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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Esther 1 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/esther/1.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table 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id="topheading"><a href="../nehemiah/13.htm" title="Nehemiah 13">◄</a> Esther 1 <a href="../esther/2.htm" title="Esther 2">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/esther/1.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">The Wealth of King Ahasuerus</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>This is a record of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:1 The Heb. lacks a record of">a</a></span> what happened during the reign<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:1 Lit. days">b</a></span> of Ahasuerus,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:1 Or possibly Xerxes, and so throughout the book">c</a></span> the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:1 i.e. the upper Nile region">d</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>At that time King Ahasuerus was ruling from<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:2 Lit. was sitting on his royal throne in">e</a></span> Susa the capital.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:2 Or Susa the fortress, and so throughout the book">f</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:3 Or his servants">g</a></span> and the military leaders<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:3 Lit. army">h</a></span> of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the provincial officials were present.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:3 Lit. before him">i</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>He displayed the enormous wealth of his kingdom, along with its splendid beauty and greatness for many days—for 180 days in all.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:4 The Heb. lacks in all">j</a></span> </p> <p class="heading">The Banquet of King Ahasuerus</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>When those days were over, the king held a seven-day banquet in the courtyard of the garden of his<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:5 Lit. the king’s">k</a></span> palace for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least important. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>There were curtains of white and blue linen tied with cords of fine linen and purple material<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:6 The Heb. lacks material ">l</a></span> to silver rings on<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:6 Lit. and">m</a></span> marble columns. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other precious stones. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>Drinks were served in gold vessels of various kinds, and there was plenty of royal wine because the king was generous.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:7 Lit. wine according to the hand of the king">n</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>According to the king’s<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:8 The Heb. lacks king’s">o</a></span> decree the drinking was not compulsory because the king instructed<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:8 Lit. established">p</a></span> every steward in his house to serve each individual what he desired. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>Queen Vashti also held a banquet in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus for the women.</p> <p class="heading">Vashti Refuses to Obey the King</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>A week later, when the king was under the influence of all that wine,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:10 Lit. the heart of the king was happy with wine">q</a></span> he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served King Ahasuerus, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>to bring Queen Vashti to the king, wearing<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:11 Lit. with">r</a></span> the royal crown to display her beauty to the people and the officials, since she was lovely to look at. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s order that was brought by the eunuchs.</p> <p class="heading">The King Removes Vashti as Queen</p><p class="reg">Then the king flew into a rage. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>The king spoke to the wise men who understood the times, for it was the king’s custom to consult<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:13 Lit. to speak before">s</a></span> all those who understood law and justice. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>(His closest advisers<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:14 Lit. Those closest to him">t</a></span> were: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had direct access<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:14 Lit. saw the face of ">u</a></span> to the king and who held the highest rank<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:14 Lit. sat first in the kingdom">v</a></span> in the kingdom.) <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>The king inquired,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:15 The Heb. lacks The king inquired">w</a></span> “According to law, what should be done to Queen Vashti because she did not obey the order of King Ahasuerus that was delivered by the eunuchs?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and his officials, “It is not the king alone whom Vashti has wronged, but rather all of the officials and all of the people who are in the provinces of King Ahasuerus. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>When the report about the queen goes out to all the women, it will cause them to despise their husbands.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:17 Lit. husbands in their eyes">x</a></span> They’ll say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she wouldn’t come.’ <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>This very day the wives of the officials<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:18 Or women of nobility">y</a></span> of Persia and Media who hear the report about the queen will speak in the same way to all the officials of the king, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to another woman who is better than she. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>When the edict of the king that he issues is heard throughout his kingdom—for it’s vast—then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least important.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>This seemed like a good idea<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:21 The Heb. lacks idea">z</a></span> to the king and his officials, so the king did what Memucan suggested.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:21 Lit. according to the word of Memucan">aa</a></span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/esther/1-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>He sent letters to all the provinces of the king, written in the script of that province,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="1:22 Lit. to each province according to its writing">bb</a></span> and to each people in their own language, ordering that every man should be the master in his house and speak the language of his own people.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 1:1 The Heb. lacks <i>a record of</i><br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 1:1 Lit. <i>days</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 1:1 Or possibly <i>Xerxes</i>, and so throughout the book<br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 1:1 i.e. the upper Nile region<br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 1:2 Lit. <i>was sitting on his royal throne in</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 1:2 Or <i>Susa the fortress, </i>and so throughout the book<br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 1:3 Or <i>his servants</i><br /><span class="fnb">h</span> 1:3 Lit. <i>army</i><br /><span class="fnb">i</span> 1:3 Lit. <i>before him</i><br /><span class="fnb">j</span> 1:4 The Heb. lacks <i>in all</i><br /><span class="fnb">k</span> 1:5 Lit. <i>the king’s</i><br /><span class="fnb">l</span> 1:6 The Heb. lacks <i>material</i><br /><span class="fnb">m</span> 1:6 Lit. <i>and</i><br /><span class="fnb">n</span> 1:7 Lit. <i>wine according to the hand of the king</i><br /><span class="fnb">o</span> 1:8 The Heb. lacks <i>king’s</i><br /><span class="fnb">p</span> 1:8 Lit. <i>established</i><br /><span class="fnb">q</span> 1:10 Lit. <i>the heart of the king was happy with wine</i><br /><span class="fnb">r</span> 1:11 Lit. <i>with</i><br /><span class="fnb">s</span> 1:13 Lit. <i>to speak before</i><br /><span class="fnb">t</span> 1:14 Lit. <i>Those closest to him</i><br /><span class="fnb">u</span> 1:14 Lit. <i>saw the face of </i><br /><span class="fnb">v</span> 1:14 Lit. <i>sat first in the kingdom</i><br /><span class="fnb">w</span> 1:15 The Heb. lacks <i>The king inquired</i><br /><span class="fnb">x</span> 1:17 Lit. <i>husbands in their eyes</i><br /><span class="fnb">y</span> 1:18 Or <i>women of nobility</i><br /><span class="fnb">z</span> 1:21 The Heb. lacks <i>idea</i><br /><span class="fnb">aa</span> 1:21 Lit. <i>according to the word of Memucan</i><br /><span class="fnb">bb</span> 1:22 Lit. <i>to each province according to its writing</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../nehemiah/13.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Nehemiah 13"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Nehemiah 13" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../esther/2.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Esther 2"><img 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