1 In the days of Ahasuerus - the Aha- -suerus whose empire stretched from India to Ethiopia and comprised one hundred twenty-seven provinces -
2 when he occupied the royal throne in the citadel of Susa,
3 in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officers and ministers, the Persian and Median aristocracy, chiefs of the army, the nobles and the governors of the provinces.
4 For a hundred and eighty days, he displayed the riches and splendor of his empire and the wealth and pomp of his royal estate.
5 At the close of this period, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days at the palace garden for all the people, great and lowly, living in Susa.
6 There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings on marble pillars. On a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and colored stones were gold and silver couches.
7 Drinks were served in a variety of golden goblets, and the royal wine flowed freely, in keeping with the king's generosity.
8 By the king's order, each guest was allowed to drink as he pleased; all the stewards had been instructed to serve each guest according to his own wishes.
9 Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Ahasuerus.
10 Merry with wine on the seventh day, the king ordered the seven eunuchs who served him as chamberlains - Mahuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas -
11 to bring into his presence Queen Vashti with her royal crown, for she was very lovely and he wished to display her beauty to the people and nobles.
12 Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the order of the king transmitted by the eunuchs; the king was very displeased and burned with rage.
13 As was his procedure, the king consulted experts in law and justice.
14 He summoned the seven nobles of Persia and Media who were in his personal service and held first rank in the kingdom - Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memucan.
15 He asked them, "According to law, what is to be done with Queen Vashti for disobeying the king's order issued through the eunuchs?"
16 In the presence of the king and nobles, Memucan replied, "It is not the king alone that Queen Vashti has wronged but all the nobles and the whole populace in the provinces of King Ahasuerus.
17 All the women will soon know what she did, and so they will despise their husbands and say: 'King Ahasuerus ordered his wife to be brought before him but she refused.'
18 When the Persian and Median ladies hear of that, they will treat the royal officials in the same manner. So there will be no end to this kind of disrespect.
19 If it pleases the king, therefore, let an irrevocable royal decree be issued and included among the laws of Persia and Media, that Vashti is never again to come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and that the king is authorized to give her royal position to someone else more worthy than she.
20 When this decree of the king is proclaimed throughout his vast kingdom, all wives will honor their husbands, from the least to the greatest."
21 This proposal pleased the king and his officials; so the king acted on Memucan's advice.
22 He sent letters to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, declaring that every husband should be master in his own household.
Versículos relacionados com Esther, 1:
Esther 1 describes a feast offered by King Ahasuero to the nobles and princes of his kingdom. For seven days, they celebrated and drank in abundance. On the seventh day, the king ordered his queen, Vasti, to attend before him and the guests to show his beauty. However, Vasti refused to obey the king, which made him enraged. Below are five verses related to the topics covered in Esther 1:
Proverbs 20:1: "Wine is scoffing, the strong berry drink; and everyone who errss in them will never be wise." Esther's chapter 1 describes excessive drink during King Ahasuero's banquet. This verse of proverbs warns about the dangers of excess alcohol.
Isaiah 5:11: "Woe to those who get up early to follow the drunkenness and are looking for a strong drink, remaining until night, until the wine warms them!" This verse denounces those who surrender to drink and warns of the evils that this practice can bring.
Proverbs 31:4-5: "It is not proper to kings, O Lemuel, it is not proper to the kings to drink wine, nor the princes to want strong drink; so that drinking forget the law, and pervert the right of all afflicted." This excerpt from proverbs warns rulers about the danger of alcohol consumption, which may lead them to forget their obligations and harm those under their authority.
Proverbs 15:1: "The mild answer deflects the furor, but the word lasts raises anger." In Esther's chapter 1, the king is furious with Vasti's refusal to appear before him and the guests. This verse of proverbs highlights the importance of moderation and care when speaking to avoid conflict.
Proverbs 25:28: "As a knocked city, which has no walls, so is the man who cannot contain his spirit." King Ahasuero demonstrates a lack of self -control and temperance by enraging himself with Vasti. This verse of Proverbs highlights the importance of controlling emotions and cultivating patience.
Capítulos: