Esther:1

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* Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this [is ] Ahasuerus who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia [over ] one hundred and twenty-seven provinces ) * [That ] in those days , when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom , which [was ] in Shushan , the palace , * In the third year of his reign , he made a banquet unto all his princes and his servants , [having ] before him the power of Persia and Media , the governors and princes of the provinces , ' * to show them the riches of the glory of his kingdom and the honour of beauty of his greatness for many days , [even ] one hundred and eighty days . * And when these days were expired , the king made a banquet unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace , both unto great and small , for seven days , in the court of the garden of the king 's palace . * [There 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 porphyre and of marble and of alabaster and of blue . * And they gave [them ] drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another ) and royal wine in abundance , according to the power of the king . * And the drink [was ] according to this law : let no one constrain themselves ; for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to the will of each one . * Likewise Vashti , the queen , made a banquet for the women [in ] the royal house of King Ahasuerus . * On the seventh day , when the heart of the king was merry with wine , he commanded Mehuman , Biztha , Harbona , Bigtha , Abagtha , Zethar , and Carcas , the seven eunuchs that served in the presence of Ahasuerus , the king , * to bring Vashti , the queen , before the king with the crown of the kingdom , to show the people and the princes her beauty , for she [was ] fair to behold . * But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king 's word by [his ] eunuchs ; therefore , the king was very wroth , and his anger burned in him . * Then the king asked the wise men , who knew the times , (for so [was ] the king 's manner toward all that knew [about ] the law and rights , * and the next to him [was ] Carshena , Shethar , Admatha , Tarshish , Meres , Marsena , and Memucan , seven princes of Persia and Media , who saw the king 's face , [and ] who sat first in the kingdom ;) * What shall we do unto Queen Vashti according to law because she has not performed the decree of King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs ? * And Memucan answered before the king and the princes , Vashti , the queen , has not only committed iniquity against the king , but also against all the princes and against all the people that [are ] in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus . * For [this ] deed of the queen shall be [known ] abroad unto all the women so that they shall despise their husbands , saying , King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti , the queen , to be brought in before him , but she did not come . * And now the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen shall say [this ] unto all the king 's princes , and [there shall be ] much contempt and wrath . * If it pleases the king , let there go forth a royal commandment from him , and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes , that it not be altered , That Vashti come no more before King Ahasuerus , and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she . * And this sentence which the king shall make shall be heard throughout all his empire , although it is great , and all the wives shall give their husbands honour , from the greatest to the least . * And this word pleased the king and the princes , and the king did according to the word of Memucan ; * 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 , saying , 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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