucan, maketh the decree of man's sovereignty.

1:1 ¶ Now it came to pass (1961) in the days {3117} of Ahasuerus, {325} (this (1931) [is] Ahasuerus {325} which reigned, {4427} <8802> from India {1912} (4480) even unto (5704) Ethiopia, {3568} [over] an hundred {3967} and seven {7651} and twenty {6242} provinces:) {4082}

1:2 [That] in those (1992) days, {3117} when the king {4428} Ahasuerus {325} sat {3427} <8800> on (5921) the throne {3678} of his kingdom, {4438} which (834) [was] in Shushan {7800} the palace, {1002}

1:3 In the third {7969} year {8141} of his reign, {4427} <8800> he made {6213} <8804> a feast {4960} unto all (3605) his princes {8269} and his servants; {5650} the power {2428} of Persia {6539} and Media, {4074} the nobles {6579} and princes {8269} of the provinces, {4082} [being] before {6440} him:

1:4 When he shewed {7200} <8687> (853) the riches {6239} of his glorious {3519} kingdom {4438} and the honour {3366} of his excellent {8597} majesty {1420} many {7227} days, {3117} [even] an hundred {3967} and fourscore {8084} days. {3117}

1:5 And when these (428) days {3117} were expired, {4390} <8800> the king {4428} made {6213} <8804> a feast {4960} unto all (3605) the people {5971} that were present {4672} <8737> in Shushan {7800} the palace, {1002} both unto great {1419} (4480) and small, {6996} seven {7651} days, {3117} in the court {2691} of the garden {1594} of the king's {4428} palace; {1055}

1:6 [Where were] white, {2353} green, {3768} and blue, {8504} [hangings], fastened {270} <8803> with cords {2256} of fine linen {948} and purple {713} to (5921) silver {3701} rings {1550} and pillars {5982} of marble: {8336} the beds {4296} [were of] gold {2091} and silver, {3701} upon (5921) a pavement {7531} of red, {923} and blue, [8504] (8336) and white, {1858} and black, [5508] marble. [8336] (5508)

1:7 And they gave [them] drink {8248} <8687> in vessels {3627} of gold, {2091} (the vessels {3627} being diverse {8138} <8802> one from another,) {3627} (4480) and royal {4438} wine {3196} in abundance, {7227} according to the state {3027} of the king. {4428}

1:8 And the drinking {8360} [was] according to the law; {1881} none (369) did compel: {597} <8802> for (3588) so (3651) the king {4428} had appointed {3245} <8765> to (5921) all (3605) the officers {7227} of his house, {1004} that they should do {6213} <8800> according to every man's {376} pleasure. {7522}

1:9 Also (1571) Vashti {2060} the queen {4436} made {6213} <8804> a feast {4960} for the women {802} [in] the royal {4438} house {1004} which (834) [belonged] to king {4428} Ahasuerus. {325}

1:10 ¶ On the seventh {7637} day, {3117} when the heart {3820} of the king {4428} was merry [2896] (2895) with wine, {3196} he commanded {559} <8804> Mehuman, {4104} Biztha, {968} Harbona, {2726} Bigtha, {903} and Abagtha, {5} Zethar, {2242} and Carcas, {3752} the seven {7651} chamberlains {5631} that served {8334} <8764> (853) in the presence {6440} of Ahasuerus {325} the king, {4428}

1:11 To bring {935} <8687> (853) Vashti {2060} the queen {4436} before {6440} the king {4428} with the crown {3804} royal, {4438} to shew {7200} <8687> the people {5971} and the princes {8269} (853) her beauty: {3308} for (3588) she (1931) [was] fair {2896} to look on. {4758}

1:12 But the queen {4436} Vashti {2060} refused {3985} <8762> to come {935} <8800> at the king's {4428} commandment {1697} by {3027} (834) [his] chamberlains: {5631} therefore was the king {4428} very {3966} wroth, {7107} <8799> and his anger {2534} burned {1197} <8804> in him.

1:13 ¶ Then the king {4428} said {559} <8799> to the wise men, {2450} which knew {3045} <8802> the times, {6256} (for (3588) so (3651) [was] the king's {4428} manner {1697} toward {6440} all (3605) that knew {3045} <8802> law {1881} and judgment: {1779}

1:14 And the next {7138} unto (413) him [was] Carshena, {3771} Shethar, {8369} Admatha, {133} Tarshish, {8659} Meres, {4825} Marsena, {4826} [and] Memucan, {4462} the seven {7651} princes {8269} of Persia {6539} and Media, {4074} which saw {7200} <8802> the king's {4428} face, {6440} [and] which sat {3427} <8802> the first {7223} in the kingdom;) {4438}

1:15 What (4100) shall we do {6213} <8800> unto the queen {4436} Vashti {2060} according to law, {1881} because (5921) (834) she hath not (3808) performed {6213} <8804> (853) the commandment {3982} of the king {4428} Ahasuerus {325} by {3027} the chamberlains? {5631}

1:16 And Memucan {4462} answered {559} <8799> before {6440} the king {4428} and the princes, {8269} Vashti {2060} the queen {4436} hath not (3808) done wrong {5753} <8804> to (5921) the king {4428} only, (905) but (3588) also to (5921) all (3605) the princes, {8269} and to (5921) all (3605) the people {5971} that (834) [are] in all (3605) the provinces {4082} of the king {4428} Ahasuerus. {325}

1:17 For (3588) [this] deed {1697} of the queen {4436} shall come abroad {3318} <8799> unto (5921) all (3605) women, {802} so that they shall despise {959} <8687> their husbands {1167} in their eyes, {5869} when it shall be reported, {559} <8800> The king {4428} Ahasuerus {325} commanded {559} <8804> (853) Vashti {2060} the queen {4436} to be brought in {935} <8687> before {6440} him, but she came {935} <8804> not. (3808)

1:18 [Likewise] shall the ladies {8282} of Persia {6539} and Media {4074} say {559} <8799> this (2088) day {3117} unto all (3605) the king's {4428} princes, {8269} which (834) have heard [8085] <8804> of (8085) (853) the deed {1697} of the queen. {4436} Thus [shall there arise] too much {1767} contempt {963} and wrath. {7110}

1:19 If (518) it please {2895} <8804> (5921) the king, {4428} let there go {3318} <8799> a royal {4438} commandment {1697} from (4480) (6440) him, [6440] and let it be written {3789} <8735> among the laws {1881} of the Persians {6539} and the Medes, {4074} that it be not (3808) altered, {5674} <8799> That (834) Vashti {2060} come {935} <8799> no (3808) more before {6440} king {4428} Ahasuerus; {325} and let the king {4428} give {5414} <8799> her royal estate {4438} unto another {7468} that is better {2896} than (4480) she.

1:20 And when the king's {4428} decree {6599} which (834) he shall make {6213} <8799> shall be published {8085} <8738> throughout all (3605) his empire, {4438} (for (3588) it (1931) is great,) {7227} all (3605) the wives {802} shall give {5414} <8799> to their husbands {1167} honour, {3366} both to great {1419} (4480) and small. {6996}

1:21 And the saying {1697} pleased {3190} {5869} <8799> the king {4428} and the princes; {8269} and the king {4428} did {6213} <8799> according to the word {1697} of Memucan: {4462}

1:22 For he sent {7971} <8799> letters {5612} into (413) all (3605) the king's {4428} provinces, {4082} into (413) every province {4082} according to the writing {3791} thereof, and to (413) every people {5971} after their language, {3956} that every (3605) man {376} should (1961) bear rule {8323} <8802> in his own house, {1004} and that [it] should be published {1696} <8764> according to the language {3956} of every people. {5971}