Esther 1
Queen Vashti Defies
King Ahasuerus |
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Now it came to pass in the days of
Ahasue'rus, Ezra 4.6 (this is Ahasue'rus which reigned from India even unto
Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty
provinces,)
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that in those days, when the king
Ahasue'rus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in
Shushan the palace,
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in the third year of his reign, he made a
feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and
Me'di-a, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:
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when he showed the riches of his glorious
kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and fourscore days.
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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;
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Also Vashti the queen made a feast for
the women in the royal house which belonged to king
Ahasue'rus.
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On the seventh day, when the heart of
the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehu'man, Biztha,
Harbo'na, Bigtha, and Abag'tha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven
chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasue'rus the
king,
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to bring Vashti the queen before the king
with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty:
for she was fair to look on.
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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.
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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:
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and the next unto him was Carshe'na, Shethar, Adma'tha, Tarshish, Meres, Marse'na, and Memu'can, the seven princes of Persia and Me'di-a, which saw the
king's face, and which sat the first in the
kingdom,)
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What shall we do unto the queen Vashti
according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of
the king Ahasue'rus by the chamberlains?
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And Memu'can 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 Ahasue'rus.
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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
Ahasue'rus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him,
but she came not.
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Likewise shall the ladies of
Persia and Me'di-a 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.
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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 Ahasue'rus; and let the king give her royal
estate unto another that is better than she.
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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 honor, both to
great and small.
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And the saying pleased the king and the
princes; and the king did according to the word of
Memu'can:
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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.
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