Esther Becomes Queen

2 After these things, when the wrath of King Ahasuerus subsided, he remembered Vashti, ^(A)what she had done, and what had been decreed against her.

¹⁴ And the king, when he heard these words, ^(A)was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he ^[a]labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. ¹⁵ Then these men ^[b]approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is ^(B)the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”

¹⁶ So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” ^17 (C)Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, ^(D)and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed.

Daniel Saved from the Lions

¹⁸ Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no ^[c]musicians were brought before him. ^(E)Also his sleep ^[d]went from him.

¹⁰ So ^(A)they ^(B)hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided.

¹² But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.

¹³ Then the king said to the ^(A)wise men ^(B)who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, ¹⁴ those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the ^(C)seven princes of Persia and Media, ^(D)who had access to the king’s presence, and who ^[a]ranked highest in the kingdom): ¹⁵ “What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?”

¹⁶ And Memucan answered before the king and the princes: “Queen Vashti has not only wronged the king, but also all the princes, and all the people who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷ For the queen’s behavior will become known to all women, so that they will ^(E)despise their husbands in their eyes, when they report, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought in before him, but she did not come.’ ¹⁸ This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media will say to all the king’s officials that they have heard of the behavior of the queen. Thus there will be excessive contempt and wrath. ¹⁹ If it pleases the king, let a royal ^[b]decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will ^(F)not ^[c]be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. ²⁰ When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will ^(G)honor their husbands, both great and small.”

²¹ And the reply pleased the king and the princes, and the king did according to the word of Memucan.