20
In the third year of his reign, the king gave a banquet for all his advisers, the representatives of the other countries, the noblemen from Persia and Media, and the governors of the provinces.
21
For six whole months he made a show of the riches of the imperial court with magnificent and expensive celebrations.
22
After the feast the king gave a banquet for the people of other nations who were in the city. It lasted a week and was held in the palace courtyard,
23
which was decorated with linen and cotton curtains, held by cords of purple linen attached to silver and gold blocks on marble and stone columns. Couches made of gold and silver had been placed in the courtyard, which was paved with green and white marble and mother-of-pearl. The couches were spread with a fine, thin fabric of many colors, with roses around the edges.
24
There were gold and silver cups, and one of them, decorated with jewels worth more than a thousand tons of silver, had been set out for display. There was plenty of good wine from the king's own supply.
25
There were no limits on the drinks. The king had given orders to the palace servants that they should provide him and his guests with as much as they wanted.
26
Meanwhile, inside the royal palace Queen Vashti was giving a banquet for the women.
27
On the seventh day of his banquet the king was feeling happy, so he called in the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants, Haman, Bazan, Tharra, Boraze, Zatholta, Abataza, and Tharaba.
28
He ordered them to bring in the queen, so that he could place the royal crown on her head and show her off to the officials and all his guests, for she was a beautiful woman.
29
But Queen Vashti refused to obey and would not come with the servants. This embarrassed the king and made him furious.
30
He told his advisers about Vashti's reply and asked them to give a legal opinion about what he should do.