1This happened in the days of Ahasuerus. This is the Ahasuerus who ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India all the way to Ethiopia.
2In those days King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the palace at Shushan.
3In the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his princes and his servants. The army of Persia and Media, and the nobles and princes of the provinces, were there before him.
4For many days he showed them the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendour of his great majesty. It went on for a hundred and eighty days.
5When those days were over, the king made a feast that lasted seven days for all the people who were in the palace at Shushan, both great and small. It was held in the court of the garden of the king's palace.
6There were white, green and blue hangings, tied with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble. The couches were of gold and silver, on a floor of red, blue, white and black marble.
7They gave the guests drink in cups of gold, and no two cups were alike. There was royal wine in plenty, as a king can give.
8The drinking was done by rule, and no one was forced. The king had told all the officers of his house to let each man do as he pleased.
9Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal house that belonged to King Ahasuerus.
10On the seventh day, when the king's heart was merry with wine, he gave an order to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Carcas, the seven officers who served King Ahasuerus.
11They were to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing the royal crown, to show the people and the princes how beautiful she was. For she was lovely to look at.
12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command, given through his officers. So the king was very angry, and his anger burned inside him.
13Then the king spoke to the wise men who understood the times. This was the king's way with all who knew law and judgment.
14Those closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media. They saw the king's face and held the highest places in the kingdom.
15"What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to the law, because she has not obeyed the command of King Ahasuerus given through the officers?"
16Memucan answered before the king and the princes, "Queen Vashti has done wrong not only to the king, but also to all the princes and to all the people in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus."
17"For what the queen has done will become known to all women. They will look down on their husbands, when it is reported that King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come."
18"This very day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard what the queen did will say the same to all the king's princes. So there will be no end of contempt and anger."
19"If it pleases the king, let a royal command go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be changed: that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus, and that the king give her royal place to another woman who is better than she."
20"When the king's decree is announced through all his empire, great as it is, all the wives will give honour to their husbands, both great and small."
21The king and the princes were pleased with this advice, and the king did what Memucan had said.
22He sent letters into all the king's provinces, to each province in its own writing, and to each people in their own language. They said that every man should rule in his own house, and that this should be announced in the language of each people.