3. During the third year of his rule, Xerxes gave a big dinner for all his officials and officers. The governors and leaders of the provinces were also invited, and even the commanders of the Persian and Median armies came.
4. For one hundred and eighty days he showed off his wealth and spent a lot of money to impress his guests with the greatness of his kingdom.
5. King Xerxes soon gave another dinner and invited everyone in the city of Susa, no matter who they were. The eating and drinking lasted seven days in the beautiful palace gardens.
6. The area was decorated with blue and white cotton curtains tied back with purple linen cords that ran through silver rings fastened to marble columns. Couches of gold and silver rested on pavement that had all kinds of designs made from costly bright-coloured stones and marble and mother-of-pearl.
7. The guests drank from gold cups, and each cup had a different design. The king was generous
8. and said to them, “Drink all you want!” Then he told his servants, “Keep their cups full.”
9. While the men were enjoying themselves, Queen Vashti gave the women a big dinner inside the royal palace.
10. By the seventh day, King Xerxes was feeling happy because of so much wine. And he asked his seven personal servants, Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas,
11. to bring Queen Vashti to him. The king wanted her to wear her crown and let his people and his officials see how beautiful she was.
12. The king's servants told Queen Vashti what he had said, but she refused to go to him, and this made him terribly angry.