King James Version

1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, he is Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Cush, seven and twenty and one hundred provinces. 2 In those days, when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne, which was in Shushan the citadel. 3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his officials and his servants, the army of Persia and Media, and the nobles of the provinces before him. 4 When he shows his wealth, the glory of his kingdom, and the preciousness of his great majesty, many days, eighty and one days. 5 And when these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast for all the people who were present in Shushan the palace, from great to small, a banquet of seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace. 6 Hur of fine linen and purple and blue held by ropes of fine linen and purple on silver rings and columns of ivory, with beds of gold and silver on a pavement of marble and fine linen and a merchant. 7 And to drink from golden vessels and various vessels, and royal wine as the hand of the king. 8 And the drinking is according to the law; there is no compulsion, for thus the king has established for all the chief of his house to do according to the desire of each man. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus. 10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was good with wine, he said to Memucan, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, and Zetar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus. 11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the royal crown to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to look at. 12 And the queen Vashti refused to come at the word of the king which was by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king was very angry, and his wrath burned within him. 13 And the king said to the wise men who know the times, "Indeed, the word of the king is before all who know law and judgment." 14 And the one who approaches me is a Chaldean named Shetar. He is from the land of Tarshish, a servant of merchants, positioned among the seven princes of Persia and Media, who see the face of the king, the first among those who sit in the kingdom. 15 According to the law, what should be done to Queen Vashti for not having done the word of King Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs? 16 And Memukan said before the king and the nobles, "It is not only against the king that Vashti has wronged, but against all the nobles and against all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus." 17 For the matter of the queen will go out to all the women to make their husbands despised in their eyes, saying, “King Ahasuerus has said to bring Vashti the queen before me,” and she did not come. 18 And on this day, the nobles of Persia and Media, who heard the words of the queen, said to all the king's officials, and it was fitting in disgrace and anger. 19 If a good word of the kingdom goes out from before me and is written in the laws of Persia and Media, and shall not pass, that Vashti shall not come before King Ahasuerus, and his kingdom he shall give to another who is better than she. 20 And the decree of the king shall be heard, which he will make in all his kingdom, for it is great, and all the women shall give honor to their husbands, from great to small. 21 And the matter was good in the eyes of the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan. 22 He sent letters to all the provinces of the king, to each province and its script, and to each people and their language, to have every man be ruler in his house and speak the language of his people.