1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even to Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast to all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

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

5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast to all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both to great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;

6 Where 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, on a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.

7 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.

8 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.

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 Carcas, the seven chamberlains that 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 by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:

14 And the next to him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

15 What shall we do to the queen Vashti according to law, because she has not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen has not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad to all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The 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 to all the king's princes, which 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 to another that 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 after 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.

The Disobedience and Disgrace of Queen Vashti

1. Ahasuerus] LXX has ’Artaxerxes,’ but probably ’Xerxes,’ the son of Darius Hystaspis, is meant, who succeeded his father in 485 b.c.

India.. Ethiopia] India here means not the peninsula of Hindostan, but the region near the Indus: Ethiopia is the modern Nubia.

2. Shushan] i.e. Susa in Elam, the country lying to the E. of the Persian Gulf. The palace] lit. ’the fortress,’ as in Neh 1:1.;

3. In the third year] i.e. 483 b.c. Thy power] better, ’the forces’: and so in Neh 8:11.

6. White, green, and blue] Some take the second term to designate the ’material,’ and render ’of white cotton and blue,’ white and blue (or violet) being the Persian royal colours ( Est 8:15). The beds] RV ’the couches,’ upon which the feasters reclined.

7. Royal wine] LXX has ’wine which the king himself used to drink.’ The state] RV ’the bounty.’

8. According to the law] i.e. according to the king’s express command on this occasion; for it is implied that in general the drinking was regulated by the court officials, and the guests had to drink just as much or as little as they were bidden, not as they pleased.

9. Vashti] According to Herodotus, Xerxes’ queen was called Amestris.

13. The wise men, which knew the times] probably experienced counsellors (cp. 1Ch 12:32); but according to others, astrologers and diviners: cp. Isa 44:25; Dan 5:15. For so was the king’s manner toward all] better, ’for so was the king’s business brought before all,’ etc. The king was expected to consult ’those who knew law and judgment’ in all matters before coming to a decision.

14. The next unto him] i.e. nearest to the king in rank and importance.

18. Likewise shall the ladies, etc.] RV ’And this day shall the princesses of Persia and Media which have heard of the deed of the queen say the like unto all the king’s princes.’

19. That it be not altered] cp. Dan 6:8. Any command written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring was similarly irrevocable.

20. For it is great] i.e. the decree is weighty and important.

22. According to the writing thereof] i.e. the letters sent to the several provinces were written in the characters and language that prevailed in each. Many of the extant inscriptions of the Persian kings are tri-lingual.

And that it should be published, etc.] better (by a slight correction), ’and that he should speak all that seemed good to him,’ i.e. should speak his mind freely, without regard to the feelings of his women-folk.