Esther 1 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre Page 1 of 4

Bible - Esther -
Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Listen to this Chapter in Hebrew

Esther Chapter 1 ‫ֶאְסֵתּר‬

‫ הוּא‬:‫ ִבּיֵמי ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬,‫א ַו ְיִהי‬ 1 Now it came to pass in the days of
Ahasuerus--this is Ahasuerus who
--‫כּוּשׁ‬-‫ ֵמֹהדּוּ ְוַﬠד‬4‫ ַהֹמֵּל‬,‫ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬ reigned, from India even unto
.‫ ְמִדיָנה‬,‫ֶשַׁבע ְוֶﬠְשׂ ִרים וֵּמָאה‬ Ethiopia, over a hundred and seven
and twenty provinces--

4‫ְכֶּשֶׁבת ַהֶמֶּל‬--‫ ָהֵהם‬,‫ב ַבָּיִּמים‬ 2 that in those days, when the king
Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his
,‫ ֲאֶשׁר‬,‫ ַﬠל ִכֵּסּא ַמְלכוּתוֹ‬,‫ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬ kingdom, which was in Shushan the
.‫ְבּשׁוַּשׁן ַהִבּיָרה‬ castle,

‫ ָﬠָשׂה‬,‫ ְלָמְלכוֹ‬,‫ג ִבְּשַׁנת ָשׁלוֹשׁ‬ 3 in the third year of his reign, he

made a feast unto all his princes and
‫ ֵחיל‬:‫ָשָׂריו ַוֲﬠָבָדיו‬-‫ ְלָכל‬,‫ִמְשֶׁתּה‬ his servants; the army of Persia and
‫ ַהַפּ ְרְתִּמים ְוָשֵׂרי‬,‫ָפַּרס וָּמַדי‬ Media, the nobles and princes of the
.‫ְלָפָניו‬--‫ַהְמִּדינוֹת‬ provinces, being before him;

‫ֹעֶשׁר ְכּבוֹד‬-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ד ְבַּה ְרֹאתוֹ‬ 4 when he showed the riches of his
glorious kingdom and the honour of
;‫ ִתְּפֶאֶרת ְגּדוָּלּתוֹ‬,‫ ְיָקר‬-‫ ְוֶאת‬,‫ַמְלכוּתוֹ‬ his excellent majesty, many days, even
.‫ ְשׁמוִֹנים וְּמַאת יוֹם‬,‫ָיִמים ַרִבּים‬ a hundred and fourscore days.

‫ ָﬠָשׂה‬,‫ה וִּבְמלוֹאת ַהָיִּמים ָהֵאֶלּה‬ 5 And when these days were fulfilled,
the king made a feast unto all the
‫ָהָﬠם ַהִנְּמְצִאים ְבּשׁוַּשׁן‬-‫ ְלָכל‬4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬ people that were present in Shushan
--‫ָקָטן ִמְשֶׁתּה‬-‫ַהִבּיָרה ְלִמָגּדוֹל ְוַﬠד‬ the castle, both great and small, seven
‫ ִגַּנּת ִבּיַתן‬,‫ ַבֲּחַצר‬:‫ִשְׁבַﬠת ָיִמים‬ days, in the court of the garden of the
king's palace;
.4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬
-‫ ָאחוּז ְבַּחְבֵלי‬,‫ו חוּר ַכּ ְרַפּס וְּתֵכֶלת‬ 6 there were hangings of white, fine
cotton, and blue, bordered with cords
,‫ְגִּליֵלי ֶכֶסף‬-‫ ַﬠל‬,‫בוּץ ְוַא ְרָגָּמן‬ of fine linen and purple, upon silver
‫ ַﬠל‬,‫ְוַﬠמּוֵּדי ֵשׁשׁ; ִמטּוֹת ָזָהב ָוֶכֶסף‬ rods and pillars of marble; the couches
were of gold and silver, upon a
.‫ ְוַדר ְוֹסָחֶרת‬--‫ָוֵשׁשׁ‬-‫ִרְצַפת ַבַּהט‬

https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt3301.htm 26/04/2018
Esther 1 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre Page 2 of 4

pavement of green, and white, and

shell, and onyx marble.

‫ ְוֵכִלים‬,‫ז ְוַהְשׁקוֹת ִבְּכֵלי ָזָהב‬ 7 And they gave them drink in vessels
of gold--the vessels being diverse one
‫ ְכַּיד‬,‫ִמֵכִּלים שׁוִֹנים; ְוֵיין ַמְלכוּת ָרב‬ from another--and royal wine in
.4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬ abundance, according to the bounty of
the king.

‫ֵכן‬-‫ ִכּי‬:‫ ֵאין ֹאֵנס‬,‫ח ְוַהְשִּׁתָיּה ַכָדּת‬ 8 And the drinking was according to
the law; none did compel; for so the
--‫ַרב ֵבּיתוֹ‬-‫ ַﬠל ָכּל‬,4‫ִיַסּד ַהֶמֶּל‬ king had appointed to all the officers
{‫ }ס‬.‫ָוִאישׁ‬-‫ ִכּ ְרצוֹן ִאישׁ‬,‫ַלֲﬠשׂוֹת‬ of his house, that they should do
according to every man's pleasure. {S}

‫ ָﬠְשָׂתה ִמְשֵׁתּה‬,‫ט ַגּם ַוְשִׁתּי ַהַמְּלָכּה‬ 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast
for the women in the royal house
4‫ ַלֶמֶּל‬,‫ ֲאֶשׁר‬,‫ ַהַמְּלכוּת‬,‫ֵבּית‬--‫ָנִשׁים‬ which belonged to king Ahasuerus.
.‫ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬
,4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬-‫ ְכּטוֹב ֵלב‬,‫ ַהְשִּׁביִﬠי‬,‫י ַבּיּוֹם‬ 10 On the seventh day, when the heart
of the king was merry with wine, he
‫ָאַמר ִלְמהוָּמן ִבְּזָּתא ַח ְרבוָֹנא‬--‫ַבָּיּ ִין‬ commanded Mehuman, Bizzetha,
‫ ִשְׁבַﬠת‬,‫ ֵזַתר ְוַכ ְרַכּס‬,‫ִבְּגָתא ַוֲאַבְגָתא‬ Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar,
4‫ְפֵּני ַהֶמֶּל‬-‫ ַהְמָשׁ ְרִתים ֶאת‬,‫ַהָסּ ִריִסים‬ and Carcas, the seven chamberlains
that ministered in the presence of
.‫ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬ Ahasuerus the king,

‫ ִלְפֵני‬,‫ַוְשִׁתּי ַהַמְּלָכּה‬-‫יא ְלָהִביא ֶאת‬ 11 to bring Vashti the queen before the
king with the crown royal, to show the
‫ ְלַה ְראוֹת‬:‫ְבֶּכֶתר ַמְלכוּת‬--4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬ peoples and the princes her beauty; for
‫טוַֹבת‬-‫ ִכּי‬,‫ָיְפָיהּ‬-‫ָהַﬠִמּים ְוַהָשּׂ ִרים ֶאת‬ she was fair to look on.
.‫ַמ ְרֶאה ִהיא‬
‫ ָלבוֹא‬,‫יב ַוְתָּמֵאן ַהַמְּלָכּה ַוְשִׁתּי‬ 12 But the queen Vashti refused to
come at the king's commandment by
;‫ ְבַּיד ַהָסּ ִריִסים‬,‫ ֲאֶשׁר‬,4‫ִבְּדַבר ַהֶמֶּל‬ the chamberlains; therefore was the
‫ ַוֲחָמתוֹ ָבֲּﬠָרה‬,‫ ְמֹאד‬4‫ַו ִיְּקֹצף ַהֶמֶּל‬ king very wroth, and his anger burned
{‫ }ס‬.‫בוֹ‬ in him. {S}

‫ ַלֲחָכִמים ֹיְדֵﬠי‬,4‫יג ַויּ ֹאֶמר ַהֶמֶּל‬ 13 Then the king said to the wise men,
who knew the times--for so was the
,‫ ִלְפֵני‬,4‫ ְדַּבר ַהֶמֶּל‬,‫ֵכן‬-‫ ִכּי‬:‫ָהִﬠִתּים‬ king's manner toward all that knew law
.‫ ֹיְדֵﬠי ָדּת ָוִדין‬-‫ָכּל‬ and judgment;

https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt3301.htm 26/04/2018
Esther 1 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre Page 3 of 4

‫ ַכּ ְרְשָׁנא ֵשָׁתר‬,‫יד ְוַהָקֹּרב ֵאָליו‬ 14 and the next unto him was
Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish,
,‫ ֶמֶרס ַמ ְרְסָנא‬,‫ַאְדָמָתא ַת ְרִשׁישׁ‬ Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the
‫ ֹרֵאי‬,‫ִשְׁבַﬠת ָשֵׂרי ָפַּרס וָּמַדי‬--‫ְממוָּכן‬ seven princes of Persia and Media,
,‫שָׁנה‬
ֹ ‫ ַה ֹיְּשִׁבים ִרא‬,4‫ְפֵּני ַהֶמֶּל‬ who saw the king's face, and sat the
first in the kingdom:
.‫ַבַּמְּלכוּת‬
,‫ ַבַּמְּלָכּה‬,‫ַלֲּﬠשׂוֹת‬-‫ ַמה‬,‫טו ְכָּדת‬ 15 'What shall we do unto the queen
Vashti according to law, forasmuch as
-‫ ֶאת‬,‫ָﬠְשָׂתה‬-‫ַﬠל ֲאֶשׁר ל ֹא‬--‫ַוְשִׁתּי‬ she hath not done the bidding of the
,‫ ְבַּיד‬,‫ ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬4‫ַמֲאַמר ַהֶמֶּל‬ king Ahasuerus by the
{‫ }ס‬.‫ַהָסּ ִריִסים‬ chamberlains?' {S}

‫ ִלְפֵני‬,(‫טז ַויּ ֹאֶמר מומכן )ְממוָּכן‬ 16 And Memucan answered before the
king and the princes: 'Vashti the queen
4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬-‫ ל ֹא ַﬠל‬,‫ ְוַהָשּׂ ִרים‬4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬ hath not done wrong to the king only,
-‫ ִכּי ַﬠל‬:‫ ָﬠ ְוָתה ַוְשִׁתּי ַהַמְּלָכּה‬,‫ְלַבדּוֹ‬ but also to all the princes, and to all the
,‫ ֲאֶשׁר‬,‫ָהַﬠִמּים‬-‫ָכּל‬-‫ ְוַﬠל‬,‫ַהָשּׂ ִרים‬-‫ָכּל‬ peoples, that are in all the provinces of
the king Ahasuerus.
.‫ ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬4‫ְמִדינוֹת ַהֶמֶּל‬-‫ְבָּכל‬
-‫ָכּל‬-‫ַהַמְּלָכּה ַﬠל‬-‫ֵיֵצא ְדַבר‬-‫יז ִכּי‬ 17 For this deed of the queen will
come abroad unto all women, to make
:‫ ְלַהְבזוֹת ַבְּﬠֵליֶהן ְבֵּﬠיֵניֶהן‬,‫ַהָנִּשׁים‬ their husbands contemptible in their
‫ ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ ָאַמר‬4‫ ַהֶמֶּל‬,‫ְבָּאְמָרם‬ eyes, when it will be said: The king
--‫ַוְשִׁתּי ַהַמְּלָכּה ְלָפָניו‬-‫ְלָהִביא ֶאת‬ Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the
queen to be brought in before him, but
.‫ָבָאה‬-‫ְול ֹא‬ she came not.

‫יח ְוַהיּוֹם ַהֶזּה תּ ֹאַמ ְרָנה ָשׂרוֹת‬ 18 And this day will the princesses of
Persia and Media who have heard of
‫ְדַּבר‬-‫ ֲאֶשׁר ָשְׁמעוּ ֶאת‬,‫וָּמַדי‬-‫ָפַּרס‬ the deed of the queen say the like unto
,‫; וְּכַדי‬4‫ ָשֵׂרי ַהֶמֶּל‬,‫ ְלֹכל‬,‫ַהַמְּלָכּה‬ all the king's princes. So will there
.‫ִבָּזּיוֹן ָוָקֶצף‬ arise enough contempt and wrath.

-‫ ֵיֵצא ְדַבר‬,‫ טוֹב‬4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬-‫ַﬠל‬-‫יט ִאם‬ 19 If it please the king, let there go

forth a royal commandment from him,
-‫ ְו ִיָכֵּתב ְבָּדֵתי ָפַרס‬,‫ַמְלכוּת ִמְלָּפָניו‬ and let it be written among the laws of
‫ָתבוֹא‬-‫ ֲאֶשׁר ל ֹא‬:‫ ְול ֹא ַיֲﬠבוֹר‬,‫וָּמַדי‬ the Persians and the Medes, that it be
,‫ ֲאַחְשֵׁורוֹשׁ‬4‫ ִלְפֵני ַהֶמֶּל‬,‫ַוְשִׁתּי‬ not altered, that Vashti come no more
before king Ahasuerus, and that the
‫ ִל ְרעוָּתהּ‬,4‫וַּמְלכוָּתהּ ִיֵתּן ַהֶמֶּל‬ king give her royal estate unto another
.‫ַהטּוָֹבה ִמֶמָּנּה‬ that is better than she.

https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt3301.htm 26/04/2018
Esther 1 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre Page 4 of 4

‫ַיֲﬠֶשׂה‬-‫ ֲאֶשׁר‬4‫כ ְוִנְשַׁמע ִפְּתָגם ַהֶמֶּל‬ 20 And when the king's decree which
he shall make shall be published
-‫ ִכּי ַרָבּה ִהיא; ְוָכל‬,‫ַמְלכוּתוֹ‬-‫ְבָּכל‬ throughout all his kingdom, great
--‫ ִיְתּנוּ ְיָקר ְלַבְﬠֵליֶהן‬,‫ַהָנִּשׁים‬ though it be, all the wives will give to
.‫ָקָטן‬-‫ ְוַﬠד‬,‫ְלִמָגּדוֹל‬ their husbands honour, both to great
and small.'

,4‫ ְבֵּﬠיֵני ַהֶמֶּל‬,‫ ַהָדָּבר‬,‫כא ַו ִיּיַטב‬ 21 And the word pleased the king and
the princes; and the king did according
‫ ִכְּדַבר‬,4‫ְוַהָשּׂ ִרים; ַוַיַּﬠשׂ ַהֶמֶּל‬ to the word of Memucan;
.‫ְממוָּכן‬
‫ְמִדינוֹת‬-‫ָכּל‬-‫ ֶאל‬,‫כב ַו ִיְּשַׁלח ְסָפ ִרים‬ 22 for he sent letters into all the king's
provinces, into every province
,‫ְמִדיָנה וְּמִדיָנה ִכְּכָתָבהּ‬-‫ֶאל‬--4‫ַהֶמֶּל‬ according to the writing thereof, and to
-‫ ִלְהיוֹת ָכּל‬:‫ַﬠם ָוָﬠם ִכְּלשׁוֹנוֹ‬-‫ְוֶאל‬ every people after their language, that
‫ וְּמַדֵבּר ִכְּלשׁוֹן‬,‫שֵׂרר ְבֵּביתוֹ‬ ֹ ‫ִאישׁ‬ every man should bear rule in his own
house, and speak according to the
{‫ }ס‬.‫ַﬠמּוֹ‬ language of his people. {S}

Bible - Esther -
Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Got a question or comment? Write Us!

https://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt3301.htm 26/04/2018