ABP - Esther - 1

1:1  And it came to pass in the days of Artaxerxes. This Artaxerxes [5from 6India 2a hundred 3twenty-seven 4regions 1held].

1:2  And in those days when [3was enthroned 1king 2Artaxerxes] in Shushan the city,

1:3  in the third year of his reign, [2banquet 1he made a] to his friends, and to the rest of the nations, and to the Persians and Medes -- the honorable ones, and to the rulers of the satrapies.

1:4  And after these things, after the showing to them the riches of his kingdom, and the glory of his gladness for [3days 1a hundred 2eighty],

1:5  and when [3were fulfilled 1the 2days] of the wedding, [3made 1the 2king] a banquet for the nations, to the ones found in the city, for [2days 1six], in the courtyard of the house of the king,

1:6  being adorned in fine linen, and cotton being stretched upon lines of fine linen and of purple, upon cube studs of gold and silver, upon columns of Parian marble, and stones, with beds of gold and silver upon a stone pavement of emerald stone, and mother of pearl, and Parian marble stone, and [2strewn beds 1transparent 4variously 3being decorated],

1:7  with cups of gold and silver, wine abundant and agreeable, which [3himself 1the 2king] drank.

1:8  But this banquet [2not 3according to 5being situated 4the law 1took place]; but thus [3wanted 1the 2king], and he gave orders to the managers to do his will, and for the men.

1:9  And Vashti the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes was.

1:10  And on the [2day 1seventh] [4with pleasure 3being 1the 2king], said to Mehuman, and Biztha, and Harbona, and Bigtha, and Abagtha, and Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs of king Artaxerxes,

1:11  to bring in the queen to him, to give her reign, and to put on her the diadem, and to show her to all the rulers and to the nations of her beauty, for she was beautiful.

1:12  And [3did not 4listen to 5him 2Vashti 1queen] to come with the eunuchs. And [3fretted 1the 2king], and he was provoked to anger.

1:13  And he said to his friends, Thus these things Vashti spoke, you deal then concerning this law and judgment!

1:14  And came forward to him Carshena, and Shethar and Admatha, and Tarshish, and Meres and Marsena and Memucan seven rulers of the Persians and Medes, the ones near the king, the ones foremost being seated near the king.

1:15  And they reported to him according to the laws as what [4must 5do 1Vashti 2the 3queen], for she had not done the things [2by 3the 4king, 1having been assigned] through the eunuchs.

1:16  And Memucan said to the king and to the rulers, Not [5the 6king 1only 4wronged 3Vashti 2queen], but also all the rulers, and the leaders of the king,

1:17  (for he described to them the sayings of the queen) and how ever she contradicted the king, as then she did contradict to king Artaxerxes,

1:18  so today, the wives of the sovereigns of the rest of the rulers of the Persians and Medes hearing the things [2against the 3king 1having been said] by her, they shall dare in like manner to dishonor their husbands.

1:19  If then it seems good to the king, let him assign a royal decree, and let him write it according to the laws of the Medes and Persians! and not otherwise treat nor let [4enter 3any longer 1the 2queen] to him, and [5her royalty 1let 4give 2the 3king] to a woman better than her!

1:20  And let [6be heard 1the 2law 3by 4the 5king]! which ever he should make for his kingdom. And thus all the women shall invest honor to their own husbands, from poor unto rich.

1:21  And [3pleased 1the 2word] the king and the rulers. And [3did 1the 2king] as Memucan said.

1:22  And he sent letters into all the kingdom, according to place, according to their form of speech, so as to be fearing them in their households.