Esther 1
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Now 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:)
2That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,
3In 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:
4When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.
5And 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;
6Where 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.
7And 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.
8And 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.
9Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
10On 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,
11To 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.
12But 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.
13Then 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:
14And 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;)
15What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
16And 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.
17For 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.
18Likewise 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.
19If 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.
20And 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.
21And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:
22For 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.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- מֶלֶךְmelekH442827× in this chapter
a king
- כֹּלkôlH360513× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- עַלʻalH592110× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁʼĂchashvêrôwshH3259× in this chapter
Achashverosh (i.e. Ahasuerus or Artaxerxes, but in this case Xerxes), the title (rather than name) of a Persian king
- מַלְכוּתmalkûwthH44389× in this chapter
a rule; concretely, a dominion
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64409× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- יוֹםyôwmH31178× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- מַלְכָּהmalkâhH44368× in this chapter
a queen
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62138× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- שַׂרsarH82698× in this chapter
a head person (of any rank or class)
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8348× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- דָּבָרdâbârH16977× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- וַשְׁתִּיVashtîyH20607× in this chapter
Vashti, the queen of Xerxes
- אֵתʼêthH8537× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- כִּיkîyH35886× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- מְדִינָהmᵉdîynâhH40826× in this chapter
properly, a judgeship, i.e. jurisdiction; by implication, a district (as ruled by a judge); generally, a region
- אָמַרʼâmarH5596× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- עַםʻamH59716× in this chapter
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
- לֹאlôʼH38085× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9355× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- דָּתdâthH18814× in this chapter
a royal edict or statute
- מָדַיMâdayH40744× in this chapter
Madai, a country of central Asia
- אֵלʼêlH4134× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- פָּרַסPâraçH65394× in this chapter
Paras (i.e. Persia), an Eastern country, including its inhabitants
- רַבrabH72274× in this chapter
abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
- שֶׁבַעshebaʻH76514× in this chapter
seven (as the sacred full one); also (adverbially) seven times; by implication, a week; by extension, an indefinite number
- בַּיִתbayithH10043× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- הוּאhûwʼH19313× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- טוֹבṭôwbH28963× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- יָדyâdH30273× in this chapter
a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
- כְּלִיkᵉlîyH36273× in this chapter
something prepared, i.e. any apparatus (as an implement, utensil, dress, vessel or weapon)
- אִישׁʼîyshH3763× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- מְמוּכָןMᵉmûwkânH44623× in this chapter
Memucan or Momucan, a Persian satrap
- מִשְׁתֶּהmishtehH49603× in this chapter
drink, by implication, drinking (the act); also (by implication) a banquet or (generally) feast
- סָרִיסçârîyçH56313× in this chapter
a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), and thus, a minister of state
- עַדʻadH57043× in this chapter
as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72003× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- אִשָּׁהʼishshâhH8023× in this chapter
a woman
- בִּירָהbîyrâhH10022× in this chapter
a castle or palace
- בַּעַלbaʻalH11672× in this chapter
a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner (often used with another noun in modifications of this latter sense)