¶ Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus¹, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India² even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred³ and seven and twenty provinces:)

That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat⁴ on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan⁵ the palace,

In the third year of his reign, he made⁶ a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia⁷ and Media, the nobles⁸ and princes of the provinces, being before him:

When he⁹ shewed the riches¹⁰ of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent¹¹ majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present¹² in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

Where were white¹³, green, and blue¹⁴, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds¹⁵ were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red¹⁶, and blue, and white, and black, marble.

And they gave them drink in vessels of gold¹⁷, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine¹⁸ in abundance, according to the state of the king.

And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel¹⁹: for so the king had appointed to all the officers²⁰ of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.

Also Vashti the queen²¹ made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

¶ On the seventh day, when the heart²² of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona²³, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

To bring Vashti²⁵ the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on²⁶.

But the queen²⁷ Vashti refused²⁸ to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains²⁹: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned³⁰ in him.

Then the king said to the wise³¹ men, which knew³² the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:

And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven³³ princes of Persia and Media, which saw³⁴ the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

What shall we do³⁵ unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti³⁶ the queen hath not done wrong³⁷ to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise³⁸ their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

Likewise shall the ladies³⁹ of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

If it please the king⁴⁰, let there go a royal commandment from him⁴¹, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another⁴² that is better than she.

¶ And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout⁴³ all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives⁴⁴ shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

And the saying pleased the king⁴⁵ and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province⁴⁶ according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man⁴⁷ should bear rule in his own house, and that it should⁴⁸ be published according⁴⁹ to the language of every people.