1This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia.H3117H325H325H4427H1912H3568H3967H7651H6242H4082 2In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,H3117H4428H325H3427H3678H4438H7800H1002 3in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were present,H7969H8141H4427H6213H4960H8269H5650H2428H6539H4074H6579H8269H4082H6440 4while he displayed the great wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and pomp of his majesty for many days, one hundred eighty days in all.H7200H6239H3519H4438H3366H8597H1420H7227H3117H3967H8084H3117 5When these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.H3117H4390H4428H6213H4960H5971H4672H7800H1002H1419H6996H7651H3117H2691H1594H4428H1055 6There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings tied with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones.H2353H3768H8504H270H2256H948H713H3701H1550H5982H8336H4296H2091H3701H7531H923H8504H1858H5508H8336 7Drinks were served in golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.H8248H3627H2091H3627H8138H3627H4438H3196H7227H3027H4428 8Drinking was by flagons, without restraint; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as each one desired.H8360H1881H597H4428H3245H7227H1004H6213H376H7522 9Furthermore, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the palace of King Ahasuerus.H2060H4436H6213H4960H802H4438H1004H4428H325 10On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended him,H7637H3117H3820H4428H2896H3196H559H4104H968H2726H903H5H2242H3752H7651H5631H8334H6440H325H4428 11to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing the royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the officials her beauty; for she was fair to behold.H935H2060H4436H6440H4428H3804H4438H7200H5971H8269H3308H2896H4758 12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command conveyed by the eunuchs. At this the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.H4436H2060H3985H935H4428H1697H3027H5631H4428H3966H7107H2534H1197 13Then the king consulted the sages who knew the laws (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and custom,H4428H559H2450H3045H6256H4428H1697H6440H3045H1881H1779 14and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media, who had access to the king, and sat first in the kingdom):H7138H3771H8369H133H8659H4825H4826H4462H7651H8269H6539H4074H7200H4428H6440H3427H7223H4438 15"According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus conveyed by the eunuchs?"H6213H4436H2060H1881H6213H3982H4428H325H3027H5631 16Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, "Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but also to all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.H4462H559H6440H4428H8269H2060H4436H5753H4428H8269H5971H4082H4428H325 17For this deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands, since they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.'H1697H4436H3318H802H959H1167H5869H559H4428H325H559H2060H4436H935H6440H935 18This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will rebel against the king's officials, and there will be no end of contempt and wrath!H8282H6539H4074H559H3117H4428H8269H8085H1697H4436H1767H963H7110 19If it pleases the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be altered, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.H2895H4428H3318H4438H1697H6440H3789H1881H6539H4074H5674H2060H935H6440H4428H325H4428H5414H4438H7468H2896 20So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, vast as it is, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike."H4428H6599H6213H8085H4438H7227H802H5414H1167H3366H1419H6996 21This advice pleased the king and the officials, and the king did as Memucan proposed;H1697H3190H5869H4428H8269H4428H6213H1697H4462 22he sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, declaring that every man should be master in his own house.H7971H5612H4428H4082H4082H3791H5971H3956H376H8323H1004H1696H3956H5971
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