10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs that served in the presence of Ahasuerus, the king, 11 to bring Vashti, the queen, before the king with the crown of the kingdom, to show the people and the princes her beauty, for she was fair to behold. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s word by his eunuchs; therefore, the king was very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
13 Then the king asked the wise men, who knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew about the law and rights, 14 and the next to him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and who sat first in the kingdom;) 15 What shall we do unto Queen Vashti according to law because she has not performed the decree of King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs? 16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti, the queen, has not only committed iniquity against the king, but also against all the princes and against all the people that are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For this deed of the queen shall be known abroad unto all the women so that they shall despise their husbands, saying, King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti, the queen, to be brought in before him, but she did not come. 18 And now the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the deed of the queen shall say this unto all the king’s princes, and there shall be much contempt and wrath. 19 If it pleases the king, let there go forth a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it not be altered, That Vashti come no more before King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. 20 And this sentence which the king shall make shall be heard throughout all his empire, although it is great, and all the wives shall give their husbands honour, from the greatest to the least. 21 And this word pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan; 22 for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, saying, That every man should bear rule in his own house and that it should be published according to the language of every people.