Ester 1 – CST & NIRV

Nueva Versión Internacional (Castilian)

Ester 1:1-22

Destitución de la reina Vasti

1El rey Asuero,1:1 Asuero. Variante hebrea de Jerjes, nombre persa; así en el resto de este libro. que reinó sobre ciento veintisiete provincias que se extendían desde la India hasta Cus, 2estableció su trono real en la ciudadela de Susa.

3En el tercer año de su reinado ofreció un banquete para todos sus funcionarios y servidores, al que asistieron los jefes militares de Persia y Media, y los magistrados y los gobernadores de las provincias, 4y durante ciento ochenta días les mostró la enorme riqueza de su reino y la esplendorosa gloria de su majestad.

5Pasado este tiempo, el rey ofreció otro banquete, que duró siete días, para todos los que se encontraban en la ciudadela de Susa, tanto los más importantes como los de menor importancia. Este banquete tuvo lugar en el jardín interior de su palacio, 6el cual lucía cortinas blancas y azules, sostenidas por cordones de lino blanco y tela púrpura, los cuales pasaban por anillos de plata sujetos a columnas de mármol. También había sofás de oro y plata sobre un piso de mosaicos de pórfido, mármol, madreperla y otras piedras preciosas. 7En copas de oro de las más variadas formas se servía el vino real, el cual corría a raudales, como era de esperarse del rey. 8Todos los invitados podían beber cuanto quisieran, pues los camareros habían recibido instrucciones del rey de servir a cada uno lo que deseara.

9La reina Vasti, por su parte, ofreció también un banquete para las mujeres en el palacio del rey Asuero.

10Al séptimo día, como a causa del vino el rey Asuero estaba muy alegre, les ordenó a los siete eunucos que le servían —Meumán, Biztá, Jarboná, Bigtá, Abagtá, Zetar y Carcás— 11que llevaran a su presencia a la reina, ceñida con la corona real, a fin de exhibir su belleza ante los pueblos y sus dignatarios, pues realmente era muy hermosa. 12Pero, cuando los eunucos le comunicaron la orden del rey, la reina se negó a ir. Esto contrarió mucho al rey, y se enfureció.

13De inmediato el rey consultó a los sabios conocedores de leyes,1:13 leyes (lectura probable); los tiempos (TM). porque era costumbre que en cuestiones de ley y justicia el rey consultara a los expertos. 14Los más allegados a él eran: Carsena, Setar, Admata, Tarsis, Meres, Marsená y Memucán, los siete funcionarios de Persia y Media que tenían acceso especial a la presencia del rey y ocupaban los puestos más altos en el reino.

15―Según la ley, ¿qué se debe hacer con la reina Vasti por haber desobedecido la orden del rey transmitida por los eunucos? —preguntó el rey.

16En presencia del rey y de los funcionarios, Memucán respondió:

―La reina Vasti no solo ha ofendido al rey, sino también a todos los funcionarios y a todos los pueblos de todas las provincias del reino. 17Porque todas las mujeres se enterarán de la conducta de la reina, y esto hará que desprecien a sus esposos, pues dirán: “El rey Asuero mandó que la reina Vasti se presentara ante él, pero ella no fue”. 18El día en que las mujeres de la nobleza de Persia y de Media se enteren de la conducta de la reina, les responderán de la misma manera a todos los dignatarios del rey. ¡Entonces no habrá fin al desprecio y a la discordia!

19»Por lo tanto, si le parece bien al rey, emita un decreto real, el cual se inscribirá con carácter irrevocable en las leyes de Persia y Media: que Vasti nunca vuelva a presentarse ante el rey, y que el título de reina se lo otorgue a otra mejor que ella. 20Así, cuando el edicto real se dé a conocer por todo su inmenso reino, todas las mujeres respetarán a sus esposos, desde los más importantes hasta los menos importantes».

21Al rey y a sus funcionarios les pareció bien ese consejo, de modo que el rey hizo lo que había propuesto Memucán: 22envió cartas por todo el reino, a cada provincia en su propia escritura y a cada pueblo en su propio idioma, proclamando en la lengua de cada pueblo que todo hombre debe ejercer autoridad sobre su familia.

New International Reader’s Version

Esther 1:1-22

Vashti Is Removed From Her Position as Queen

1King Xerxes ruled over the 127 territories in his kingdom. They reached from India all the way to Cush. Here is what happened during the time Xerxes ruled over the whole Persian kingdom. 2He was ruling from his royal throne in the fort of Susa. 3In the third year of his rule King Xerxes gave a feast. It was for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media were there. So were the princes and the nobles of the territories he ruled over.

4Every day for 180 days he showed his guests the great wealth of his kingdom. He also showed them how glorious his kingdom was. 5When those days were over, the king gave another feast. It lasted for seven days. It was held in the garden of the king’s courtyard. It was for all the people who lived in the fort of Susa. Everyone from the least important person to the most important was invited. 6The garden was decorated with white and blue linen banners. They hung from ropes that were made out of white linen and purple cloth. The ropes were connected to silver rings on marble pillars. There were gold and silver couches in the garden. They were placed on a floor that was made out of small stones. The floor had purple crystal, marble, mother-of-pearl and other stones of great value. 7Royal wine was served in gold cups. Each cup was different from all the others. There was plenty of wine. The king always provided as much as his guests wanted. 8He commanded that they should be allowed to drink as much or as little as they wished. He directed all his servants to give his guests what they asked for.

9Queen Vashti also gave a feast. Only women were invited. It was held in the royal palace of King Xerxes.

10On the seventh day Xerxes was in a good mood because he had drunk a lot of wine. So he gave a command to the seven officials who served him. They were Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas. 11King Xerxes told them to bring Queen Vashti to him. He wanted her to come wearing her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and nobles. She was lovely to look at. 12The attendants told Queen Vashti what the king had ordered her to do. But she refused to come. So the king became very angry.

13It was the king’s practice to ask for advice about matters of law and fairness. So he spoke with the wise men who understood what was going on at that time. 14They were the men closest to the king. Their names were Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and Memukan. They were the seven nobles of Persia and Media. They were the king’s special advisers and the most important men in the kingdom.

15“You know the law,” the king said. “What should I do to Queen Vashti? She hasn’t obeyed my command. The officials told her what I ordered her to do, didn’t they?”

16Then Memukan gave a reply to the king and the nobles. He said, “Queen Vashti has done what is wrong. But she didn’t do it only against you, King Xerxes. She did it also against all the nobles. And she did it against the people in all the territories you rule over. 17All the women will hear about what the queen has done. Then they won’t respect their husbands. They’ll say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought to him. But she wouldn’t come.’ 18Here is what will start today. The leading women in Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s actions will act in the same way. They’ll disobey all your nobles, just as she disobeyed you. They won’t have any respect for their husbands. They won’t honor them.

19“So if it pleases you, send out a royal order. Let it be written down in the laws of Persia and Media. Those laws can never be changed. Let the royal order say that Vashti can never see you again. Also let her position as queen be given to someone who is better than she is. 20And let your order be announced all through your entire kingdom. Then all women will have respect for their husbands, from the least important to the most important.”

21The king and his nobles were pleased with that advice. So he did what Memukan had suggested. 22The king sent messages out to every territory in the kingdom. He sent them to each territory in its own writing. He sent them to every nation in its own language. The messages announced that every man should rule over his own family, using his own language.