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1. This is what happened during the time when Xerxes was king. Xerxes ruled over the 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.
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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. King Xerxes ruled from his throne in the 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 Xerxes' rule, he gave a party for his officers and leaders. The army leaders and important leaders from all of Persia and Media 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 party continued for 180 days. All during this time, King Xerxes was showing the great wealth of his kingdom and the majestic beauty and wealth of his palace.
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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. And when the 180 days were over, King Xerxes gave another party that continued for seven days. It was held in the inside garden of the palace. All the people who were in the capital city of Susa were invited, from the most important to the least important.
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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 inside garden had white and blue linen hangings around the room. They were held in place with cords of white linen and purple material on silver rings and marble pillars. There were couches made of gold and silver. They were setting on mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-ofpearl, and other expensive stones.
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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 golden cups, and every cup was different. There was plenty of the king's wine, because the king 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 had given a command to his servants. He told them that each guest must be given as much wine as he wanted, and the wine server obeyed the king.
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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 party for the women in the king's palace.
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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 party, King Xerxes was in high spirits from drinking wine. He gave a command to the seven eunuchs who served him. The eunuchs were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas. He commanded them to bring Queen Vashti to him wearing her royal crown. She was to come so that she could show her beauty to the leaders and important people. She was very beautiful.
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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. vnumber="11">
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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. But when the eunuchs told Queen Vashti about the king's command, she refused to come. Then the king was very angry.
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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 the custom for the king to ask the advice of the experts about the law and punishments. So King Xerxes spoke with the wise men who understood the laws. They were very close to the king. Their names were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven most important officials of Persia and Media. They had special privileges to see the king. They were the highest officials in the kingdom.
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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. vnumber="14">
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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 that the eunuchs had taken 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 answered the king with the other officials listening, "Queen Vashti has done wrong. She has done wrong against the king and also against all the leaders and people of all the provinces 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. I say this, because all the other women will hear about what Queen Vashti did. Then they will stop obeying their husbands. They will say to their husbands, '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 Persian and Median leaders have heard what the queen did, and these women will be influenced by what she did. They will do the same thing to the king's important leaders. And there will be plenty of 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 if it pleases the king, here is a suggestion: Let the king give a royal command and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media. The laws of Persia and Media cannot be changed. The royal command should be that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Let the king also give her royal position to someone else 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. Then when the king's command is announced in all parts of his large kingdom, all the women will respect their husbands. From the most important to the least important, all the women will respect their husbands."
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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 officials 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. King Xerxes sent letters to all parts of the kingdom. He sent them to each province, written in its own language. He sent them to each nation in its own language. These letters announced in everyone's language that every man was to be the ruler over 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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