Esther 1 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Esther 1 meaning explained in AI Summary

The Setting: The chapter opens in Susa, the Persian capital, during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). The king is at the height of his power, ruling over 127 provinces.

The Lavish Feast: Ahasuerus throws a lavish feast for all his officials and nobles, showcasing the immense wealth and splendor of his kingdom. This feast lasts for a staggering 180 days!

Vashti's Refusal: Towards the end of the feast, the king, drunk on wine, orders his queen, Vashti, to appear before him and his guests wearing her royal crown. He wants to boast about her beauty. However, Vashti refuses the king's command, considering it a humiliation to be paraded like an object.

The King's Fury: Ahasuerus is enraged by Vashti's defiance. His advisors, fearing the precedent this might set, convince him to punish her severely. They argue that her disobedience could incite rebellion among the women in the kingdom.

Vashti's Dethronement: The king strips Vashti of her royal title and banishes her from his presence. He then decrees that all wives must obey their husbands, establishing his absolute authority within the household.

The Search for a New Queen: With Vashti dethroned, the king's advisors suggest a search for a new queen. This sets the stage for Esther's rise to prominence, which will unfold in the subsequent chapters.

Key Themes:

Power and Pride: The chapter highlights the dangers of unchecked power and pride, exemplified by Ahasuerus's extravagant display of wealth and his tyrannical response to Vashti's refusal.
Subjugation of Women: Vashti's story, though brief, raises questions about the societal norms and expectations placed upon women in a patriarchal society.
Divine Providence: Although God is not explicitly mentioned, the chapter subtly hints at a divine plan unfolding, setting the stage for Esther's crucial role in the events to come.

Esther 1 bible study ai commentary

The book of Esther begins not with God's people, but with the opulence and power of the Persian Empire. This chapter masterfully satirizes the court of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I), portraying a world of extreme excess, drunken revelry, and fragile male ego. Through a series of seemingly trivial and secular events—a lavish feast, a drunken demand, a queen's refusal, and a foolish decree—the narrative subtly sets the stage. The political vacuum created by Queen Vashti's deposition is the unseen hand of God at work, preparing the way for a deliverer to arise from the most unlikely of places.

Esther 1 Context

The events of Esther are set in the Persian Achaemenid Empire around 483 B.C., during the reign of Ahasuerus, who is historically identified as Xerxes I. His empire was vast, stretching from India to Cush (modern-day Ethiopia/Sudan). This period follows the initial return of Jewish exiles under Cyrus but precedes the later returns led by Ezra and Nehemiah. The chapter's lavish descriptions of the 180-day feast align with historical accounts of Xerxes's grand preparations before his famously disastrous military campaign against Greece. The absence of God's name is a deliberate literary choice, highlighting His providence working behind the scenes of a seemingly secular, pagan world.

Esther 1:1-2

Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa the citadel,

In-depth-analysis

Ahasuerus: Identifies the king as the historically known Xerxes I, grounding the story in a specific, powerful historical context.
India to Ethiopia: Emphasizes the immense scope and power of the Persian empire, setting a stage of overwhelming human authority. This vastness makes the Jewish people seem small and insignificant in comparison.
127 provinces: A specific number underscoring the king's vast administrative control and organizational power. This contrasts with the 12 tribes of Israel, perhaps suggesting a worldly power that dwarfs God's people.
Susa the citadel: Specifies the location not just as a city but as a fortified royal residence (shushan ha-birah), the very center of imperial power from which unassailable decrees would issue.

Bible references

Daniel 6:1: "It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps..." (Shows the Persian administrative structure).
1 Kings 4:21: "Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates... to the border of Egypt..." (Provides an Old Testament parallel of a king's vast domain).

Cross references

Ezra 4:6 (Ahasuerus mentioned), Dan 9:1 (Ahasuerus father of Darius), Neh 1:1 (Susa the citadel mentioned), Dan 8:2 (Daniel's vision in Susa).

Esther 1:3-4

in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, while he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, 180 days.

In-depth-analysis

Third year: Historically, this times the feast just before Xerxes's invasion of Greece (480 B.C.), suggesting the gathering was a massive council of war to secure loyalty and display power.
Feast for all his officials: This was not a public party but a strategic gathering of the empire's military and political leadership.
Riches of his glorious kingdom: The primary purpose was a propagandistic display of wealth (osher) and glory (kavod). The text piles up terms for splendor and majesty, creating a sense of overwhelming, almost divine, grandeur. This human kavod stands in stark contrast to the divine kavod (glory) of Yahweh celebrated throughout the Old Testament.
180 days: An unprecedented length for a feast. The number signifies an extreme, almost absurd, level of extravagance, designed to awe his subjects into submission and loyalty.

Bible references

Daniel 4:30: "'Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?'" (Echoes the hubris of a pagan king boasting in his own glory).
1 Kings 10:23: "Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom." (Presents a contrast; Solomon's wealth was a gift from God, while Ahasuerus's is a source of personal pride).

Cross references

Dan 5:1-4 (Belshazzar's feast), 1 Kgs 3:13 (God gives Solomon riches/honor), Prov 16:18 (pride before a fall), Isa 2:12-17 (Lord's day against the proud).

Esther 1:5-8

And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace. There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, alabaster, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones. Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavish, according to the bounty of the king. And drinking was according to the law; no one was compelled, for the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired.

In-depth-analysis

Court of the garden: The setting is idyllic, evoking imagery of Eden (Gen 2), but this is a man-made paradise defined by artificial luxury, not divine creation.
White, violet, purple: These colors, especially purple and violet/blue, were royal colors in the ancient world, extremely expensive and symbolic of wealth and power.
Couches of gold and silver: Demonstrates extreme opulence. Wealth was not just displayed but was a functional part of the furniture for common people.
Golden vessels, of different kinds: Suggests a treasury so vast that no two cups were alike, another sign of limitless resources.
Drinking was according to the law; no one was compelled: This rule (dat) is deeply ironic. On the surface, it appears generous and modern. In the cultural context of a drinking party (mishteh), however, it removes all social pressure to stop, encouraging indulgence and leading directly to the king's drunkenness in verse 10.
Polemics: The elaborate description serves as a satirical polemic against pagan excess. While Israel's tabernacle and temple were built with precious materials for the glory of God (Exo 25-27), Ahasuerus's garden palace uses similar materials for self-glorification, creating a counterfeit, hollow sanctuary.

Bible references

Proverbs 20:1: "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise." (A wisdom principle that the king will vividly illustrate).
Revelation 17:4: "The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations..." (Parallels the use of lavish materials with moral corruption).

Cross references

Gen 2:8 (Garden of Eden), Isa 5:11-12 (woe to those who drink), Exo 25:3-7 (materials for the sanctuary), Dan 5:2-3 (use of holy vessels for pagan feast).

Esther 1:9

Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.

In-depth-analysis

Queen Vashti: She is introduced not just as a wife, but as a queen (malkah) with her own agency, hosting her own parallel feast (mishteh).
Feast for the women: Reflects the customary gender segregation in Persian courtly life. This separation is crucial, as it sets up the king's inappropriate demand to bring her into the men's celebration.

Cross references

Pro 31:10-31 (portrait of a noble woman of valor, contrasting with Vashti's situation).

Esther 1:10-12

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

In-depth-analysis

Merry with wine: A euphemism for being drunk. His judgment is impaired. The king's command is a product of intoxication, not sound reason.
Seven eunuchs: The specific naming of these servants emphasizes the official nature of the command, making Vashti's refusal a public act of defiance.
With her royal crown: Some interpretations suggest this meant only with her royal crown (i.e., nude), but it is more likely it meant she was to appear officially as queen. The disgrace was in being summoned like a concubine to be displayed before drunken men, a deeply humiliating and objectifying act for a woman of her stature.
But Queen Vashti refused: A pivotal moment. An absolute monarch, whose word is law, is disobeyed by his own wife.
King became enraged: The king's response is not disappointment but furious rage. His authority has been publicly challenged, and his pride wounded, exposing the fragility behind the facade of power.

Bible references

Genesis 39:9: "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Joseph's refusal of Potiphar's wife, a refusal based on godliness, providing a moral contrast to Vashti's refusal, likely based on self-respect).
Proverbs 16:32: "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." (Ahasuerus is mighty but cannot rule his own spirit).

Cross references

Dan 3:19 (Nebuchadnezzar's fury), Judges 16:25 (Samson made sport), Pro 25:8 (do not bring a dispute hastily), Eph 5:18 (do not be drunk with wine).

Esther 1:13-20

Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times... "According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti...?" Then Memucan said... "Queen Vashti has done wrong not only to the king but also to all the officials and all the peoples... For the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt... if it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes 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."

In-depth-analysis

Wise men who knew the times: An ironic title. They are political strategists, not purveyors of true wisdom. They cannot see the long-term consequences of their advice.
Memucan's counsel: He expertly reframes Vashti's personal act of defiance into a national security crisis. His argument is a cascade of paranoid hyperbole, claiming her one act will destabilize every marriage in the empire.
Better than she: This sets the standard for Vashti's replacement. The criterion is not beauty or status, but obedience—someone who will not challenge the king's ego. This is the role Esther will appear to fill.
Laws of the Persians and the Medes... not be repealed: A key feature of Persian law, highlighting its inflexibility. This characteristic becomes a critical plot device later in the book (Esther 8:8), as the irrevocable decree to kill the Jews will have to be countered, not canceled.

Bible references

Daniel 6:8: "...establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked." (Confirms this legal principle of immutability).
1 Kings 12:13-14: "And the king answered the people harshly... 'My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke.'" (An example of a king taking foolish, harsh advice from his counselors with disastrous results).

Cross references

Isa 19:11 (foolish princes of Zoan), 1 Cor 1:20 (where is the debater of this age?), Jas 3:14-16 (earthly wisdom born of selfish ambition).

Esther 1:21-22

This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man should be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

In-depth-analysis

Pleased the king and the princes: Shows the collective folly of the leadership. The advice soothed their wounded egos.
Every province in its own script and language: This detail highlights the sheer absurdity of the decree. The massive and efficient imperial postal system is used to legislate domestic respect, an unenforceable and ridiculous law. It is the climax of the chapter's satire.
Every man should be master (Hebrew: sar) in his own household: This is the ultimate punchline. The most powerful man in the world, who could not command the respect of his own wife, now legislates for all men to have the authority he just lost. It reveals his power as a complete sham.

Bible references

Ephesians 5:25: "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her," (Provides the New Testament's corrective: true headship is not about being a "master" (sar), but about self-sacrificial love).
Proverbs 21:19: "It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman." (Shows the Bible recognizes domestic strife, but the king's legal "solution" is foolish).

Cross references

Col 3:19 (husbands, love your wives), 1 Pet 3:7 (live with wives in understanding), Pro 12:4 (excellent wife is a crown).

Esther Chapter 1 Analysis

Sovereignty in Silence: The most prominent theological feature is the "hiddenness" of God. His name is never mentioned, yet His sovereign purpose is accomplished through the pride, drunkenness, and foolishness of a pagan king. He works through "coincidence" (the timing of the feast, the king's intoxication, Vashti's refusal) to create the very situation needed for His plan.
Irony and Satire: The entire chapter is a satirical critique of worldly power. The king who controls 127 provinces cannot control his own wife or his own temper. His attempt to secure his authority through an absurd decree only highlights his impotence.
Parody of the Fall: The setting is a palace garden. A foolish command is given concerning a woman, leading to her removal and a "curse" that impacts all relationships in the kingdom. This can be seen as a comical echo of the events in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3), where Adam's failure resulted in a curse on the man-woman relationship. Ahasuerus is a failed "Adam" in his own man-made paradise.
Feasting and Folly: The repeated use of the word mishteh (feast, but with strong connotations of a "drinking-bout") connects feasting with moral and political folly. This theme will recur throughout the book, contrasting the pagan feasts of Ahasuerus and Haman with the redemptive feasts of Esther and Purim.

Esther 1 Summary

In a grand display of power and pride, Persia's King Ahasuerus hosts a 180-day feast for his nobles. In a final, seven-day celebration fueled by wine, he drunkenly commands Queen Vashti to be paraded before his guests. Her refusal enrages the king, and on the advice of his foolish counselors, he deposes her and issues an absurd imperial decree that every man should be master of his own house. This series of foolish acts by a worldly king unknowingly opens a position in the palace for Esther, setting the stage for God’s hidden plan of deliverance for the Jewish people.

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Esther chapter 1 kjv

¹ Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
² That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
³ In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
⁴ When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
⁵ And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
⁶ Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.
⁷ And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
⁸ 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.
⁹ Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
¹¹ To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
¹² But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
¹³ Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
¹⁴ 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;)
¹⁵ What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
¹⁶ And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
¹⁷ For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
¹⁸ Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.
¹⁹ If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
²⁰ And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
²¹ And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
²² For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

Esther chapter 1 nkjv

¹ Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia),
² in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel,
³ that in the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his officials and servants?the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces being before him?
⁴ when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.
⁵ And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
⁶ There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble.
⁷ And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king.
⁸ 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.
⁹ Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,
¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold.
¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.
¹³ Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king's manner toward all who knew law and justice,
¹⁴ 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):
¹⁵ "What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?"
¹⁶ And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: "Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
¹⁷ For the queen's behavior will become known to all women, so that they will despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.'
¹⁸ This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king's officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath.
¹⁹ If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
²⁰ When the king's decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small."
²¹ And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan.
²² Then he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.

Esther chapter 1 niv

¹ This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush:
² At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,
³ and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present.
⁴ For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty.
⁵ When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest who were in the citadel of Susa.
⁶ The garden had hangings of white and blue linen, fastened with cords of white linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other costly stones.
⁷ Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king's liberality.
⁸ By the king's command each guest was allowed to drink with no restrictions, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.
⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
¹⁰ On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him?Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas?
¹¹ to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at.
¹² But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
¹³ Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times
¹⁴ and were closest to the king?Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the king and were highest in the kingdom.
¹⁵ "According to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?" he asked. "She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her."
¹⁶ Then Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, "Queen Vashti has done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes.
¹⁷ For the queen's conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their husbands and say, 'King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she would not come.'
¹⁸ This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen's conduct will respond to all the king's nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.
¹⁹ "Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.
²⁰ Then when the king's edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest."
²¹ The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.
²² He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

Esther chapter 1 esv

¹ Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces,
² in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel,
³ in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him,
⁴ while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days.
⁵ And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
⁶ There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.
⁷ Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.
⁸ 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.
⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.
¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and 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, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at.
¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.
¹³ Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment,
¹⁴ 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):
¹⁵ "According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?"
¹⁶ Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, "Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
¹⁷ For the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.'
¹⁸ This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will say the same to all the king's officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty.
¹⁹ If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes 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.
²⁰ So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike."
²¹ This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed.
²² He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

Esther chapter 1 nlt

¹ These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.
² At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa.
³ In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces.
⁴ The celebration lasted 180 days ? a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty.
⁵ When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden.
⁶ The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
⁷ Drinks were served in gold goblets of many designs, and there was an abundance of royal wine, reflecting the king's generosity.
⁸ 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.
⁹ At the same time, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
¹⁰ On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him ? Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas ?
¹¹ to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman.
¹² But when they conveyed the king's order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger.
¹³ He immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice.
¹⁴ 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.
¹⁵ "What must be done to Queen Vashti?" the king demanded. "What penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king's orders, properly sent through his eunuchs?"
¹⁶ Memucan answered the king and his nobles, "Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire.
¹⁷ Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king.
¹⁸ Before this day is out, the wives of all the king's nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.
¹⁹ "So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the Persians and Medes that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she.
²⁰ When this decree is published throughout the king's vast empire, husbands everywhere, whatever their rank, will receive proper respect from their wives!"
²¹ The king and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed Memucan's counsel.
²² He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.