Esther 1:1-12 ▼

1 And it will be in the days of Ahasuerus, (this Ahasuerus reigned from India and even to Cush; seven and twenty and one hundred provinces:)

2 In those days, when king Ahasuerus sat upon the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the fortress,

3 In the third year to his reign he made a drinking to all his chiefs and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and chiefs of the provinces before him:

4 In his causing to see the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the honor of his great splendor many days, eighty and one hundred days.

5 And in these days being completed the king made to all the people being found in Shushan the fortress, a drinking to the great and even to the small, seven days, in the enclosure of the garden of the king's house;

6 Splendid fine white linen, and cerulean purple, made fast with cords of byssus and purple, upon rings of silver and pillars of marble: couches of gold and silver upon a tesselated pavement of marble, and marble and pearl and spotted marble.

7 And giving drink in vessels of gold and vessels different from vessels, and wine of the kingdom, an abundance, according to the hand of the king.

8 Giving to drink according to the edict; none compelling, for thus the king appointed to all the multitude of his house to do according to the desire of man and man.

9 Also Vashti the queen made a drinking to the women of the house of the kingdom which was to king Ahasuerus.

10 In the seventh day, as the heart of the king being good with wine, he said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs serving the face of king Ahasuerus,

11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown of the kingdom, to cause the people and the chiefs to see her beauty: for she was good of appearance.

12 And the queen Vashti will refuse to come in at the word of the king which was by the hand of the eunuchs: and the king will be angry greatly, and his wrath burnt in him.