Esther 1
King Ahasuerus held a great banquet in Susa and on the seventh day commanded Queen Vashti to appear before his guests, but she refused. On the advice of his counselors, the king deposed Vashti and decreed that every man should rule his own household.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 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:) | This is what happened in the days of Ahasuerus — the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. |
| 2 | That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace, | In those days, when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Shushan, |
| 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: | In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media, the nobles and the governors of the provinces, were present 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. | While he displayed the wealth of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his greatness for many days — 180 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; | When those days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people present in the citadel of Shushan, from the greatest to the least, in the courtyard 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. | There were white, green, and blue hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. The couches were of gold and silver on a pavement of red, blue, 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. | Drinks were served in golden vessels — vessels of varying design — and the royal wine flowed freely, in keeping with the king's generosity. |
| 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. | The drinking was by no fixed rule, for the king had instructed all the stewards of his household to serve each guest as he wished. |
| 9 | Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. | Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of 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, | On the seventh day, when the king was in high spirits from wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas — the seven chamberlains who served King Ahasuerus — |
| 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. | To bring Queen Vashti before the king wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful. |
| 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. | But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the chamberlains. The king became furious and his anger burned within 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: | Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the laws and customs, for it was the king's practice to consult experts in law and justice. |
| 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;) | His closest advisers were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan — the seven princes of Persia and Media who had access to the king and sat in the first ranks of 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? | He asked, "According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not obeyed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered 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. | Memucan replied in the presence of the king and the officials, "Queen Vashti has done wrong not only to the king but also to all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of 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. | For this deed of the queen will become known to all women. They will despise their husbands in their eyes, when it is reported that King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him but she did not come. |
| 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. | This very day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's conduct will be telling the same thing to all the king's officials, and there will be no end of contempt and anger. |
| 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. | If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written into the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed — that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to someone 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. | When the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout his entire kingdom — for it is vast — all the wives will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least." |
| 21 | And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan: | This pleased the king and the officials, and the king did as Memucan proposed. |
| 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. | He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master in his own household. |