1 NOW it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, [ While he is known as Ahasuerus in the bible he is most likely Xerxes I in world history. ] (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) [ The writers try to give us some idea as to just how powerful Xerxes I is, that is a big territory that he rules over. This is pretty much the entire world to the people of that day. So we can understand that he is one powerful man. ]

2 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

4 When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days. [ Verse 3 and 4 set the stage for a 6 month party or feast. That is one extended party. in a way he has brought them all together to keep them loyal to him, to discuss wants needs, battle plans... Everything that he see's fit to keep them all both in check and loyal to what he is doing. ]

5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;

6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.

7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, [ Keeping all of the guests in a state of happy euphoria. ] according to the state of the king.

8 And the drinking was according to the law; [ The law of the king was that they could drink with no restrictions to the amount that they consumed. The wine stewards were instructed by the King to serve each man as much as he wished. ] none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure. [ A party were you get to decide for yourself what you want to do and how much you want to drink. They in a sense were drunk with their own pride since they were in a way Gods unto themselves, as well as intoxicated. Eat and drink beyond any limitations, animalistic in a way, give in to the most physical appetite that you can imagine. ]

9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. [ Stating that everything belongs to the king, it is his house not theirs. ]

10 ¶ On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, [ Suggesting that he is a little intoxicated. ] he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,

11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. [ We could look at this a couple of ways. Ahasuerus invites the queen to come an make her presence known. However it would appear that this is more for show. Remember they are 7 days into limitless pleasure at this point. He has been living by the animal code. He wants at this point to show her off, to entice the other men who are there to lust after her as well, since she is so beautiful to look upon. She is to be treated here as property, an object, at the kings digression. This is all done to elevate himself among those whom he has invited to the party. He is objectifying her as some like a trophy. ]

12  But the queen Vashti refused [ What does this suggest about the Queen? Ahasuerus is a powerful man, she knows that disobeying him especially in front of other is really going to set him off. She does this as she measures her own worth, she is more than just a beautiful woman to be gawked at. ] to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. [ Of coarse it is, he is used to getting his own way, all the time. By doing this she is challenging his authority, and he does not like it. ]

13 ¶ Then the king said to the wise men, [ The King is looking for answers from the men who know the law, he is asking them how can handle this situtation so that he does not look weak. ] which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment: [ Those who understood what options the King had in these circumstances. ]

14 And the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw the king’s face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;)

15  What shall we do [ The wise men are included in the solution. The question is how can I fix this disobedience with the queen, what are my options here in accordance with the law? ] unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains? [ So he is demanding justice against the queen who has disobeyed the king, and as he see's it as the law. The King did not have to play it this way, he could have dismissed it for various reasons, but he decided to make an example. ]

16 And Memucan [ Who is one of these wisemen. ] answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. [ Memucan makes this into an even bigger deal. She has given offense to everyone that is there. This is bad King. Setting the stage for the King to be more wrath and the punishment to be greater. ]

17  For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, [ If you let this stand all women will get the idea that they can treat their husbands like this and we cannot have that. ] So that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, [ Women will think that they can act for themselves, make their own decisions. We might look at this story form a different point of view as well. Look at the amount of power that the queen does have here. Do you ever see yourself with little or no power, sometimes we have more than we think, we can really change things, more than we might suppose. You may not know how your courage in a situtation might give courage to others to do the same. ] when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.

18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath. [ Translated differently "there will no end of disrespect". ]

19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is better than she. [ This is not defined. How is she so bad? Is it this one act of disobedience? We do not know, but we do know that it is a group of men who come up with a decree to protect themselves while bringing down Vashti. ]

20 And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small. [ So the message is that if you will not do as your husband tells you to do then you will be cut off from him. She may have lost her standing in the community but she still maintained her personal worth and dignity in that she did not sell herself out. How can this really be honor since their agency is taken away and they have to do as they are told. ]

21  And the saying pleased the king and the princes; [ Well duh! they are all men and they all want to have their way and alway be right no matter what. They do not want equals they want servant wives who honor their every wish, and jump when they are told too. Respect cannot be demanded or forced. See D&C 121 as to how it should be. ] and the king did according to the word of Memucan:

22 For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.