BibleInTonguesWEB
Esther 1
The book opens not with Esther but with Ahasuerus, whose empire runs from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces. Six months of displayed wealth end in a seven-day drinking feast in Susa, where the tipsy king summons Queen Vashti to parade her beauty before his guests. She refuses, and the machinery of an empire lurches into motion over one woman's no. Watch how a private domestic quarrel becomes imperial law. Memucan warns that Vashti's defiance will embolden every wife in the realm, so the king issues an irrevocable decree deposing her and mandating that every man rule his own house.
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Now in the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who reigned from India even to Ethiopia, over one hundred twenty-seven provinces),
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in those days, when the King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Susa the palace,
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in the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his princes and his servants; the army of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him.
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He displayed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent majesty many days, even one hundred eighty days.
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When these days were fulfilled, the king made a seven day feast for all the people who were present in Susa the palace, both great and small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.
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There were hangings of white and blue material, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. The couches were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red, white, yellow, and black marble.
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They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
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In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had instructed all the officials of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure.
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Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.
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On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcass, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
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to bring Vashti the queen before the king wearing the royal crown, to show the people and the princes her beauty; for she was beautiful.
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But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the eunuchs. Therefore the king was very angry, and his anger burned in him.
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Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for it was the king’s custom to consult those who knew law and judgment;
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and next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom),
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“What shall we do to Queen Vashti according to law, because she has not done the bidding of the King Ahasuerus by the eunuchs?”
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Memucan answered before the king and the princes, “Vashti the queen has not done wrong to just the king, but also to all the princes, and to all the people who are in all the provinces of the King Ahasuerus.
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For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands when it is reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn’t come.’
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Today, the princesses of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s deed will tell all the king’s princes. This will cause much contempt and wrath.
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“If it pleases the king, let a royal commandment go from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be altered, that Vashti may never again come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate to another who is better than she.
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When the king’s decree which he shall make is published throughout all his kingdom (for it is great), all the wives will give their husbands honor, both great and small.”
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This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
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for he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, that every man should rule his own house, speaking in the language of his own people.
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Nos dias de Assuero (este é o Assuero que reinou desde a Índia até a Etiópia, sobre cento e vinte e sete províncias),
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naqueles dias, quando o rei Assuero se assentou no trono do seu reino, que ficava no palácio de Susã,
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no terceiro ano do seu reinado, ele deu um banquete para todos os seus príncipes e seus servos; o exército da Pérsia e da Média, os nobres e os príncipes das províncias estavam diante dele.
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Ele mostrou as riquezas do seu glorioso reino e a honra da sua excelente majestade por muitos dias, cento e oitenta dias ao todo.
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Quando esses dias se cumpriram, o rei deu um banquete de sete dias para todo o povo que estava presente no palácio de Susã, do maior ao menor, no pátio do jardim do palácio do rei.
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Havia cortinas de tecido branco e azul, presas com cordas de linho fino e púrpura a argolas de prata e colunas de mármore. Os divãs eram de ouro e prata, sobre um pavimento de mármore vermelho, branco, amarelo e negro.
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Davam-lhes de beber em taças de ouro de vários tipos, incluindo vinho real em abundância, de acordo com a generosidade do rei.
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De acordo com a lei, o beber não era obrigatório; pois assim o rei havia instruído todos os oficiais da sua casa, para que fizessem segundo a vontade de cada um.
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A rainha Vasti também deu um banquete para as mulheres na casa real que pertencia ao rei Assuero.
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No sétimo dia, quando o coração do rei estava alegre pelo vinho, ele ordenou a Meumã, Bizta, Harbona, Bigta, Abagta, Zetar e Carcas, os sete eunucos que serviam na presença do rei Assuero,
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que trouxessem a rainha Vasti perante o rei, usando a coroa real, para mostrar ao povo e aos príncipes a sua beleza; pois ela era formosa.
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Mas a rainha Vasti recusou-se a vir à ordem do rei transmitida pelos eunucos. Por isso o rei ficou muito irado, e a sua ira ardeu dentro dele.
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Então o rei falou aos sábios que conheciam os tempos (pois era costume do rei consultar aqueles que conheciam a lei e o direito;
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e os mais próximos a ele eram Carsena, Setar, Admata, Társis, Meres, Marsena e Memucã, os sete príncipes da Pérsia e da Média, que viam a face do rei e ocupavam os primeiros lugares no reino),
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“O que faremos à rainha Vasti de acordo com a lei, por ela não ter cumprido a ordem do rei Assuero transmitida pelos eunucos?”
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Memucã respondeu perante o rei e os príncipes: “A rainha Vasti não ofendeu apenas o rei, mas também a todos os príncipes, e a todo o povo que está em todas as províncias do rei Assuero.
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Pois este ato da rainha se tornará conhecido de todas as mulheres, fazendo com que desprezem os seus maridos quando for relatado: 'O rei Assuero ordenou que a rainha Vasti fosse trazida à sua presença, mas ela não foi.'
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Hoje mesmo, as princesas da Pérsia e da Média que ouviram falar do ato da rainha dirão isso a todos os príncipes do rei. Isso causará muito desprezo e indignação.
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“Se for do agrado do rei, que emita um decreto real, e que seja escrito entre as leis dos persas e dos medos, para que não possa ser revogado, que Vasti nunca mais compareça perante o rei Assuero; e que o rei dê a sua posição real a outra que seja melhor do que ela.
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Quando o decreto que o rei fizer for publicado por todo o seu reino (pois é grande), todas as esposas darão honra aos seus maridos, do maior ao menor.”
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Este conselho agradou ao rei e aos príncipes, e o rei fez de acordo com a palavra de Memucã:
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pois ele enviou cartas a todas as províncias do rei, a cada província segundo a sua escrita, e a cada povo na sua língua, para que cada homem governasse a sua própria casa, falando na língua do seu próprio povo.
A throne that cannot back down
The chapter's engine is the Persian law that, once written, "cannot be altered" (v.19). The king acts on wine-fueled anger, takes advice from courtiers anxious about their own households, and locks the outcome into permanence. That same rigidity will trap him again later, when he cannot recall the decree against the Jews.
Vashti simply vanishes from the story after refusing, but her empty crown is the hinge: it opens the vacancy that Esther will fill, setting the whole rescue in motion before God or Israel is ever named.
Context layers
Keep these closed by default and open them only when you want more context.
- JudgmentWhat judgment means in the Bible, how it relates to justice, mercy, and final accountability, and where to read it without flattening it into threat or embarrassment.
- Kingdom of GodWhat the kingdom of God means in the Bible, how it relates to Christ's reign, and where to read it without flattening it into politics or vague spirituality.
- Isaiah 33:22Key passage connected to Judgment.
- Romans 2:5-8Key passage connected to Judgment.
- Revelation 20:11-15Key passage connected to Judgment.
- Mark 1:14-15Key passage connected to Kingdom of God.
- Matthew 13:31-33Key passage connected to Kingdom of God.
- Luke 17:20-21Key passage connected to Kingdom of God.
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