31AND FOR [THE] OFFERING OF THE WOOD<S> AT TIMES APPOINTED AND FOR THE FIRST-FRUITS REMEMBER! TO ME O GOD MY FOR GOOD 31I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.
1AND IT WAS IN [THE] DAYS OF AHASUERUS THAT AHASUERUS WHO REIGNED FROM INDIA AND TO CUSH SEVEN AND TWENTY AND ONE HUNDRED PROVINCE[S] Xerxes’ Royal Feast 1This is what happened in the days of Xerxes,*NoteCloseHebrew Ahasuerus; here and throughout Esther who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.*NoteCloseThat is, the upper Nile region
2IN THE DAYS <THE> THOSE WHEN SAT THE KING AHASUERUS ON [THE] THRONE OF ROYALTY HIS WHICH [WAS] IN SUSA THE CITADEL 2In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa.
3IN YEAR THREE OF REIGNING HIS HE MADE A FEAST FOR ALL OFFICIALS HIS AND SERVANTS HIS [THE] ARMY OF PERSIA AND MEDIA THE NOBLES AND [THE] OFFICIALS OF THE PROVINCES [WERE] <TO> BEFORE HIM 3In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.
4WHEN SHOWED HE <OBJ.> [THE] WEALTH OF [THE] SPLENDOR OF KINGDOM HIS AND <OBJ.> [THE] HONOR OF [THE] GLORY OF GREATNESS HIS DAYS MANY EIGHTY AND ONE HUNDRED DAY[S] 4And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5AND WHEN WERE COMPLETED THE DAYS <THE> THESE HE MADE THE KING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WERE FOUND IN SUSA THE CITADEL <TO> FROM GREAT AND UNTO INSIGNIFICANT A FEAST SEVEN DAYS IN [THE] COURT OF [THE] GARDEN OF [THE] PALACE OF THE KING 5At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.
6WHITE MATERIAL COTTON AND VIOLET MATERIAL [WAS] HELD WITH CORDS OF FINE LINEN AND PURPLE ON RODS OF SILVER AND PILLARS OF MARBLE COUCHES OF GOLD AND SILVER ON A PAVEMENT OF PORPHYRY AND MARBLE AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL AND PAVING STONE 6Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
7AND THEY GAVE TO DRINK IN VESSELS OF GOLD AND VESSELS FROM VESSELS [WERE] DIFFERING AND WINE OF ROYALTY [WAS] MUCH ACCORDING TO [THE] HAND OF THE KING 7Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.
8AND THE DRINKING [WAS] ACCORDING TO THE LAW THERE NOT [WAS ONE WHO] COMPELLED FOR THUS HE HAD APPOINTED THE KING ON EVERY <THE> CHIEF OF HOUSE HIS TO DO ACCORDING TO [THE] PLEASURE OF MAN AND MAN 8By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.
9ALSO VASHTI THE QUEEN SHE MADE A FEAST OF WOMEN [THE] HOUSE OF <THE> ROYALTY WHICH [BELONGED] TO THE KING AHASUERUS Queen Vashti’s Refusal 9Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10ON THE DAY <THE> SEVENTH WHEN WAS GOOD [THE] HEART OF THE KING BY THE WINE HE SAID TO MEHUMAN BIZTHA HARBONA BIGTHA AND ABAGTHA ZETHAR AND CARCAS [THE] SEVEN THE EUNUCHS WHO SERVED WITH [THE] FACE OF THE KING AHASUERUS 10On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him— Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—
11TO BRING <OBJ.> VASHTI THE QUEEN <TO> BEFORE THE KING WITH A CROWN OF ROYALTY TO SHOW THE PEOPLES AND THE OFFICIALS <OBJ.> BEAUTY HER FOR [WAS] GOOD OF APPEARANCE SHE 11to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
12AND SHE REFUSED THE QUEEN VASHTI TO COME AT [THE] WORD OF THE KING WHICH [WAS] BY [THE] HAND OF THE EUNUCHS AND HE WAS ANGRY THE KING EXCEEDINGLY AND RAGE HIS IT BURNED IN <THE> HIM 12Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.
13AND HE SAID THE KING TO <THE> WISE MEN [WHO] KNEW <OF> THE TIMES FOR [WAS] THUS [THE] MANNER OF THE KING <TO> BEFORE ALL [THOSE WHO] KNEW <OF> LAW AND JUDGMENT Queen Vashti Deposed 13Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
14AND THE [ONES] CLOSE TO HIM [WERE] CARSHENA SHETHAR ADMATHA TARSHISH MERES MARSENA MEMUCAN [THE] SEVEN [THE] OFFICIALS OF PERSIA AND MEDIA [WHO] SAW <OF> [THE] FACE OF THE KING WHO SAT FOREMOST IN THE KINGDOM 14His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.
15ACCORDING TO [THE] LAW WHAT? [IS] TO DO WITH THE QUEEN VASHTI ON THAT NOT SHE DID <OBJ.> [THE] COMMAND OF THE KING AHASUERUS BY [THE] HAND OF THE EUNUCHS 15“According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
16AND HE SAID MEMUCAN <TO> BEFORE THE KING AND THE OFFICIALS NOT ON THE KING TO ONLY HIM SHE DID WRONG VASHTI THE QUEEN FOR ON ALL THE OFFICIALS AND ON ALL THE PEOPLES WHICH [ARE] IN ALL [THE] PROVINCES OF THE KING AHASUERUS 16And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.
17FOR IT WILL GO FORTH [THE] MATTER OF THE QUEEN TO ALL THE WOMEN TO MAKE DESPICABLE HUSBANDS THEIR IN VIEW THEIR BECAUSE WILL SAY THEY THE KING AHASUERUS HE SAID TO BRING <OBJ.> VASHTI THE QUEEN <TO> BEFORE HIM AND NOT SHE CAME 17For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands*NoteCloseOr to disdain their husbands in their eyes and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
18AND THE DAY <THE> THIS THEY WILL SAY [THE] NOBLE LADIES OF PERSIA AND MEDIA WHO THEY HAVE HEARD <OBJ.> [THE] MATTER OF THE QUEEN TO ALL [THE] OFFICIALS OF THE KING AND [WILL BE] AS ENOUGH OF CONTEMPT AND ANGER 18This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
19IF [IS] ON THE KING GOOD LET IT GO FORTH A WORD OF ROYALTY FROM TO BEFORE HIM AND LET IT BE WRITTEN IN [THE] LAWS OF PERSIA AND MEDIA AND NOT IT WILL PASS AWAY THAT NOT SHE WILL COME VASHTI <TO> BEFORE THE KING AHASUERUS AND QUEENHOOD HER LET HIM GIVE THE KING TO FELLOW WOMAN HER <THE> GOOD MORE THAN SHE 19So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
20AND IT WILL BE HEARD [THE] DECREE OF THE KING WHICH HE WILL MAKE IN ALL KINGDOM HIS FOR [IS] GREAT IT AND ALL THE WOMEN THEY WILL GIVE HONOR TO HUSBANDS THEIR <TO> FROM GREAT AND UNTO INSIGNIFICANT 20The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom— and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
21AND IT WAS GOOD THE WORD IN [THE] EYES OF THE KING AND THE OFFICIALS AND HE DID THE KING ACCORDING TO [THE] WORD OF MEMUCAN 21The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan advised.
22AND HE SENT OUT DOCUMENTS TO ALL [THE] PROVINCES OF THE KING TO PROVINCE AND PROVINCE ACCORDING TO WRITING ITS AND TO PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ACCORDING TO LANGUAGE ITS TO BE EVERY MAN RULER IN OWN HOUSEHOLD HIS AND SPEAKING ACCORDING TO [THE] LANGUAGE OF PEOPLE HIS 22He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming*NoteCloseLiterally proclaiming in the language of his own people that every man should be master of his own household.