Xerxes’ Royal Feast 1 UDB King Ahasuerus ruled a very big empire which had 127 provinces. It extended from India in the east to 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 UDB During the third year after he had become king, he invited all his administrators and other officials to a feast. He invited the armies of Persia and Media to come to the feast. He also invited the governors and other leaders of the provinces. 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 UDB The celebration lasted for 180 days. During that time the king showed to the guests all his wealth and other things that made his kingdom great. BSB BSB: And for a full 180 days he displayed the glorious riches of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness.
5 UDB At the end of the feast, the king invited people to another celebration. He invited to the feast all the men who worked in the palace, including both those who did important work and those who did less important work. This celebration lasted for seven days. It was in the courtyard that was part of the palace garden. 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 UDB The garden courtyard was decorated with curtains of white cotton and violet, with cords of fine linen and purple, hanging from silver rings that were suspended from pillars of marble. There were couches of gold and silver arranged on a mosaic pavement that was made from porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored paving stones. 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 UDB The guests drank wine from gold cups. Each cup had a different design on it. The king was generous with the wine, and they had much to drink. 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 UDB There was a lot of wine, because the king wanted the guests to drink as much as they wanted, but the rule was, "No one is forced to drink." 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.
Queen Vashti’s Refusal 9 UDB Queen Vashti invited the women to a feast in another place in the palace. BSB BSB: Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10 UDB On the seventh day of those banquets, when King Ahasuerus was partially drunk from drinking wine, he spoke with Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Karkas (these were the seven servants who filled his personal needs and wishes). 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 UDB He told them to bring Queen Vashti to him, wearing her royal crown. He wanted his guests to see how beautiful she was. 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 UDB But Queen Vashti refused to go to the king. She refused to obey the command that the servants brought to her from the king. This made the king very angry. 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.
Queen Vashti Deposed 13 UDB So the king talked with the men who were known to be wise, who understood the things that happened in their lives and the laws about these 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 UDB Now the ones close to him were Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memukan, seven princes of Persia and Media. They held the highest positions in his kingdom, and the king paid attention to them when they spoke. 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 UDB The king said to them, "Queen Vashti has refused to obey me when I sent my servants to tell her to come here. What do our laws say that we should do to someone who acts like that?" 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 UDB While the other officials were present, Memukan told the king, "Your majesty, Queen Vashti has insulted you, and she has insulted all the officials and all the people in all the provinces of your Majesty. 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 UDB All the women throughout the empire will hear what she has done, and they will say, 'The king commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, and she refused.' So they will not obey their husbands, and they will show them disrespect. 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 UDB Before this day ends, the wives of all the officials in Persia and Media will hear what the queen did, and they will say to all of your Majesty's officials what the queen has said. They will have contempt and anger for all men. 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 UDB So if it pleases your Majesty, you should write a law, like all the laws of Persia and Media, to be a law that no one can change. This law should say that Queen Vashti will never be allowed to see you again, and you will choose another woman to be queen, a woman who deserves to be queen more than she does. 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 UDB When everyone in your empire hears what you have commanded, all the wives, those who are important and those who are not important, will honor their husbands." 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 UDB The king and the other officials liked what Memukan suggested, and the king put it into action. BSB BSB: The king and his princes were pleased with this counsel; so the king did as Memucan advised.
22 UDB Then he sent letters to all the provinces, stating that all men should have complete authority over their wives and their children. He wrote the letters in every language and wrote it in every unique alphabet written in every province. 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.