Esther (Greek) 1
1
Queen Vashti Disobeys King Artaxerxes
18-20[1-3] #Ezra 4.6. King Artaxerxes#1.1-3 King Artaxerxes: King Artaxerxes: See the note on Artaxerxes the Great at 11.2-4. lived in his capital city of Susa#1.1-3 Susa: A city east of Babylon and a winter home for Persian kings. and ruled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
During the third year of his rule, King Artaxerxes paid for a festival and asked a special group known as the Friends of the King to come. He also invited a large number of people from his own empire and from other nations. The rulers of the Persian provinces came, and so did many important people from the province of Media. 21[4] For 180 days Artaxerxes showed off his wealth and spent a lot of money to impress his guests with the celebrations.
22[5] After this festival,#1.5 festival: Most Greek manuscripts “wedding party”; some Greek manuscripts “drinking party.” Artaxerxes invited all the men in the city of Susa to a drinking party in the courtyard of his palace. The party went on for six days.
23[6] The palace had been decorated with cotton and linen curtains tied back with purple linen cords. These cords were attached to gold and silver square pegs on columns, which were made of marble and other stones. Couches of gold and silver were arranged on pavement that had all kinds of designs made from emeralds, mother-of-pearl, and marble. These couches were covered with see-through cloth woven with designs of different colors, and around each couch were roses.
24[7] The wine cups were made of gold and silver, and the king had put on display one small cup that was decorated with rubies worth over 1,000 tons of silver. There was plenty of the king's favorite sweet wine, 25[8] and he had told everyone, “Drink all you want!” Then he told his servants, “Keep our cups full.”
26[9] Meanwhile, in another part of the palace, Queen Vashti#1.9 Vashti: The Hebrew form of the name; Greek “Astin.” was giving a drinking party for the women of Susa.
27[10] By the seventh day of the party, King Artaxerxes was really feeling happy, and he told his seven personal servants Haman,#1.10 Haman: This was probably a different Haman than Haman son of Hammedatha mentioned elsewhere in the book. Bazan, Tharra, Boraze, Zatholtha, Abataza, and Tharaba 28[11] to bring Vashti to him. Artaxerxes wanted to place the crown on her head again, to show everyone she was the queen. He also wanted to show his governors and the people from different countries just how beautiful she really was.
29[12] But Vashti did not go back with the servants—she refused to obey the king! Artaxerxes was furious because she had embarrassed him, 30[13] and he said to his friends,#1.13 friends: Probably refers to an important group known as “The Friends of the King,” the king's most honored and close advisors. “Vashti has refused to obey me! Tell me what the law says about a case like this.”
31[14] Arkesaeus, Sarsathaeus, and Malesear went up to the king. They were his highest officials as well as being governors of the Persians and Medes, and they were always given the seats closest to the king. 32[15] They said, “You sent your servants with a command for Queen Vashti. But since she refused to obey you, the law says she must be punished.”
33-34[16-17] Then Muchaeus, another official, told the king and the governors:
King Artaxerxes has told us what Queen Vashti said and how she refused to obey him. She humiliated the king, and soon all his governors and officials will be humiliated too. 35[18] We are governors of the Persians and Medes, but when our wives hear what the queen said to the king, our wives will dare to insult us in the same way.
36[19] Your Majesty, if you agree, you should make a law that Vashti is never to be with you again. Put it in writing, according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, so that it cannot be changed. And find some other woman who is more suited to be queen than Vashti.
37[20] Finally, make sure everyone in your kingdom is told what you have decided to do. Then each wife will honor her husband, whether he is rich or poor.
38[21] Artaxerxes and his officials liked what Muchaeus had said, 39[22] and Artaxerxes sent a copy of the law to all of his provinces. Each copy was written in the language of the province to which it was sent, and it said that every husband must be respected by his family.
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