Esther 1:11-21

11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with the royal crown, in order to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was indeed a good-looking woman.
12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the order of the king, which he had sent through his officers. This enraged the king - his anger blazed inside him.
13 As was the king's custom, he consulted sages well-versed in matters of law and justice.
14 With him were Karshna, Shetar, Admata, Tarshish, Meres, Marsna and Memukhan, the seven vice-regents of Persia and Media, who were part of the king's inner circle and were the most important officials in the kingdom.
15 [The king asked the sages,] "According to the law, what should we do to Queen Vashti, since she didn't obey the order of King Achashverosh conveyed by the officers?"
16 Memukhan presented the king and vice-regents this answer: "Vashti the queen has wronged not only the king, but also all the officials and all the peoples in all the provinces of King Achashverosh;
17 because this act of the queen's will become known to all the women, who will then start showing disrespect toward their own husbands; they will say, 'King Achashverosh ordered Vashti the queen to be brought before him, but she wouldn't come.'
18 Moreover, the noble ladies of Persia and Media who hear of the queen's conduct will mention it to all the king's officials, which will bring about no end of disrespect and discord.
19 If it pleases his majesty, let him issue a royal decree - and let it be written as one of the laws of the Persians and Medes, which are irrevocable - that Vashti is never again to be admitted into the presence of King Achashverosh, and that the king give her royal position to someone better than she.
20 When the edict made by the king is proclaimed throughout the length and breadth of the kingdom, then all wives will honor their husbands, whether great or small."
21 This advice pleased the king and the officials, so the king did what Memukhan had suggested -
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.