| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1This is a record of what happened during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who ruled over 127 provinces from India to Cush. | 1These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. |
| 2At that time King Ahasuerus was ruling from Susa the capital. | 2At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. |
| 3In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers, and the military leaders of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the provincial officials were present. | 3In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. |
| 4He displayed the enormous wealth of his kingdom, along with its splendid beauty and greatness for many days—for 180 days in all. | 4The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty. |
| 5When those days were over, the king held a seven-day banquet in the courtyard of the garden of his palace for all the people who were present in Susa the capital, from the greatest to the least important. | 5When it was all over, the king gave a banquet for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were in the fortress of Susa. It lasted for seven days and was held in the courtyard of the palace garden. |
| 6There were curtains of white and blue linen tied with cords of fine linen and purple material to silver rings on marble columns. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and other precious stones. | 6The courtyard was beautifully decorated with white cotton curtains and blue hangings, which were fastened with white linen cords and purple ribbons to silver rings embedded in marble pillars. Gold and silver couches stood on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones. |
| 7Drinks were served in gold vessels of various kinds, and there was plenty of royal wine because the king was generous. | 7Drinks were served in gold goblets of many designs, and there was an abundance of royal wine, reflecting the king’s generosity. |
| 8According to the king's decree the drinking was not compulsory because the king instructed every steward in his house to serve each individual what he desired. | 8By edict of the king, no limits were placed on the drinking, for the king had instructed all his palace officials to serve each man as much as he wanted. |
| 9Queen Vashti also held a banquet in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus for the women. | 9At the same time, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes. Queen Vashti Deposed |
| 10A week later, when the king was under the influence of all that wine, he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served King Ahasuerus, | 10On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas— |
| 11to bring Queen Vashti to the king, wearing the royal crown to display her beauty to the people and the officials, since she was lovely to look at. | 11to bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman. |
| 12Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's order that was brought by the eunuchs. Then the king flew into a rage. | 12But when they conveyed the king’s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger. |
| 13The king spoke to the wise men who understood the times, for it was the king's custom to consult all those who understood law and justice. | 13He immediately consulted with his wise advisers, who knew all the Persian laws and customs, for he always asked their advice. |
| 14(His closest advisers were: Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media who had direct access to the king and who held the highest rank in the kingdom.) | 14The names of these men were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan—seven nobles of Persia and Media. They met with the king regularly and held the highest positions in the empire. |
| 15The king inquired, "According to law, what should be done to Queen Vashti because she did not obey the order of King Ahasuerus that was delivered by the eunuchs?" | 15“What must be done to Queen Vashti?” the king demanded. “What penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king’s orders, properly sent through his eunuchs?” |
| 16Then Memucan replied in the presence of the king and his officials, "It is not the king alone whom Vashti has wronged, but rather all of the officials and all of the people who are in the provinces of King Ahasuerus. | 16Memucan answered the king and his nobles, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire. |
| 17When the report about the queen goes out to all the women, it will cause them to despise their husbands. They'll say, 'King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she wouldn't come.' | 17Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king. |
| 18This very day the wives of the officials of Persia and Media who hear the report about the queen will speak in the same way to all the officials of the king, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger. | 18Before this day is out, the wives of all the king’s nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger. |
| 19If it seems good to the king, let a royal decree go out from him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Ahasuerus. Let the king give her royal position to another woman who is better than she. | 19“So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the Persians and Medes that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she. |
| 20When the edict of the king that he issues is heard throughout his kingdom—for it's vast—then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the greatest to the least important." | 20When this decree is published throughout the king’s vast empire, husbands everywhere, whatever their rank, will receive proper respect from their wives!” |
| 21This seemed like a good idea to the king and his officials, so the king did what Memucan suggested. | 21The king and his nobles thought this made good sense, so he followed Memucan’s counsel. |
| 22He sent letters to all the provinces of the king, written in the script of that province, and to each people in their own language, ordering that every man should be the master in his house and speak the language of his own people. | 22He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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