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Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven and twenty provinces),

that in those days when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in the palace in Shushan,

in the third year of his reign he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants. The power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him,

he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even a hundred and fourscore days.

And when these days had passed, the king made a feast unto all the people who were present in the palace at Shushan, both unto great and small, for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

There were white, green, and blue hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings, and pillars of marble. The beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red and blue and white and black marble.

And they gave them drink in vessels of gold (the vessels being diverse one from another) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.

And the drinking was according to the law. None did compel, for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.

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 Carcas, the seven chamberlains who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

11 to bring Vashti the queen before the king, with the crown royal, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on.

12 But the queen, Vashti, refused to come at the king’s commandment brought by his chamberlains. Therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for so was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and judgment;

14 and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face and who sat first in the kingdom):

15 “What shall we do unto Queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of King Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?”

16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, 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 shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.’

18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, who have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, that Vashti come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another who is better than she.

20 And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire (for it is great), all the wives shall give to their husbands honor, both to great and small.”

21 And the saying 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 the writing thereof, and to every people in their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

Then said the king’s servants who ministered unto him, “Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king;

and let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto the palace at Shushan, to the house of the women unto the custody of Hegai the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them.

And let the maiden who pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.” And the thing pleased the king, and he did so.

Now in the palace at Shushan there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

And he brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), his uncle’s daughter; for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid wasfair and beautiful, whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree were heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto the palace at Shushan under the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house into the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness from him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens who were meet to be given to her out of the king’s house; and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place in the house of the women.

10 Esther had not shown her people nor her kindred, for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it.

11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house to know how Esther did and what should become of her.

12 Now when every maid’s turn had come to go in to King Ahasuerus, after she had been twelve months according to the manner of the women (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odors and with other things for the purifying of the women),

13 then thus came every maiden unto the king. Whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women unto he king’s house.

14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned to the second house of the women to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s chamberlain, who kept the concubines. She came in unto the king no more unless the king delighted in her and she were called by name.

15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, had come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all those who looked upon her.

16 So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus into his royal house in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther’s feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts according to the state of the king.

19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat at the king’s gate.

20 Esther had not yet shown her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.

21 In those days, while Mordecai sat at the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were wroth and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen, and Esther informed the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out. Therefore they were both hanged on a tree, and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.