1 ARST This{ is the story of something that} happened during the time that{ a king named} Ahasuerus ruled{ the land of Persia}. The empire of this King Ahasuerus had 127 provinces and included all of the territory between India{ in the east} and Ethiopia{ in the west}. BSB BSB: This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush.
3 ARST During the third year that Ahasuerus ruled his empire, he hosted a feast for all of his officials and for every important person who worked for him. He also invited the officers who served in the{ combined} army of{ the kingdoms of} Persia and Media, the wealthy landowners, and the officials of the provinces. The king was present in person{ to host the feast}. BSB BSB: In the third year of his reign, Xerxes held a feast for all his officials and servants. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there, along with the nobles and princes of the provinces.
4 ARST Ahasuerus entertained his guests fabulously because he wanted to demonstrate that his empire was extremely wealthy and that he was a very rich and powerful king.{ The feast lasted} for six months. BSB BSB: And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 ARST At the end of those six months,{ after that feast was over,} the king hosted a{ second} feast. This feast was for all of the people in the royal stronghold in Susa, including both rich and poor. He held this feast in the courtyard of his palace garden. It lasted for a whole week. BSB BSB: At the end of this time, in the garden court of the royal palace, the king held a seven-day feast for all the people in the citadel of Susa, from the least to the greatest.
6 ARST { In the courtyard,} white and blue curtains were hanging from white and purple cords attached to silver rings on marble pillars. The guests reclined on couches made of gold and silver. These were set on a mosaic floor that was made of red marble, white marble, and pearl bordered with black marble. BSB BSB: Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.
7 ARST The attendants served wine in golden cups.{ The king was so rich that he had a great many of these cups,} and no two of them were alike. The king had the attendants serve great amounts of his own royal wine to the guests. BSB BSB: Beverages were served in an array of goblets of gold, each with a different design, and the royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty.
8 ARST Ahasuerus gave his guests a special privilege. He made the attendants who served the wine follow this rule:“No one has to drink if they do not want to.” All the guests could drink as little or as much as they wanted. BSB BSB: By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every official of his household was to serve each man whatever he desired.
9 ARST { While the king was entertaining the men in the courtyard,} Queen Vashti,{ his wife,} was hosting a feast for the women. She hosted it inside the royal palace where King Ahasuerus lived. BSB BSB: Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 ARST On the seventh day, when King Ahasuerus was feeling good from drinking wine, he called the seven{ castrated} guardians who served him personally.(Their names were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas.) BSB BSB: On the seventh day, when the king’s heart was merry with wine, he ordered the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas—
11 ARST Queen Vashti was a very beautiful woman. Ahasuerus wanted the people and officials who served in the royal court to see how beautiful she was. So the king told his seven personal servants to bring Queen Vashti to him. He told them to have her wear her royal crown. BSB BSB: to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
12 ARST But when the guardians came and told Queen Vashti what the king had commanded, she refused to come.{ The guardians reported this to the king, and} the king became very enraged. BSB BSB: Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.
13 ARST It was the habit of the king to consult with certain advisors who knew the law and could make good decisions. So he spoke to those advisors, who knew the right way to do things. BSB BSB: Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
14 ARST The king’ s closest advisors were Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memukan. These seven officials were from various places in{ the kingdoms of} Persia and Media. They advised the king personally. They were the most powerful officials in the empire. BSB BSB: His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.
15 ARST The king said to them,“I sent those guardians to Queen Vashti with a command, but she did not obey me. According to the law, what should we do with her?” BSB BSB: “According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
16 ARST Then Memukan answered the king,{ speaking loud enough that} both he and his officials could hear. He said,“Queen Vashti has done wrong, and not only against the king. She has also done wrong against all the officials and people groups in all the provinces that King Ahasuerus rules! BSB BSB: And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.
17 ARST This is what will happen. Women all over the empire will hear about what the queen did. They will say,‘King Ahasuerus commanded his servants to bring Queen Vashti to him, but she did not come!{ So if even the queen can disobey the king, why should I have to obey my husband?}’ Then women will stop respecting their husbands. BSB BSB: For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
18 ARST Even today, the leading women of Persia and Media will hear what the queen did. They will start to disobey{ their husbands, even though they are} officials of the king. They will treat them with disrespect, and this will make their husbands angry with them. That will be bad enough by itself,{ even if the news does not spread any farther}. BSB BSB: This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
19 ARST If it pleases you{ to do so}, O king, you should personally issue a royal decree and have scribes add it to the laws of Persia and Media, which no one can change.{ This decree should say} that Vashti can never come into your presence again. Then you should choose a different woman to be your queen, one who will obey you. BSB BSB: So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
20 ARST That way, even though your empire is very large, everyone in it will hear about your decree{ and know that if any wife disobeys her husband, he can banish and divorce her just as you did to Vashti.} Then all the women will respect and obey their husbands. This will be true of every husband in the empire.” BSB BSB: The edict the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom—and so all women, from the least to the greatest, will honor their husbands.”
21 ARST This seemed like a good idea to the king and his officials. So King Ahasuerus followed the advice of Memukan. BSB BSB: The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan advised.
22 ARST The king sent letters to every province in his empire. He wrote to every province using its own alphabet and to each people group in its own language. The letters said that men should be the masters over their wives and children. They also said that a husband should be able to give orders to his wife in his own native language{ and that she should understand and obey}. BSB BSB: He sent letters to all the provinces of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be master of his own household.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.