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Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
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That in those days, when the kingAhasuerussat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
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In the thirdyear 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:
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When he shewed the riches of his gloriouskingdom and the honour of his excellentmajestymanydays, even an hundred and fourscoredays.
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And when these days were expired, the kingmade a feast unto all the people that were present[a] in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small,sevendays, in the court of the garden of the king'spalace;
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Where were white,green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silverrings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black,marble.
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And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal[b]wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.
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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'spleasure.
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Also Vashti the queenmade a feast for the women in the royalhouse which belonged to kingAhasuerus.
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On the seventhday, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commandedMehuman,Biztha,Harbona,Bigtha, and Abagtha,Zethar, and Carcas, the sevenchamberlains[c] that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
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To bringVashti the queenbefore the king with the crownroyal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair[d] to look on.
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But the queenVashtirefused to come at the king'scommandmentby his chamberlains: therefore was the kingverywroth, and his angerburned in him.
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Then the kingsaid to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king'smannertoward all that knewlaw and judgment:
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And the next unto him was Carshena,Shethar,Admatha,Tarshish,Meres,Marsena, and Memucan, the sevenprinces of Persia and Media, which saw the king'sface, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
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What shall we do unto the queenVashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the kingAhasuerusby the chamberlains?
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And Memucanansweredbefore 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 that are in all the provinces of the kingAhasuerus.
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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, The kingAhasueruscommandedVashti the queen to be brought inbefore him, but she came not.
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Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Mediasay this day unto all the king'sprinces, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too muchcontempt and wrath.
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If it please the king, let there go a royalcommandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashticome no more beforekingAhasuerus; and let the kinggive her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
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And when the king'sdecree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbandshonour, both to great and small.
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And the sayingpleased[e]* the king and the princes; and the kingdid according to the word of Memucan:
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For he sentletters into all the king'sprovinces, 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.