Esther 1:1-12 NKJV

Esther's Hebrew name was Hadassah, "Myrtle" (2:7), but her Persian name Ester was derived from the Persian word for "Star" (Stara). The Greek title for this book is Esther, and the Latin title is Hester.

Esther 1:1-12 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus (this was the Ahasuerus who reigned over the hundred and twenty-seven provinces, from India to Ethiopia),

in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel,

that in the third year of his reign he made a feast for all his officials and servants--the powers of Persia and media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces being before him--

when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.

And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in Shushan the citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king's palace.

There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the couches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble.

And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessels being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, according to the generosity of the king.

In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man's pleasure.

Queen Vashti also made a feast for the women in the royal palace which belonged to King Ahasuerus.

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King ahasuerus,

to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold.

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.

Nehemiah 1:1-11 THE word of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel,

that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

And they said to me, "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the providence are there i great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire."

So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

And I said, “I Pray, Lord God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments,

“please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. But my father’s house and I have sinned.

“We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances, which You commanded Your servant Moses,

“Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your Servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

‘but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name,’

“Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.

“O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” For I was the king's cupbearer.

Daniel 8:1-4 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me--to me, Daniel--after the one that happened the first time.

I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai.

Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other; and the higher one came up last.

I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.

Esther 2:15-18 Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king's eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised, And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her.

So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all of his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.