rd

Esther 1

8 King Ahaſhueróſh maketh a royal feaſt, 10 Wherũto the Quene Vaſhti wil not come, 19 For which cauſe ſhe is diuorced. 20 The Kings decree touching the preeminence of man.
1.IN the dayes of Ahaſhueróſh (this is Ahaſhueróſh that reigned, from India euen vnto Ethiopia, ouer an húdreth, and ſeuen and twentie prouinces)
2.In thoſe dayes when the King Ahaſhueróſh ſate on his throne, which was in the palace of Shuſhán,
3.In the thirde yere of his reigne, he made a feaſt vnto all his princes and his ſeruãts, euen the power of Perſia and Media, and to the captaines and gouernours of the prouinces which were before him,
4.That he might ſhewe the riches & glorie of his kingdome, and the honour of his great maieſtie manie dayes, euen an hũdreth and foure ſcore dayes.
5.And when theſe dayes were expired, the King made a feaſt to all the people that were found in the palace of Shuſhán, bothe vnto great and ſmall, ſeuen dayes, in the courte of the garden of the Kings palace,
6.Vnder an hanging of white, grene, and blewe clothes, faſtened with cordes of fine linen and purple, in ſiluer rings, and pillars of marble: the beddes were of golde, and of ſiluer vpon a pauement of porphyre, and marble and alabaſter, and blewe coulour.
7.And they gaue them drinke in veſſels of golde, and changed veſſel after veſſel, and royal wine in abundance according to the power of the King.
8.And the drinking was by an ordre, none might compel: for ſo the King had appointed vnto all the officers of his houſe, that they ſhulde do according to euerie mans pleaſure.
9.¶ The Quene Vaſhtí made a feaſt alſo for the womẽ in the royal houſe of King Ahaſhueróſh.
10.Vpon the ſeuent day when the King was mery with wine, he commanded Mehumán, Bizthá, Harboná, Bigthá, and Abagthá, Zethar, and Carcás, the ſeuen eunuches (that ſerued in the preſence of King Ahaſhueróſh)
11.To bring Quene Vaſhtí before the King with ye crowne royal, that he might ſhewe the people and the princes her beautie: for ſhe was faire to loke vpon.
12.But the Quene Vaſhtí refuſed to come at the Kings worde, which he had giuen in charge to the eunuches: therefore the King was very angrie, and his wrath kindled in him.
13.Then the King ſaid to the wiſe men, that knewe the times (for ſo was the Kĩgs maner towardes all that knewe the lawe and the iudgement:
14.And the next vnto him was Carſhená, Shethár, Admátha, Tarſhíſh, Méres, Marſená & Memucán the ſeuen princes of Perſia and Media, which ſawe the Kings face, and ſate the firſt in the kingdome)
15.What ſhal we do vnto ye Quene Vaſhtí according to the lawe, becauſe ſhe did not according to the worde of the King Ahaſhueróſh by the commiſsion of the eunuches?
16.Then Memucán anſwered before the King and the princes, The Quene Vaſhtí hathe not onely done euil againſt the King, but againſt all the princes, & againſt all the people that are in all the prouinces of King Ahaſhueróſh.
17.For the acte of the Quene ſhal come abrode vnto all women, ſo that they ſhal deſpiſe their houſbãds in their owne eies, and ſhal ſay, The King Ahaſhueróſh cõmanded Vaſhtí the Quene to be broght in before him, but ſhe came not.
18.So ſhal the princeſſes of Perſia & Media this day ſay vnto all the Kings Princes, whẽ thei heare of the acte of the Quene: thus ſhal there be muche deſpitefulnes and wrath.
19.If it pleaſe the King, let a royal decree procede from him, and let it be writen among the ſtatutes of Perſia, and Media (and let it not be tranſgreſſed) that Vaſhtí come nomore before King Ahaſhueróſh. and let the King giue her royal eſtate vnto her companion that is better then ſhe.
20.And when the decree of the King which ſhalbe made, ſhalbe publiſhed throughout all his kingdome (thogh it be great) all the women ſhal giue their houſbands honour, bothe great and ſmall.
21.And this ſaying pleaſed the King & the princes, & the King did according to the worde of Memucán.
22.For he ſent letters into all the prouinces of the King, into euerie prouince accordĩg to the writĩg thereof, & to euerie people after their language, that euerie man ſhulde beare rule in his owne houſe, and that he ſhulde publiſh it in the language of that ſame people.

Notes

1:a.
Called alſo Darius, who was now the ſouereing Monarch, & had ye gouernemẽt of the Medes, Perſians and Chaldeans ſome thinke he was Darius Hyſtaſpis ſonne, called alſo Artaxerxes
1:b.
Daniel chap 6, 1 maketh mẽcion but of ſix ſcore, leauing out the nõber that is vnperfit, as the Scripture in diuers places vſeth
2:c.
That is, had reſt, and quietnes
2:*.
Nehem. 1, 1.
6:d.
Which they vſed in thoſe countreis in ſtead of tables
7:e.
As was beſeming for ſo magnifical a King
8:f.
None might be cõpelled to drinke more then it pleaſed him.
10:g.
Which was the laſt day of the feaſt that the King made for ye people, as verſe 5.
12:".
Ebr. which was in the hãd of the eunuches.
13:h.
That had experience of things, as thei had learned by diligent marking in cõtinuance of time
14:i.
Which were his chief counſelers, that might haue alwaies acceſſe to him.
16:k.
By her diſobediẽce ſhe hathe giuen an example to all women to do the like to their houſbãnds
17:l.
That is, her diſobedience.
18:m.
Meaning, yt thei wolde take firſt occaſiõ hereof to do ye like, & that ye reſt of womẽ wolde by cõtinuance do ye ſame.
19:n.
Let her be diuorced & an other made Quene.
20:o.
For he had vnder him an hundreth twẽtie and ſeuen countreis.
22:p.
That is, that ye wife ſhulde be ſubiect to the houſband and at his cõmandement.