The Koine Bible

In the second year of Artaxerxes the great, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, saw a dream.

In those days, when King Artaxerxes was enthroned in Susa the city,

In the third year of his reign he made a banquet for his friends and for the rest of the nations and for the illustrious of the Persians and Medes and for the rulers of the satraps

and after these things, after his showing them the wealth of his kingdom and the glory of the gladness of his wealth for one hundred and eighty days

And when the days of the wedding were completed, the king made a banquet for the nations that were found in the city, for six days, in the court of the king’s house

adorned with fine linen and cotton fabrics stretched on linen and purple cords on golden and silver cubes, on marble and stone pillars, golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone and of pine stone and of Parian stone, and transparent coverings variously embroidered around with roses sprinkled with perfume

gold and silver cups and a coal-colored little goblet set before him, from thirty thousand talents, much and sweet wine, which the king himself was drinking

And this drinking was not according to an established law, but so the king wanted and he ordered the stewards to do his will and that of the men

And Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the royal palace where King Artaxerxes was

And on the seventh day, the king, having become cheerful, said to Aman and Bazan and Tharra and Boraze and Zatholtha and Abataza and Tharaba, the seven eunuchs who served King Artaxerxes,

to bring in the queen before him to make her queen and to put the diadem on her and to show her beauty to all the rulers and to the nations, because she was beautiful

But Queen Astin did not obey him to come with the eunuchs, and the king was grieved and was angered.

And he said to his friends, Thus did Vashti speak; therefore make a law and judgment concerning this.

And Arkesaios and Sarsathaios and Malesear, the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, the first ones sitting beside the king, came to him.

And they reported to him according to the laws how it is necessary to do to Vashti the queen because she did not do the things commanded by the king through the eunuchs.

And Mouchaios said to the king and the rulers, Queen Astin has wronged not the king alone, but also all the rulers and the governors of the king.

For he also related to them the words of the queen and how she contradicted the king, how then she contradicted King Artaxerxes

Thus today the remaining wives of the rulers of the Persians and Medes, having heard the things spoken to the king by her, will dare likewise to dishonor their husbands.

If then it seems good to the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians and let it not be altered, and let the queen no longer enter to him, and let the king give her kingdom to a woman better than she

And let the law be heard, which the king shall make in his kingdom, that in this way all the women shall give honor to their husbands, from the poor man even to the rich man.

And the word pleased the king and the rulers, and the king did as Mouchaios had spoken.

And he sent into all the kingdom according to country according to their language so as to be fear to them in their houses