8. The king commanded that the guests be permitted to drink as much as they wished. He told the wine servers to serve each man what he wanted.
9. Queen Vashti also gave a banquet for the women in the royal palace of King Xerxes.
10. On the seventh day of the banquet, King Xerxes was very happy, because he had been drinking much wine. He gave a command to the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas.
11. He commanded them to bring him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown. She was to come to show her beauty to the people and important men, because she was very beautiful.
12. The eunuchs told Queen Vashti about the king’s command, but she refused to come. Then the king became very angry; his anger was like a burning fire.
13. It was a custom for the king to ask advice from experts about law and order. So King Xerxes spoke with the wise men who would know the right thing to do.
14. The wise men the king usually talked to were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, seven of the important men of Persia and Media. These seven had special privileges to see the king and had the highest rank in the kingdom.
15. The king asked them, “What does the law say must be done to Queen Vashti? She has not obeyed the command of King Xerxes, which the eunuchs took to her.”