Queen Vashti Disobeys the King

1 This is what happened during the ·time [days] of ·King Xerxes [^LAhasuerus; ^Cthe Persian king who reigned about 486–465 bc], the ·king [^LAhasuerus] who ruled the one hundred twenty-seven ·states [provinces] from India to Cush [^Cin present-day Sudan and Ethiopia]. ² In those days King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] ·ruled from his [^Lsat on his royal throne in the] ·capital city [or fortress; citadel; ^Cthe winter residence of Persian kings, separate from the city] of Susa. ³ In the third year of his ·rule [reign; ^Cabout 483 bc], he gave a banquet for all his ·important men [nobles] and ·royal officers [ministers; officials]. The ·army [military] leaders from Persia and Media and the ·important men [nobles] from all ·Xerxes’ empire [^Lhis provinces] were there.

⁴ The ·banquet [celebration] lasted one hundred eighty days. All during that time King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] ·was showing off [displayed] the ·great wealth of his kingdom [riches of his royal glory] and ·his own great riches and glory [splendor of his great majesty]. ⁵ When the one hundred eighty days were ·over [completed], the king gave another banquet [^Cthese celebrations may have been in preparation for the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 bc]. It was held in the courtyard of the palace garden for seven days, and it was for everybody in the ·palace [citadel; fortress] at Susa, from the greatest to the least. ⁶ The courtyard had fine white ·curtains [linen hangings] and ·purple [blue; violet] drapes that were tied to silver rings on marble pillars by white and purple cords. And there were gold and silver couches on a floor set with ·tiles [mosaics] of ·white [porphyry] ·marble [alabaster], ·shells [mother-of-pearl], and ·gems [precious stones]. ⁷ ·Wine [Drinks] was served in gold ·cups [goblets] of various kinds. And there was ·plenty [an abundance] of the king’s wine, ·because he was very generous [in keeping with his generosity/liberality]. ⁸ ·The king commanded that the guests be permitted to drink as much as they wished [^LThe drinking was according to law/edict without compulsion]. He told the ·wine servers [staff] to serve each man what he wanted.

⁹ Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal ·palace [^Lhouse] of King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus].

¹⁰ On the seventh day of the banquet, King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] was ·very happy [in high spirits], because of the wine. He gave a command to the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas. ¹¹ He commanded them to bring him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. She was to come to ·show [display] her beauty to the people and ·important men [nobles] because she was very beautiful. ¹² The eunuchs told Queen Vashti about the king’s ·command [^Lword], but she refused to come [^Cpossibly because she felt it would be humiliating; a dangerous decision]. Then the king became very angry; his anger ·was like a burning fire [^Lburned in him; ^Cbecause it undermined his authority].

¹³ It was customary for the king to ·ask advice from [confer with] ·experts [wise men] about law and ·order [justice; custom; ^Ljudgment]. So King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] spoke with ·the wise men who would know the right thing to do [^Lthose who understood the times]. ¹⁴ The wise men ·the king usually talked to [closest to the king] were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven of the ·important men [nobles] of Persia and Media. These seven had ·special privileges to see [access to] the king and had the highest ·rank [offices] in the kingdom. ¹⁵ The king asked them, “What does the law say must be done to Queen Vashti? She has not obeyed the command of King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus], which the eunuchs took to her.”

¹⁶ Then Memucan said to the king and the other ·important men [nobles], “Queen Vashti has not done wrong to the king alone. She has also done wrong to all the ·important men [nobles] and all the people in all the ·empire [^Lprovinces] of King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus]. ¹⁷ All the wives of the ·important men [nobles] of Persia and Media will hear about the queen’s ·actions [conduct]. Then they will ·no longer honor [be contemptuous of; despise] their husbands. They will say, ‘King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] commanded Queen Vashti to be brought to him, but she refused to come.’ ¹⁸ Today the ·wives [noble ladies] of the ·important men [nobles] of Persia and Media have heard about the queen’s actions. So they will speak in the same way to ·their husbands [the king’s nobles], and there will be no end to ·disrespect [contempt] and anger.

¹⁹ “So, our king, if it pleases you, give a royal ·order [edict; decree], and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be ·changed [repealed; revoked; 8:8; Dan. 6:8, 12, 15]. The law should say Vashti [^Cat this point, the title “queen” is symbolically dropped from before her name] is never again to enter the presence of King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus]. Also let the king give her place as queen to someone who is ·better [more worthy/deserving] than she is. ²⁰ And let the king’s ·order [edict; decree] be ·announced [spread] everywhere in his ·enormous [great] kingdom. Then all the women will ·respect [honor] their husbands, from the greatest to the least.”

²¹ The king and his ·important men [nobles] were ·happy [pleased] with this advice, so King ·Xerxes [^LAhasuerus] did as Memucan ·suggested [advised; proposed]. ²² He sent ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] to all the ·states [provinces] of the kingdom in the ·writing [script] of each ·state [province] and in the language of each group of people. These ·letters [dispatches; scrolls] announced that each man was to be the ·ruler [master] ·of [over] his own family.