The Skeptics Annotated Bible (413 page)

(1.16) “Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people.”

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.

(1.17) “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.”

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.

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.

(1.19) “Let there go a royal commandment … That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she.”

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.

21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

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.

(1.20-22) Because of Vashti’s disobedience, the king decrees that “all the wives shall give to their husbands honor, both the great and the small” and “that every man should bear rule over his own house.”

(1.20-22)
“The king’s decree … all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small … that every man should bear rule in his own house.”

2
After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased, he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed against her.

2 Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him,
Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom,
that they may gather together all the fair young virgins
unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

4
And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti
. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

(2.2-4) “All the fair young virgins” throughout the kingdom are brought before the king, and the one that “pleaseth” the king the most will replace Vashti.

(2.2-4) “Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king … that they may gather together all the fair young virgins … And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.”

5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

(2.8-17) When it was Esther’s turn to “go in unto the king,” she pleases the king the most. So, having won the sex contest, she is made queen in Vashti’s place.

8 So it came to pass, when the king’s commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the king’s house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

9
And the maiden pleased him
, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

(2.8-9)
“Esther was brought also unto the king’s house … And the maiden pleased him.”

10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

12 Now
when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women
, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)