WEBVTT

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The Book of Esther.

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Chapter 1.

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Now it came to pass in the days of
Ahasuerus, this is Ahasuerus which reigned

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from India even unto Ethiopia,
over an hundred and seven and twenty

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provinces, that in those days when the
king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his

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kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
in the third year of his reign he made a

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feast unto all his princes and his
servants.

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The power of Persia and Media,
the nobles and princes of the provinces,

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being before him.

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When he showed the riches of his glorious
kingdom, and the honour of his excellent

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majesty, many days, even an hundred and
fourscore days.

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And when these days were expired,
the king made a feast unto all the people

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that were present in Shushan the palace,
both unto great and small, seven days,

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in the court of the garden of the king's
palace, where were white, green,

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and blue hangings, fastened with cords of
fine linen, and purple to silver rings,

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and pillars of marble.

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The beds were of gold and silver,
upon a pavement of red, and blue,

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and white, and black marble.

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And they gave them drink in vessels of
gold, the vessels being diverse one from

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another, and royal wine in abundance,
according to the state of the king.

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And the drinking was according to the law,
none did compel.

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For so the king had appointed to all the
officers of his house, that they should do

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according to every man's pleasure.

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Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the
women in the royal house, which belonged

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to king Ahasuerus.

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On the seventh day, when the heart of the
king was merry with wine, he commanded

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Mehumen, Biztha, Arbona, Bigtha,
and Abagtha, Zitha, and Carcas,

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the seven chamberlains that served in the
presence of Ahasuerus the king,

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to bring Vashti the queen before the king,
with the crown royal, to show the people

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and the princes her beauty, for she was
fair to look on.

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But the queen Vashti refused to come at
the king's commandment by his

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chamberlains.

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Therefore was the king very wroth,
and his anger burned in him.

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Then the king said to the wise men,
which knew the times, for so was the

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king's manner toward all that knew law and
judgment.

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And the next unto him was Carcina,
Citha, Admetha, Tarshish, Meres,

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Mycena, and Memucan, the seven princes of
Persia and Media, which saw the king's

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face, and which sat the first in the
kingdom.

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What shall we do unto the queen Vashti
according to law, because she hath not

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performed the commandment of the king
Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?

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And Memucan answered before the king and
the princes, Vashti the queen hath not

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done wrong to the king only, but also to
all the princes, and to all the people

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that are in all the provinces of the king
Ahasuerus.

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For this deed of the queen shall come
abroad unto all women, so that they shall

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despise their husbands in their eyes,
when it shall be reported, the king

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Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be
brought in before him, but she came not.

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Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and
Media say this day unto all the king's

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princes, which have heard of the deed of
the queen, thus shall there arise too much

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contempt and wrath.

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If it please the king, let there go a
royal commandment from him, and let it be

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written among the laws of the Persians and
the Medes, that it be not altered,

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that Vashti come no more before king
Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal

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estate unto another that is better than
she.

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And when the king's decree, which he shall
make, shall be published throughout all

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his empire, for it is great, all the wives
shall give to their husbands honour,

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both to great and small.

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And the saying pleased the king and the
princes, and the king did according to the

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word of Mimucan.

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For he sent letters into all the king's
provinces, into every province according

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to the writing thereof, and to every
people after their language, that every

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man should bear rule in his own house,
and that it should be published according

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to the language of every people.