Esther 1:1-13

1 This is the story of something that happened in the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled from India to Ethiopia - 127 provinces in all.
2 King Xerxes ruled from his royal throne in the palace complex of Susa.
3 In the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The military brass of Persia and Media were also there, along with the princes and governors of the provinces.
4 For six months he put on exhibit the huge wealth of his empire and its stunningly beautiful royal splendors.
5 At the conclusion of the exhibit, the king threw a weeklong party for everyone living in Susa, the capital - important and unimportant alike. The party was in the garden courtyard of the king's summer house.
6 The courtyard was elaborately decorated with white and blue cotton curtains tied with linen and purple cords to silver rings on marble columns. Silver and gold couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and colored stones.
7 Drinks were served in gold chalices, each chalice one-of-a-kind. The royal wine flowed freely - a generous king!
8 The guests could drink as much as they liked - king's orders! - with waiters at their elbows to refill the drinks.
9 Meanwhile, Queen Vashti was throwing a separate party for women inside King Xerxes' royal palace.
10 On the seventh day of the party, the king, high on the wine, ordered the seven eunuchs who were his personal servants (Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas)
11 to bring him Queen Vashti resplendent in her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the guests and officials. She was extremely good-looking.
12 But Queen Vashti refused to come, refused the summons delivered by the eunuchs. The king lost his temper. Seething with anger over her insolence,
13 the king called in his counselors, all experts in legal matters. It was the king's practice to consult his expert advisors.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.