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Esther
chapter 1
1
In the
days of Assuerus, who reigned from India to Ethiopia over a hundred and
twenty-seven provinces:
2 When he sat on the throne of his kingdom, the city
Susan was the capital of his kingdom.
3 Now in the third year of his reign he made a great
feast for all the princes, and for his servants, for the most mighty of the
Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the governors of the provinces in
his sight,
4 That he might shew the riches of the glory of his
kingdom, and the greatness, and boasting of his power, for a long time, to wit,
for a hundred and fourscore days.
5 And when the days of the feast were expired, he
invited all the people that were found in Susan, from the greatest to the
least: and commanded a feast to be made seven days in the court of the garden,
and of the wood, which was planted by the care and the hand of the king.
6 And there were hung up on every side sky coloured,
and green, and violet hangings, fastened with cords of silk, and of purple,
which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. The
beds also were of gold and silver, placed in order upon a floor paved with
porphyry and white marble: which was embellished with painting of wonderful
variety.
7 And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, and
the meats were brought in divers vessels one after another. Wine also in
abundance and of the best was presented, as was worthy of a king's
magnificence.
8 Neither was there any one to compel them to drink
that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table
one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
9 Also Vasthi the queen made a feast for the women in
the palace, where king Assuerus was used to dwell.
10 Now on the seventh day, when the king was merry, and
after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Mauman, and
Bazatha, and Harbona, and Bagatha, and Abgatha, and Zethar, and Charcas, the
seven eunuchs that served in his presence,
11 To bring in queen Vasthi before the king, with the
crown set upon her head, to shew her beauty to all the people and the princes:
for she was exceeding beautiful.
12 But she refused, and would not come at the king's
commandment, which he had signified to her by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king,
being angry, and inflamed with a very great fury,
13 Baked the wise men, who according to the custom of
the kings, were always near his person, and all he did was by their counsel,
who knew the laws, and judgments of their forefathers:
14 (Now the chief and nearest him were, Charsena, and
Sethar, and Admatha, and Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven
princes of the Persians, and of the Medes, who saw the face of the king, and
were used to sit first after him :)
15 What sentence ought to pass upon Vasthi the queen,
who had refused to obey the commandment of king Assuerus, which he had sent to
her by the eunuchs?
16 And Mamuchan answered, in the hearing of the king
and the princes: Queen Vasthi hath not only injured the king, but also all the
people and princes that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.
17 For this deed of the queen will go abroad to all
women, so that they will despise their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus
commanded that queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.
18 And by this example all the wives of the princes of
the Persians and the Medes will slight the commandments of their husbands:
wherefore the king's indignation is just.
19 If it please thee, let an edict go out from thy
presence, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of the
Medes, which must not be altered, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but
another, that is better than her, be made queen in her place.
20 And let this be published through all the provinces
of thy empire, (which is very wide,) and let all wives, as well of the greater
as of the lesser, give honour to their husbands.
21 His counsel pleased the king, and the princes: and
the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan.
22 And he sent letters to all the provinces of his
kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in divers languages and
characters, that the husbands should be rulers and masters in their houses: and
that this should be published to every people.
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