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1. LXX text not in Heb. has been left out. Note. —In the Heb. and some copies of the LXX, Esther begins here; And it came to pass after these Gr. words things in the days of Artaxerxes, —(this Artaxerxes ruled over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India)—
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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, when king Artaxerxes was on the throne in the 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 reign, he made a feast to his friends, and the other nations, and to the nobles of the Persians and Medes, and the chief of the satraps.
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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. And after this, after he had shewn to them the wealth of his kingdom, and the abundant glory of his wealth during a hundred and eighty days,
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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, I say, the days of the marriage feast were completed, the king made a banquet to the nations who were present in the city six days, in the court of the king’s house,
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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. which was adorned with hangings of fine linen and flax on cords of fine linen and purple, fastened to golden and silver studs, on pillars of Parian marble and stone: there were golden and silver couches on a pavement of emerald stone, and of pearl, and of Parian stone, and Lit. transparent open-worked coverings variously flowered, having roses worked round about;
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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. gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out of the value of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself drank.
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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. And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.
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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. Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where king Artaxerxes dwelt.
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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. Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Aman, and Bazan, and Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,
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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. to bring in the queen to him, to Gr. to make her queen enthrone her, and crown her with the diadem, and to shew her to the princes, and her beauty to the nations: for she was 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. But queen Astin hearkened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so the king was grieved and angered.
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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. And he said to his friends, Thus hast Astin spoken: pronounce therefore upon this case law and judgement.
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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. So Arkesaeus, and Sarsathaeus, and Malisear, the princes of the Persians and Medes, who were near the king, who sat chief in rank by the king, drew near to him,
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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. and reported to him according to the laws how it was proper to do to queen Astin, because she had not done the things commanded of the king by the chamberlains.
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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. And Muchaeus said to the king and to the princes, Queen Astin has not wronged the king only, but also all the king’s rulers and princes:
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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. for he has told them the words of the queen, and how she Gr. contradicted disobeyed the king. As then, said he, she refused to obey king Artaxerxes,
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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. so this day shall the other ladies of the chiefs of the Persians and Medes, having heard what she said to the king, dare in the same way to dishonour their husbands.
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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. If then it seem good to the king, let him make a royal decree, and let it be written according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, and let him not alter it: and let not the queen come in to him any more; and let the king give her royalty to a woman better than she.
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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 law of the king which he shall have made, be widely proclaimed, in his kingdom: and so shall all the women give honour to their husbands, from the poor even to the rich.
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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. And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as Muchaeus had said,
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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. and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according to their language, Gr. that there might be fear to them, etc. in order that men might be feared in their own houses.
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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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