a[2 Sam. 13:28]
bch. 7:9
c[ch. 2:21; 6:2]
dch. 2:17; 6:8
fJer. 10:7; Dan. 2:12, 13; Matt. 2:1
g1 Chr. 12:32
hver. 16, 21
iEzra 7:14
j2 Kgs. 25:19
kch. 8:8; Dan. 6:8, 12, 15
l[Eph. 5:22, 24, 33; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:1]
mch. 3:12; 8:9

Esther 1:10-22

Queen Vashti’s Refusal

10On the seventh day, awhen the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, bHarbona, cBigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11to bring Queen Vashti before the king with dher royal crown, ▼
▼Or headdress
 in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. 12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

13Then the king said to fthe wise men gwho knew the times (for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, 14the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and hMemucan, ithe seven princes of Persia and Media, jwho saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): 15“According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 16Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ 18This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. 19If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so kthat it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, lall women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” 21This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22He sent letters to all the royal provinces, mto every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

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