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1. This is what happened during the time of King Xerxes, the king who ruled the one hundred twenty-seven states from India to Cush.
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1. Now it came to pass H1961 in the days H3117 of Ahasuerus H325 , ( this H1931 is Ahasuerus H325 which reigned H4427 , from India H4480 H1912 even unto H5704 Ethiopia H3568 , over a hundred H3967 and seven H7651 and twenty H6242 provinces H4082 :)
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2. In those days King Xerxes ruled from his capital city of Susa.
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2. That in those H1992 days H3117 , when the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 sat H3427 on H5921 the throne H3678 of his kingdom H4438 , which H834 was in Shushan H7800 the palace H1002 ,
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3. In the third year of his rule, he gave a banquet for all his important men and royal officers. The army leaders from the countries of Persia and Media and the important men from all Xerxes' empire were there.
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3. In the third H7969 year H8141 of his reign H4427 , he made H6213 a feast H4960 unto all H3605 his princes H8269 and his servants H5650 ; the power H2428 of Persia H6539 and Media H4074 , the nobles H6579 and princes H8269 of the provinces H4082 , being before H6440 him:
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4. The banquet lasted one hundred eighty days. All during that time King Xerxes was showing off the great wealth of his kingdom and his own great riches and glory.
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4. When he showed H7200 H853 the riches H6239 of his glorious H3519 kingdom H4438 and the honor H3366 of his excellent H8597 majesty H1420 many H7227 days H3117 , even a hundred H3967 and fourscore H8084 days H3117 .
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5. When the one hundred eighty days were over, the king gave another banquet. It was held in the courtyard of the palace garden for seven days, and it was for everybody in the palace at Susa, from the greatest to the least.
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5. And when these H428 days H3117 were expired H4390 , the king H4428 made H6213 a feast H4960 unto all H3605 the people H5971 that were present H4672 in Shushan H7800 the palace H1002 , both unto great H4480 H1419 and small H6996 , seven H7651 days H3117 , in the court H2691 of the garden H1594 of the king H4428 's palace H1055 ;
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6. The courtyard had fine white curtains and purple drapes that were tied to silver rings on marble pillars by white and purple cords. And there were gold and silver couches on a floor set with tiles of white marble, shells, and gems.
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6. Where were white H2353 , green H3768 , and blue H8504 , hangings , fastened H270 with cords H2256 of fine linen H948 and purple H713 to H5921 silver H3701 rings H1550 and pillars H5982 of marble H8336 : the beds H4296 were of gold H2091 and silver H3701 , upon H5921 a pavement H7531 of red H923 , and blue H8336 , and white H1858 , and black marble H5508 .
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7. Wine was served in gold cups of various kinds. And there was plenty of the king's wine, because he was very generous.
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7. And they gave them drink H8248 in vessels H3627 of gold H2091 , (the vessels H3627 being diverse H8138 one from another H4480 H3627 ,) and royal H4438 wine H3196 in abundance H7227 , according to the state H3027 of the king H4428 .
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8. The king commanded that the guests be permitted to drink as much as they wished. He told the wine servers to serve each person what he wanted.
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8. And the drinking H8360 was according to the law H1881 ; none H369 did compel H597 : for H3588 so H3651 the king H4428 had appointed H3245 to H5921 all H3605 the officers H7227 of his house H1004 , that they should do H6213 according to every man H376 H376 's pleasure H7522 .
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9. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
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9. Also H1571 Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 made H6213 a feast H4960 for the women H802 in the royal H4438 house H1004 which H834 belonged to king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 .
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10. On the seventh day of the banquet, King Xerxes was very happy, because he had been drinking much wine. He gave a command to the seven eunuchs who served him -- Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas.
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10. On the seventh H7637 day H3117 , when the heart H3820 of the king H4428 was merry H2895 with wine H3196 , he commanded H559 Mehuman H4104 , Biztha H968 , Harbona H2726 , Bigtha H903 , and Abagtha H5 , Zethar H2242 , and Carcas H3752 , the seven H7651 chamberlains H5631 that served H8334 H853 in the presence H6440 of Ahasuerus H325 the king H4428 ,
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11. He commanded them to bring him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. She was to come to show her beauty to the people and important men, because she was very beautiful.
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11. To bring H935 H853 Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 before H6440 the king H4428 with the crown H3804 royal H4438 , to show H7200 the people H5971 and the princes H8269 H853 her beauty H3308 : for H3588 she H1931 was fair H2896 to look on H4758 .
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12. The eunuchs told Queen Vashti about the king's command, but she refused to come. Then the king became very angry; his anger was like a burning fire.
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12. But the queen H4436 Vashti H2060 refused H3985 to come H935 at the king H4428 's commandment H1697 by H834 H3027 his chamberlains H5631 : therefore was the king H4428 very H3966 wroth H7107 , and his anger H2534 burned H1197 in him.
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13. It was a custom for the king to ask advice from experts about law and order. So King Xerxes spoke with the wise men who would know the right thing to do.
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13. Then the king H4428 said H559 to the wise men H2450 , which knew H3045 the times H6256 , ( for H3588 so H3651 was the king H4428 's manner H1697 toward H6440 all H3605 that knew H3045 law H1881 and judgment H1779 :
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14. The wise men the king usually talked to were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven of the important men of Persia and Media. These seven had special privileges to see the king and had the highest rank in the kingdom.
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14. And the next H7138 unto H413 him was Carshena H3771 , Shethar H8369 , Admatha H133 , Tarshish H8659 , Meres H4825 , Marsena H4826 , and Memucan H4462 , the seven H7651 princes H8269 of Persia H6539 and Media H4074 , which saw H7200 the king H4428 's face H6440 , and which sat H3427 the first H7223 in the kingdom H4438 ;)
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15. The king asked them, "What does the law say must be done to Queen Vashti? She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes, which the eunuchs took to her."
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15. What H4100 shall we do H6213 unto the queen H4436 Vashti H2060 according to law H1881 , because H5921 H834 she hath not H3808 performed H6213 H853 the commandment H3982 of the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 by H3027 the chamberlains H5631 ?
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16. Then Memucan said to the king and the other important men, "Queen Vashti has not done wrong to the king alone. She has also done wrong to all the important men and all the people in all the empire of King Xerxes.
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16. And Memucan H4462 answered H559 before H6440 the king H4428 and the princes H8269 , Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 hath not H3808 done wrong H5753 to H5921 the king H4428 only H905 , but H3588 also to H5921 all H3605 the princes H8269 , and to H5921 all H3605 the people H5971 that H834 are in all H3605 the provinces H4082 of the king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 .
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17. All the wives of the important men of Persia and Media will hear about the queen's actions. Then they will no longer honor their husbands. They will say, 'King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought to him, but she refused to come.'
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17. For H3588 this deed H1697 of the queen H4436 shall come abroad H3318 unto H5921 all H3605 women H802 , so that they shall despise H959 their husbands H1167 in their eyes H5869 , when it shall be reported H559 , The king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 commanded H559 H853 Vashti H2060 the queen H4436 to be brought in H935 before H6440 him , but she came H935 not H3808 .
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18. Today the wives of the important men of Persia and Media have heard about the queen's actions. So they will speak in the same way to their husbands, and there will be no end to disrespect and anger.
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18. Likewise shall the ladies H8282 of Persia H6539 and Media H4074 say H559 this H2088 day H3117 unto all H3605 the king H4428 's princes H8269 , which H834 have heard of H8085 H853 the deed H1697 of the queen H4436 . Thus shall there arise too much H1767 contempt H963 and wrath H7110 .
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19. "So, our king, if it pleases you, give a royal order, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be changed. The law should say Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her place as queen to someone who is better than she is.
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19. If H518 it please H2895 H5921 the king H4428 , let there go H3318 a royal H4438 commandment H1697 from H4480 H6440 him , and let it be written H3789 among the laws H1881 of the Persians H6539 and the Medes H4074 , that it be not H3808 altered H5674 , That H834 Vashti H2060 come H935 no H3808 more before H6440 king H4428 Ahasuerus H325 ; and let the king H4428 give H5414 her royal estate H4438 unto another H7468 that is better H2896 than H4480 she.
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20. And let the king's order be announced everywhere in his enormous kingdom. Then all the women will respect their husbands, from the greatest to the least."
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20. And when the king H4428 's decree H6599 which H834 he shall make H6213 shall be published H8085 throughout all H3605 his empire H4438 , ( for H3588 it H1931 is great H7227 ,) all H3605 the wives H802 shall give H5414 to their husbands H1167 honor H3366 , both to great H4480 H1419 and small H6996 .
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21. The king and his important men were happy with this advice, so King Xerxes did as Memucan suggested.
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21. And the saying H1697 pleased H3190 H5869 the king H4428 and the princes H8269 ; and the king H4428 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Memucan H4462 :
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22. He sent letters to all the states of the kingdom in the writing of each state and in the language of each group of people. These letters announced that each man was to be the ruler of his own family.
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22. For he sent H7971 letters H5612 into H413 all H3605 the king H4428 's provinces H4082 , into H413 every province H4082 H4082 according to the writing H3791 thereof , and to H413 every people H5971 H5971 after their language H3956 , that every H3605 man H376 should H1961 bear rule H8323 in his own house H1004 , and that it should be published H1696 according to the language H3956 of every people H5971 .
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