Esther 1 – search, read, and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible Classic
[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 his princes and his servants; the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him. [4] He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days. [5] When these days were fulfilled, the king made a seven day feast for all the people who were present in Susa the palace, both great and small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. [6] There were hangings of white and blue material, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. The couches were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red, white, yellow, and black marble. [7] They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king. [8] In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure. [9] Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus. [10] On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king, [11] to bring Vashti the queen before the king wearing the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful. [12] But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burned in him. [13] Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for it was the king’s custom to consult those who knew law and judgment; [14] and next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom), [15] “What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?” [16] Memucan answered before the king and the princes, “Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus. [17] For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands when it is reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn’t come.’ [18] Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s deed will tell all the king’s princes. This will cause much contempt and wrath. [19] “If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she. [20] When the king’s decree which he shall make is published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give their husbands honor, both great and small.” [21] This advice 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 its writing, and to every people in their language, that every man should rule his own house, speaking in the language of his own people.
King James Version
[1] Now it came to pass in the days H3117 of Ahasuerus, H325 (this is Ahasuerus H325 which reigned, H4427 (QalActPtc) from India H1912 even unto Ethiopia, H3568 over an hundred H3967 and seven H7651 and twenty H6242 provinces:) H4082 [2] that in those days, H3117 when the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 sat H3427 (QalInf) on the throne H3678 of his kingdom, H4438 which was in Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002 [3] in the third H7969 year H8141 of his reign, H4427 (QalInf) he made H6213 (QalPerf) a feast H4960 unto all his princes H8269 and his servants; H5650 the power H2428 of Persia H6539 and Media, H4074 the nobles H6579 and princes H8269 of the provinces, H4082 being before H6440 him: [4] when he shewed H7200 (HiphInf) the riches H6239 of his glorious H3519 kingdom H4438 and the honour H3366 of his excellent H8597 majesty H1420 many H7227 days, H3117 even an hundred H3967 and fourscore H8084 days. H3117 [5] And when these days H3117 were expired, H4390 (QalInf) the king H4428 made H6213 (QalPerf) a feast H4960 unto all the people H5971 that were present H4672 (NiphPtc)§ in Shushan H7800 the palace, H1002 both unto great H1419 and small, H6996 seven H7651 days, H3117 in the court H2691 of the garden H1594 of the king’s H4428 palace; H1055 [6] where were white, H2353 green, H3768 and blue, H8504§ hangings, fastened H270 (QalPasPtc) with cords H2256 of fine linen H948 and purple H713 to silver H3701 rings H1550 and pillars H5982 of marble: H8336 the beds H4296 were of gold H2091 and silver, H3701 upon a pavement H7531 of red, H923 and blue, H8504 and white, H1858 and black, H5508 marble. H8336 [7] And they gave them drink H8248 (HiphInf) in vessels H3627 of gold, H2091 (the vessels H3627 being diverse H8138 (QalActPtc) one from another,) H3627 and royal H4438 wine H3196§ in abundance, H7227 according to the state H3027 of the king. H4428§ [8] And the drinking H8360 was according to the law; H1881 none did compel: H597 (QalActPtc) for so the king H4428 had appointed H3245 (PielPerf) to all the officers H7227 of his house, H1004 that they should do H6213 (QalInf) according to every man’s H376 pleasure. H7522 [9] Also Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 made H6213 (QalPerf) a feast H4960 for the women H802 in the royal H4438 house H1004 which belonged to king H4428 Ahasuerus. H325 [10] On the seventh H7637 day, H3117 when the heart H3820 of the king H4428 was merry H2896 with wine, H3196 he commanded H559 (QalPerf) Mehuman, H4104 Biztha, H968 Harbona, H2726 Bigtha, H903 and Abagtha, H5 Zethar, H2242 and Carcas, H3752 the seven H7651 chamberlains H5631§ that served H8334 (PielPtc) in the presence H6440 of Ahasuerus H325 the king, H4428 [11] to bring H935 (HiphInf) Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 before H6440 the king H4428 with the crown H3804 royal, H4438 to shew H7200 (HiphInf) the people H5971 and the princes H8269 her beauty: H3308 for she was fair H2896 to look on. H4758§ [12] But the queen H4436 Vashti H2060 refused H3985 (PielImpf) to come H935 (QalInf) at the king’s H4428 commandment H1697 by H3027 his chamberlains:§ H5631 therefore was the king H4428 very H3966 wroth, H7107 (QalImpf) and his anger H2534 burned H1197 (QalPerf) in him. [13] Then the king H4428 said H559 (QalImpf) to the wise men, H2450 which knew H3045 (QalActPtc) the times, H6256 (for so was the king’s H4428 manner H1697 toward H6440 all that knew H3045 (QalActPtc) law H1881 and judgment: H1779 [14] and the next H7138 unto him was Carshena, H3771 Shethar, H8369 Admatha, H133 Tarshish, H8659 Meres, H4825 Marsena, H4826 and Memucan, H4462 the seven H7651 princes H8269 of Persia H6539 and Media, H4074 which saw H7200 (QalActPtc) the king’s H4428 face, H6440 and which sat H3427 (QalActPtc) the first H7223 in the kingdom;) H4438 [15] what shall we do H6213 (QalInf)§ unto the queen H4436 Vashti H2060 according to law, H1881 because she hath not performed H6213 (QalPerf) the commandment H3982 of the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 by H3027 the chamberlains? H5631 [16] And Memucan H4462 answered H559 (QalImpf) before H6440 the king H4428 and the princes, H8269 Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 hath not done wrong H5753 (QalPerf) to the king H4428 only, but also to all the princes, H8269 and to all the people H5971 that are in all the provinces H4082 of the king H4428 Ahasuerus. H325 [17] For this deed H1697 of the queen H4436 shall come abroad H3318 (QalImpf) unto all women, H802 so that they shall despise H959 (HiphInf) their husbands H1167 in their eyes, H5869 when it shall be reported, H559 (QalInf) The king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 commanded H559 (QalPerf) Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 to be brought in H935 (HiphInf) before H6440 him, but she came H935 (QalPerf) not. [18] Likewise shall the ladies H8282 of Persia H6539 and Media H4074 say H559 (QalImpf) this day H3117 unto all the king’s H4428 princes, H8269 which have heard H8085 (QalPerf) of the deed H1697 of the queen. H4436 Thus shall there arise too much H1767 contempt H963 and wrath. H7110 [19] If it please H2895 (QalPerf) the king, H4428§ let there go H3318 (QalImpf) a royal H4438 commandment H1697 from him, H6440§ and let it be written H3789 (NiphImpf) among the laws H1881 of the Persians H6539 and the Medes, H4074 that it be not altered, H5674 (QalImpf)§ That Vashti H2060 come H935 (QalImpf) no more before H6440 king H4428 Ahasuerus; H325 and let the king H4428 give H5414 (QalImpf) her royal estate H4438 unto another H7468§ that is better H2896 than she. [20] And when the king’s H4428 decree H6599 which he shall make H6213 (QalImpf) shall be published H8085 (NiphPerf) throughout all his empire, H4438 (for it is great,) H7227 all the wives H802 shall give H5414 (QalImpf) to their husbands H1167 honour, H3366 both to great H1419 and small. H6996 [21] And the saying H1697 pleased H3190 (QalImpf) the king H4428§ and the princes; H8269 and the king H4428 did H6213 (QalImpf) according to the word H1697 of Memucan: H4462 [22] for he sent H7971 (QalImpf) letters H5612 into all the king’s H4428 provinces, H4082 into every province H4082 according to the writing H3791 thereof, and to every people H5971 after their language, H3956 that every man H376 should bear rule H8323 (QalActPtc) in his own house, H1004 and that it should be published H1696 (PielPtc) according to the language H3956 of every people. H5971§
Footnotes
- § 1:5 Heb. found
- § 1:6 Or, violet
- § 1:7a Heb. wine of the kingdom
- § 1:7b Heb. according to the hand of the king
- § 1:10 Or, Eunuchs
- § 1:11 Heb. good of countenance
- § 1:12 Heb. which was by the hand of his Eunuchs
- § 1:15 Heb. what to do?
- § 1:19a Heb. if it be good with the king
- § 1:19b Heb. from before him
- § 1:19c Heb. that it pass not away
- § 1:19d Heb. unto her companion
- § 1:21 Heb. was good in the eyes of the king
- § 1:22 Heb. that one should publish it according to the language of his people
Byzantine Greek New Testament
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