1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces) 2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan, the palace, 3 In the third year of his reign, he made a banquet unto all his princes and his slaves, having before him the power of Persia and Media, the governors and princes of the provinces, ‘ 4 to show them the riches of the glory of his kingdom and the honour of beauty of his greatness for many days, even one hundred and eighty days. 5 And when these days were expired, the king made a banquet unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. 6 There were white, green, and blue hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble; the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of porphyre and of marble and of alabaster and of blue. 7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another) and royal wine in abundance, according to the power of the king. 8 And the drink was according to this law: let no one constrain themselves; for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to the will of each one. 9 Likewise Vashti, the queen, made a banquet for the women in the royal house of King Ahasuerus.