Esther 1 - Good News Translation (GNT)

Queen Vashti Defies King Xerxes

1 (A)1-2 From his royal throne in Persia's capital city of Susa, King Xerxes ruled 127 provinces, all the way from India to Ethiopia.[a]

3 In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his officials and administrators. The armies of Persia and Media were present, as well as the governors and noblemen of the provinces. 4 For six whole months he made a show of the riches of the imperial court with all its splendor and majesty.

5 After that, the king gave a banquet for all the people in the capital city of Susa, rich and poor alike. It lasted a whole week and was held in the gardens of the royal palace. 6 The courtyard there was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains, tied by cords of fine purple linen to silver rings on marble columns. Couches made of gold and silver had been placed in the courtyard, which was paved with white marble, red feldspar, shining mother-of-pearl, and blue turquoise. 7 Drinks were served in gold cups, no two of them alike, and the king was generous with the royal wine. 8 There were no limits on the drinks; the king had given orders to the palace servants that everyone could have as much as they wanted.[b]

9 Meanwhile, inside the royal palace Queen Vashti was giving a banquet for the women.

10 On the seventh day of his banquet the king was drinking and feeling happy, so he called in the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas. 11 He ordered them to bring in Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. The queen was a beautiful woman, and the king wanted to show off her beauty to the officials and all his guests. 12 But when the servants told Queen Vashti of the king's command, she refused to come. This made the king furious.

13 Now it was the king's custom to ask for expert opinion on questions of law and order, so he called for his advisers, who would know what should be done. 14 Those he most often turned to for advice were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven officials of Persia and Media who held the highest offices in the kingdom. 15 He said to these men, “I, King Xerxes, sent my servants to Queen Vashti with a command, and she refused to obey it! What does the law say that we should do with her?”

16 Then Memucan declared to the king and his officials: “Queen Vashti has insulted not only the king but also his officials—in fact, every man in the empire! 17 Every woman in the empire will start looking down on her husband as soon as she hears what the queen has done. They'll say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.’ 18 When the wives of the royal officials of Persia and Media hear about the queen's behavior, they will be telling their husbands about it before the day is out. Wives everywhere will have no respect for their husbands, and husbands will be angry with their wives. 19 If it please Your Majesty, issue a royal proclamation that Vashti may never again appear before the king. Have it written into the laws of Persia and Media, so that it can never be changed. Then give her place as queen to some better woman. 20 When your proclamation is made known all over this huge empire, every woman will treat her husband with proper respect, whether he's rich or poor.”

21 The king and his officials liked this idea, and the king did what Memucan suggested. 22 To each of the royal provinces he sent a message in the language and the system of writing of that province, saying[c] that every husband should be the master of his home and speak with final authority.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 1:1 Hebrew Cush: Cush is the ancient name of the extensive territory south of the First Cataract of the Nile River. This region was called Ethiopia in Graeco-Roman times, and included within its borders most of modern Sudan and some of present-day Ethiopia (Abyssinia).
  2. Esther 1:8 There were no limits … wanted; or But no one was forced to drink; the king had given orders to the palace servants that everyone could have as much or as little as they wanted.
  3. Esther 1:22 saying; or in order.

Cross references

  1. Esther 1:1 : Ezra 4:6

You Might Also Like:

Esther 1 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And it cometh to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus -- he [is] Ahasuerus who is reigning from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces -- 2 in those days, at the sitting of the king Ahasuerus on the throne of his kingdom, that [is] in Shushan the palace, 3 in the third year of his...
Read More

Esther 1 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

1 In the days of king Ahasuerus, that reigned from India unto Ethiopia (who reigned from India to Ethiopia), upon an hundred and seven and twenty provinces, 2 when he sat in the seat of his realm, the city of Susa was the beginning of his realm. (when he sat on the throne of his kingdom, in the city...
Read More

Esther 1 - World English Bible (WEB)

1 Now in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty-seven provinces), 2 in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Susa the palace, 3 in the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all hi...
Read More

Esther 1 - The Voice (VOICE)

1 The following events occurred in Persia during the reign of King Ahasuerus, the same man who ruled 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. 2 In those days King Ahasuerus’ throne was in the citadel of Susa. 3 During the 3rd year of his reign, Ahasuerus gathered together all of Persia’s r...
Read More

Esther 1 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Persian King’s Banquet1 This is what happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. 2 At that time King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the castle in Shushan. 3 In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his princes and h...
Read More

Esther 1 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Mordecai’s Dream11 [a]2 In the second year of the reign of Ahasu-e′rus[b] the Great, on the first day of Nisan, Mor′decai the son of Ja′ir, son of Shim′e-i, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream. 3 He was a Jew, dwelling in the city of Susa, a great man, serving in the court of the king...
Read More

Esther 1 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

King Ahasuerus Deposes Queen Vashti1 In the days of Ahasu-e′rus, the Ahasu-e′rus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, 2 in those days when King Ahasu-e′rus sat on his royal throne in Susa the capital, 3 in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for...
Read More

Esther 1 - Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

1 Now it came to pass in the yamim of Achashverosh, (this is Achashverosh which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces;) 2 That in those yamim, when HaMelech Achashverosh sat on his kisse malkhut (royal throne), which was in the [Persian] capital, Shushan, ...
Read More

Esther 1 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Addition AMordecai’s Dream11 [a] 2 In the second year of the reign of Ahasuerus the Great, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei[b] son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream. 3 He was a Jew living in the city of Susa, a great man, serving in the court of the king. 4 ...
Read More

Esther 1 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

King Ahasuerus Deposes Queen Vashti1 This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia.[a] 2 In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 in the third year of his reign, he ...
Read More

Esther 1 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

King Ahasuerus Deposes Queen Vashti1 This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Cush.(A)2 In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,(B)3 in the third year of his reign, he gave a ba...
Read More

Esther 1 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The King’s Banquet1 These events happened in the days of King Xerxes,[a] who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.[b] 2 At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. 3 In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles a...
Read More

Esther 1 - New Life Version (NLV)

1 This is what happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 parts of the nation from India to Ethiopia. 2 In those days King Ahasuerus sat on the king’s throne in the city of Susa. 3 In the third year of his rule, he gave a special supper for all his princes and leaders. The...
Read More

Esther 1 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The King Dethrones Queen Vashti1 Now it came to pass in the days of (A)Ahasuerus[a] (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned (B)over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, (C)from India to Ethiopia), 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus (D)sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in (E)Shushan[b] the...
Read More

Esther 1 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Queen Vashti deposed1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,[a] the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush[b]: 2 at that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his no...
Read More

Esther 1 - New International Version (NIV)

Queen Vashti Deposed1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,[a](A) the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces(B) stretching from India to Cush[b]:(C) 2 At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa,(D) 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet(E) f...
Read More

Esther 1 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Vashti Is Removed From Her Position as Queen1 King Xerxes ruled over the 127 territories in his kingdom. They reached from India all the way to Cush. Here is what happened during the time Xerxes ruled over the whole Persian kingdom. 2 He was ruling from his royal throne in the fort of Susa. 3 In t...
Read More