Esther 1:1-9 - The King's Banquets
1 And it came to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus, - the same, Ahasuerus that reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces: 2 in those days, - when King Ahasuerus was sitting on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shusan the palace; 3 in the third year of his reign, he made a banquet unto all his rulers, and his servants, - the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and the rulers being before him; 4 when he showed the riches of the glory of his kingdom, and the splendour of his excellent majesty, many days, a hundred and eighty days;
5 that, when these days were fulfilled, the king made - for all the people that were present in Shusan the palace, both for great and small - a banquet, seven days, - in the court of the garden of the palace of the king: 6 white stuff, cotton and blue, being held fast with cords of fine linen and purple, upon rods of silver, and pillars of white marble, - the couches being of gold and silver, upon a pavement of alabaster and white marble, and pearl and black marble.
7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, vessels, from vessels, being diverse, - even the wine of the kingdom in abundance, by the bounty of the king. 8 And, the drinking, was according to the law, no one compelling, - for, so, had the king appointed unto every chief of his household, that every man, should do according to his pleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen, made a banquet for the women, - in the royal house which belonged to King Ahasuerus.