Esther 1 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible
Esther 1 (WEBP)
[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.
Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.
King James w/Strong’s #s
Esther 1 (KJVS)
[1] Now it came to pass in the days H3117 of Ahasuerus H325, (this [is] Ahasuerus H325 which reigned H4427 (8802), 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 (8800) 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 (8800), he made H6213 (8804) 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 (8687) 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 (8800), the king H4428 made H6213 (8804) a feast H4960 unto all the people H5971 that were present H4672 (8737) 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 (8803) 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 (8687) in vessels H3627 of gold H2091, (the vessels H3627 being diverse H8138 (8802) 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 (8802): for so the king H4428 had appointed H3245 (8765) to all the officers H7227 of his house H1004, that they should do H6213 (8800) according to every man’s H376 pleasure H7522.
[9] Also Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 made H6213 (8804) 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 (8804) Mehuman H4104, Biztha H968, Harbona H2726, Bigtha H903, and Abagtha H5, Zethar H2242, and Carcas H3752, the seven H7651 chamberlains H5631 that served H8334 (8764) in the presence H6440 of Ahasuerus H325 the king H4428,
[11] To bring H935 (8687) Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 before H6440 the king H4428 with the crown H3804 royal H4438, to shew H7200 (8687) 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 (8762) to come H935 (8800) at the king’s H4428 commandment H1697 by H3027 [his] chamberlains H5631: therefore was the king H4428 very H3966 wroth H7107 (8799), and his anger H2534 burned H1197 (8804) in him.
[13] Then the king H4428 said H559 (8799) to the wise men H2450, which knew H3045 (8802) the times H6256, (for so [was] the king’s H4428 manner H1697 toward H6440 all that knew H3045 (8802) 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 (8802) the king’s H4428 face H6440, [and] which sat H3427 (8802) the first H7223 in the kingdom H4438;)
[15] What shall we do H6213 (8800) unto the queen H4436 Vashti H2060 according to law H1881, because she hath not performed H6213 (8804) the commandment H3982 of the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 by H3027 the chamberlains H5631?
[16] And Memucan H4462 answered H559 (8799) before H6440 the king H4428 and the princes H8269, Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 hath not done wrong H5753 (8804) 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 (8799) unto all women H802, so that they shall despise H959 (8687) their husbands H1167 in their eyes H5869, when it shall be reported H559 (8800), The king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 commanded H559 (8804) Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 to be brought in H935 (8687) before H6440 him, but she came H935 (8804) not.
[18] [Likewise] shall the ladies H8282 of Persia H6539 and Media H4074 say H559 (8799) this day H3117 unto all the king’s H4428 princes H8269, which have heard H8085 (8804) 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 (8804) the king H4428, let there go H3318 (8799) a royal H4438 commandment H1697 from him H6440, and let it be written H3789 (8735) among the laws H1881 of the Persians H6539 and the Medes H4074, that it be not altered H5674 (8799), That Vashti H2060 come H935 (8799) no more before H6440 king H4428 Ahasuerus H325; and let the king H4428 give H5414 (8799) 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 (8799) shall be published H8085 (8738) throughout all his empire H4438, (for it is great H7227,) all the wives H802 shall give H5414 (8799) to their husbands H1167 honour H3366, both to great H1419 and small H6996.
[21] And the saying H1697 pleased H3190 (8799) H5869 the king H4428 and the princes H8269; and the king H4428 did H6213 (8799) according to the word H1697 of Memucan H4462:
[22] For he sent H7971 (8799) 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 (8802) in his own house H1004, and that [it] should be published H1696 (8764) according to the language H3956 of every people H5971.
Young’s Literal Translation
Esther 1 (YLT)
[1] And it cometh to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus-he is Ahasuerus who is reigning from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces-
[2] in those days, at the sitting of the king Ahasuerus on the throne of his kingdom, that is in Shushan the palace,
[3] in the third year of his reign, he hath made a banquet to all his heads and his servants; of the force of Persia and Media, the chiefs and heads of the provinces are before him,
[4] in his shewing the wealth of the honour of his kingdom, and the glory of the beauty of his greatness, many days-eighty and a hundred days.
[5] And at the fulness of these days hath the king made to all the people who are found in Shushan the palace, from great even unto small, a banquet, seven days, in the court of the garden of the house of the king-
[6] white linen, white cotton, and blue, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on rings of silver, and pillars of marble, couches of gold, and of silver, on a pavement of smaragdus, and white marble, and mother-of-pearl, and black marble-
[7] and the giving of drink in vessels of gold, and the vessels are divers vessels, and the royal wine is abundant, as a memorial of the king.
[8] And the drinking is according to law, none is pressing, for so hath the king appointed for every chief one of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man and man.
[9] Also Vashti the queen hath made a banquet for women, in the royal house that the king Ahasuerus hath.
[10] On the seventh day, as the heart of the king is glad with wine, he hath said to Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who are ministering in the presence of the king Ahasuerus,
[11] to bring in Vashti the queen before the king, with a royal crown, to shew the peoples and the heads her beauty, for she is of good appearance,
[12] and the queen Vashti refuseth to come in at the word of the king that is by the hand of the eunuchs, and the king is very wroth, and his fury hath burned in him.
[13] And the king saith to wise men, knowing the times-for so is the word of the king before all knowing law and judgment,
[14] and he who is near unto him is Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, Memucan, seven heads of Persia and Media seeing the face of the king, who are sitting first in the kingdom-
[15] ‘According to law, what-to do with queen Vashti, because that she hath not done the saying of the king Ahasuerus by the hand of the eunuchs?’
[16] And Memucan saith before the king and the heads, ‘Not against the king by himself hath Vashti the queen done perversely, but against all the heads, and against all the peoples that are in all provinces of the king Ahasuerus;
[17] for go forth doth the word of the queen unto all the women, to render their husbands contemptible in their eyes, in their saying, The king Ahasuerus said to bring in Vashti the queen before him, and she did not come;
[18] yea, this day do princesses of Persia and Media, who have heard the word of the queen, say so to all heads of the king, even according to the sufficiency of contempt and wrath.
[19] ‘If to the king it be good, there goeth forth a royal word from before him, and it is written with the laws of Persia and Media, and doth not pass away, that Vashti doth not come in before the king Ahasuerus, and her royalty doth the king give to her companion who is better than she;
[20] and the sentence of the king that he maketh hath been heard in all his kingdom-for it is great-and all the wives give honour to their husbands, from great even unto small.’
[21] And the thing is good in the eyes of the king, and of the princes, and the king doth according to the word of Memucan,
[22] and sendeth letters unto all provinces of the king, unto province and province according to its writing, and unto people and people according to its tongue, for every man being head in his own house-and speaking according to the language of his people.