Esther 1:1-9 - The King's Banquets
1 And it will be in the days of Ahasuerus, (this Ahasuerus reigned from India and even to Cush; seven and twenty and one hundred provinces:) 2 In those days, when king Ahasuerus sat upon the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the fortress, 3 In the third year to his reign he made a drinking to all his chiefs and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and chiefs of the provinces before him: 4 In his causing to see the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the honor of his great splendor many days, eighty and one hundred days.
5 And in these days being completed the king made to all the people being found in Shushan the fortress, a drinking to the great and even to the small, seven days, in the enclosure of the garden of the king's house; 6 Splendid fine white linen, and cerulean purple, made fast with cords of byssus and purple, upon rings of silver and pillars of marble: couches of gold and silver upon a tesselated pavement of marble, and marble and pearl and spotted marble.
7 And giving drink in vessels of gold and vessels different from vessels, and wine of the kingdom, an abundance, according to the hand of the king. 8 Giving to drink according to the edict; none compelling, for thus the king appointed to all the multitude of his house to do according to the desire of man and man. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a drinking to the women of the house of the kingdom which was to king Ahasuerus.