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Esther 1:1-22 — Queen Vashti Deposed

Esth.1.1-22

¹Now it happened in the days of Ahasuerus—this is the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush, over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces— ²in those days, when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, ³in the third year of his reign, he held a banquet for all his officials and his servants. The army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials of the provinces were before him. ⁴For many days—one hundred and eighty days—he displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness. ⁵When these days were completed, the king held a seven-day banquet for all the people who were present in the citadel of Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the courtyard of the garden of the king's palace. ⁶There were hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. Couches of gold and silver were on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. ⁷Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was abundant, according to the king's bounty. ⁸The drinking was according to the edict; there was no compulsion, for the king had instructed every official of his household to do according to each man's pleasure. ⁹Queen Vashti also held a banquet for the women in the royal palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus. ¹⁰On the seventh day, when the king's heart was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, ¹¹to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, to show the peoples and the officials her beauty, for she was beautiful in appearance. ¹²But 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. ¹³Then the king spoke to the wise men who knew the times—for it was the king's custom to consult all those who knew law and justice, ¹⁴and those closest to him were 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 first in the kingdom: ¹⁵“According to the law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti, because she has not obeyed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” ¹⁶And Memucan answered before the king and the officials, "Queen Vashti has done wrong not only to the king, but also to all the officials and to all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷For the queen's conduct will go out to all women, causing them to despise their husbands in their eyes, when they say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.' ¹⁸This very day the noblewomen of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will speak in the same way to all the king's officials, and there will be plenty of contempt and wrath. ¹⁹If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of Persia and Media, so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. ²⁰When the king's decree which he will make is heard throughout all his kingdom—for it is vast—all women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least." ²¹This advice pleased the king and the officials, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. ²²He sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province in its own script, and to each people in their own language, that every man should be master in his own house and speak in the language of his own people.

Translation Notes

4/11/2026

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