Esther 1
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Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned a from India to Ethiopia over b 127 provinces,
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in those days when King Ahasuerus c sat on his royal throne in d Susa, the capital,
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in the third year of his reign e he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him,
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while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days.
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And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa, the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of f the garden of the king's palace.
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There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods and marble pillars, and also g couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones.
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Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king.
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And drinking was according to this edict: "There is no compulsion." For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired.
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Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.
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On the seventh day, h when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, i Harbona, j Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus,
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to bring Queen Vashti before the king with k her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at.
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But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.
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Then the king said to l the wise men m who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment,
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the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and n Memucan, o the seven princes of Persia and Media, p who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom):
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"According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?"
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Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, "Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
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For the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, 'King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.'
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This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will say the same to all the king's officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty.
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If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so q that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she.
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So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, r all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike."
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This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed.
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He sent letters to all the royal provinces, s to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.
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Cross References
Esther 8:9
The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.
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Cross References
Esther 8:9
The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.
Esther 9:30
Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth.
Daniel 6:1
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom 120 satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom.
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Cross References
1 Kings 1:46
Solomon sits on the royal throne.
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Cross References
Nehemiah 1:1
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the capital.
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Cross References
Esther 2:18
Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther's feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.
Genesis 40:20
On the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, he made a feast for all his servants and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants.
1 Kings 3:15
And Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. Then he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
Mark 6:21
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
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Cross References
Esther 7:7 - 8
And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king.
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Cross References
Ezekiel 23:41
You sat on a stately couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed my incense and my oil.
Amos 6:4
Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall.
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Cross References
2 Samuel 13:28
Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.
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Cross References
Esther 7:9
Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, "Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high.
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Cross References
Esther 2:21
In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
Esther 6:2
And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
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Cross References
Esther 2:17
The king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Esther 6:8
Let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set.
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Cross References
Jeremiah 10:7
Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you.
Daniel 2:12 - 13
Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed.
Matthew 2:1
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem.
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Cross References
1 Chronicles 12:32
Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.
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Cross References
Esther 1:16
Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, "Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
Esther 1:21
This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed.
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Cross References
Ezra 7:14
For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand.
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Cross References
2 Kings 25:19
And from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and five men of the king's council who were found in the city, and the secretary of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city.
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Cross References
Esther 8:8
But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked.
Daniel 6:8
Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.
Daniel 6:12
Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, "O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?" The king answered and said, "The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.
Daniel 6:15
Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, "Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.
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Cross References
Ephesians 5:22
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the L...
Ephesians 5:24
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wi...
Ephesians 5:33
However, let each one of you love his wife as h...
Colossians 3:18
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting i...
1 Timothy 2:12
I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise...
1 Peter 3:1
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husband...
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Cross References
Esther 3:12
Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring.
Esther 8:9
The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.