Septuagint
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Masoretic
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Esther 1
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Esther 1
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1:1 In the second year of the reign of
Artaxerxes the great king, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai the son of
Jarius, the son of Semeias, the son of Cisaus, of the tribe of Benjamine, a
Jew dwelling in the city Susa, a great man, serving in the king's palace,
saw a vision. Now he was of the captivity which Nabuchodonosor king of
Babylon had carried captive from Jerusalem, with Jachonias the king of
Judea.
And this was his dream: Behold, voices and a noise, thunders and earthquake,
tumult upon the earth. And, behold, two great serpents came forth, both
ready for conflict, and there came from them a great voice, and by their
voice every nation was prepared for battle, even to fight against the nation
of the just. And, behold, a day of darkness and blackness, tribulation and
anguish, affection and tumult upon the earth. And all the righteous nation
was troubled, fearing their own afflictions; and they prepared to die, and
cried to Elohim: and from their cry there came as it were a great river from a
little fountain , even much water. And light and the sun arose, and the
lowly were exalted, and devoured the honorable.
And Mordecai who had seen this vision and what Elohim desired to do, having
awoke, kept it in his heart, and desired by all means to interpret it, even
till night. And Mordecai rested quiet in the palace with Gabatha and
Tharrha the king's two chamberlains, eunuchs who guarded the palace. And he
heard their reasoning and searched out their plans, and learnt that they
were preparing to lay hands on king Artaxerxes: and he informed the king
concerning them. And the king examined the two chamberlains, and they
confessed, and were executed. And the king wrote these things for a
memorial: also Mordecai wrote concerning these matters. And the king
commanded Mordecai to attend in the palace, and gave gifts for this
service. And Haman the son of Amadathes the Bugean was honourable in the
sight of the king, and he endeavored to hurt Mordecai and his people,
because of the two chamberlains of the king.
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1:1 Now it came to pass in the days of
Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia,
over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)
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1:2 in those days, when king Artaxerxes was
on the throne in the city of Susa,
1:3 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.
1:4 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,
1:5 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,
1:6 [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
open-worked coverings variously flowered, [having] roses worked round about;
1:7 gold and silver cups, and a small cup of carbuncle set out o the value
of thirty thousand talents, abundant and sweet wine, which the king himself
drank.
1:8 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.
1:9 Also Astin the queen made a banquet for the women in the palace where
king Artaxerxes [dwelt].
1:10 Now on the seventh day the king, being merry, told Haman, and Bazan, and
Tharrha, and Barazi, and Zatholtha, and Abataza, and Tharaba, the seven
chamberlains, servants of king Artaxerxes,
1:11 to bring in the queen to him, to 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.
1:12 But queen Astin hearkened not to him to come with the chamberlains: so
the king was grieved and angered.
1:13 And he said to his friends, Thus hast Astin spoken: pronounce therefore
upon this [case] law and judgment.
1:14 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,
1:15 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.
1:16 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:
1:17 for he has told them the words of the queen, and how she disobeyed the
king. As then, [said he], she refused [to obey] king Artaxerxes,
1:18 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.
1:19 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.
1:20 And let the law of the king which h 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.
1:21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did as
Muchaeus had said,
1:22 and sent into all his kingdom through the several provinces, according
to their language, in order that men might be feared in their own houses. |
1:2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus
sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
1:3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and
his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the
provinces, being before him:
1:4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his
excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
1:5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the
people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small,
seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's palace;
1:6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine
linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of
gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black,
marble.
1:7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse
one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of
the king.
1:8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the
king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do
according to every man's pleasure.
1:9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house
which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
1:10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he
commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas,
the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew
the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
1:12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his
chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in
him.
1:13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was
the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
1:14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres,
Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the
king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)
1:15 What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she
hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the
chamberlains?
1:16 And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen
hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to
all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.
1:17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that
they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported,
The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him,
but she came not.
1:18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the
king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there
arise too much contempt and wrath.
1:19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and
let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be
not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the
king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.
1:20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published
throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to
their husbands honour, both to great and small.
1:21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did
according to the word of Memucan:
1:22 For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province
according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language,
that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be
published according to the language of every people. |
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