Douay Rheims Original ↷
Esther 1 📜 📕 ↷
Xerxes' Royal Feast
1 IN the days of Assuerus, who reigned from India unto Aethiopia over an hundred twenty seven provinces:📜💬📚
2 when he sat in the throne of his Kingdom, the city Susan was in the beginning of his Kingdom.📜💬📚
3 In the third year therefore of his empire he made a great feast to all the Princes, and to his servants, to the most valiant of the Persians, and the nobles of the Medes, and the rulers of the Provinces in his sight,📜💬📚
4 that he might shew the riches of the glory of his Kingdom, and the greatness, and vaunting of his might, a great time, to wit, an hundred an fourscore days.📜💬📚
5 And when the days of the feast were accomplished, he invited all people, that was found in Susan, from the greatest to the least: and commanded seven days a feast to be prepared in the entrance of the garden, & of the wood, which was planted with royal garnishing and with hand.📜💬📚
6 And there hung on every side hangings of sky-colour, and green, and hyacinthine colour, held up with cords of silk, & of purple, which were put into rings of ivory, and were held up with marble pillars. Beds also of gold and silver were placed in order upon the floor paved with the emerald, and the touch-stone: which painting adorned with marvelous variety.📜💬📚
7 And they that were invited, drank in golden cups, & the meats were brought in change of vessels. Wine also plenteous and the best was set down, as was worthy of a king's magnificence.📜💬📚
8 Neither was there that compelled them to drink that would not, but as the king had appointed, making each of his Princes overseer of every table, that every man might take what he would.📜💬📚
Queen Vashti's Refusal
9 Vasthi also the queen made a feast for the women in the palace, where king Assuerus had accustomed to remain.📜💬📚
10 Therefore the seventh day, when the king was merrier, and after very much drinking was well warmed with wine, he commanded Maumam, & Bazatha, & Harbona, & Bagatha, & Abgatha, & Zethar, & Charchas, the seven eunuchs, that ministered in his sight,📜💬📚
11 that they should bring in queen Vasthi before the king, the crown set upon her head, that he might shew her beauty to all the peoples and Princes: for she was exceeding beautiful.📜💬📚
12 Who refused, and contemned to come at the king's commandment, which he had commanded by the eunuchs. Whereupon the king being wrath, & chaffed with exceeding fury,📜💬📚
Queen Vashti Deposed
13 asked the wisemen, which after the manner of a king were always present with him, & he did all things by their counsel, which knew the laws, and rights of the elders:📜💬📚
14 (and the chief & nearest him were, Charsena, & Sethar, and Admatha, & Tharsis, and Mares, and Marsana, and Mamuchan, seven dukes of the Persians, and of the Medes, which saw the face of the king, & were wont to sit first after him)📜💬📚
15 to what sentence Vasthi the queen should be subject, that would not do Assuerus' the king's commandment, which he had commanded by the eunuchs.📜💬📚
16 And Mamuchan answered, the king hearing, and the Princes: queen Vasthi hath not only hurt the king, but also all peoples, & Princes, that are in all the provinces of king Assuerus.📜💬📚
17 For the word of the queen will go forth to all women, that they will contemn their husbands, and will say: King Assuerus commanded that the queen Vasthi should come in to him, and she would not.📜💬📚
18 And by this example all the wives of the Princes of the Persians and the Medes, will little esteem the commandments of their husbands: wherefore the king's indignation is just.📜💬📚
19 If it please thee, let an edict go forth from thy face, and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of Medes, which is not lawful to be transgressed, that Vasthi come in no more to the king, but an other that is better than she, take her Kingdom.📜💬📚
20 And let this be published into all the empire of thy Provinces (which is most large) and let all the wives, as well of the greater as of the lesser give honour to their husbands.📜💬📚
21 His counsel pleased the king, and the Princes: and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan,📜💬📚
22 and he sent letters to all the Provinces of his Kingdom, as every nation could hear and read, in diverse languages and characters, that the husbands should be Princes and masters in their houses: and that this should be published through all peoples.📜💬📚
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