Esther

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:)

1This happened in the days of King Ahasuerus. He ruled 127 provinces, stretching from India all the way to Ethiopia.

2That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

2In those days King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the fortress city of Shushan.

3In 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:

3In the third year he was king, he held a feast for all his officials and servants. The army leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and rulers of the provinces.

4When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

4For 180 days he showed them the great riches of his kingdom and the splendor of his own greatness.

5And 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;

5When those days were over, the king held another feast. It lasted seven days, in the garden court of the palace, for everyone in Shushan, rich and poor alike.

6Where 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.

6White and blue linen curtains hung from silver rings on marble pillars, tied with white and purple cords. Gold and silver couches stood on a floor of colored stone.

Note"Beds" here means couches for reclining at meals, not beds for sleeping. People at these feasts lay on low couches to eat.

7And 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.

7Drinks were served in gold cups, each one different from the others. There was plenty of royal wine, as much as a rich king could give.

8And 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.

8The king had ordered that no one be forced to drink or stopped from drinking. He told his servants to give each man whatever he wanted.

Note"None did compel" means no one was forced to drink. The old phrase "according to the law" here refers to the rule the king set for this feast, not the law of the land.

9Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

9Queen Vashti also held a feast for the women, in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.

10On 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,

10On the seventh day the king was feeling merry from the wine. He gave an order to the seven servants who waited on him: Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas.

NoteThe "chamberlains" were personal servants of the king's household, trusted to carry his messages. The Hebrew word usually means eunuchs, men who served in the royal court.

11To 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.

11He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him wearing her royal crown. He wanted to show the people and the officials how lovely she was.

12But 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.

12But when the servants brought the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come. The king was furious, and his anger burned inside him.

13Then 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:

13So the king spoke to his wise men, who understood the times. It was his custom to ask advice from men who knew the law and how to judge.

14And 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;)

14Closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These seven princes of Persia and Media could meet the king face to face, and they held the highest rank in the kingdom.

15What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

15The king asked them, "What does the law say we should do to Queen Vashti? She would not obey the command I sent her by my servants."

16And 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.

16Memucan answered in front of the king and the princes: "Queen Vashti has done wrong to more than the king. She has wronged every official and every people in all his provinces.

17For 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.

17"What the queen did will reach the ears of all women, and they will look down on their husbands. They will say, 'King Ahasuerus told Queen Vashti to come, and she would not.'

18Likewise 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.

18"This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who heard what the queen did will say the same to the king's officials. There will be no end of scorn and anger.

19If 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.

19"If it pleases the king, let him send out a royal order. Write it into the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be changed. Let it say Vashti may never come before King Ahasuerus again, and let her place as queen go to someone better than she is.

20And 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.

20"When the king's order is announced across his huge empire, then every wife will honor her husband, from the least to the greatest."

21And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

21The king and his princes liked this advice, so the king did what Memucan had said.

22For 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.

22He sent letters to every province in the kingdom. Each one was written in that province's own script and in that people's own language. The letters said that every man should rule his own house.