Esther 1:1-3

New Living Translation

The King’s Banquet

1 These events happened in the days of King Xerxes,^[a] who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.^{[b] 2} At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. ³ In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces.