the Third Week after Easter
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JPS Old Testament
Esther 1:8
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The drinking was according to royal decree: “There are no restrictions.” The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve whatever each person wanted.
The drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
And the drinking was according to the law; 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.
And drinking was according to this edict: "There is no compulsion." For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired.
The king commanded that the guests be permitted to drink as much as they wished. He told the wine servers to serve each man what he wanted.
There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed all of his supervisors that they should do as everyone so desired.
The drinking was carried on in accordance with the law; no one was compelled [to drink], for the king had directed each official of his household to comply with each guest's wishes.
But the drinking was done according to the royal law; there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household, that he was to do as each person pleased.
The drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
And the drinking was by an order, none might compel: for so the King had appoynted vnto all the officers of his house, that they should do according to euery mans pleasure.
And the drinking was done according to the law; there was no compulsion, for so the king had established it for each official of his household—that he should do according to what pleased each person.
By order of the king, no limit was placed on the drinking, and every wine steward was to serve each man whatever he desired.
and said to them, "Drink all you want!" Then he told his servants, "Keep their cups full."
The drinking was not according to any fixed rule, for the king had ordered the stewards to serve each man what he wanted.
And the drinking was, according to commandment, without constraint; for so the king had appointed to all the magnates of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
The king had given a command to his servants. He told them that each guest must be given as much wine as he wanted, and the wine server obeyed the king.
And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel; for so the king had commanded to all the stewards of his household, that they should do according to every mans pleasure.
There were no limits on the drinks; the king had given orders to the palace servants that everyone could have as much as they wanted.
There were no restrictions on the drinking, for the king had instructed every official of his palace to do as each one pleased.
And the drinking was according to the law, no one compelling; for so the king had ordered every first one of his house that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
And no man was appoynted what he shulde drinke: for the kynge had commaunded all the officers of his house, that euery one shulde do as it lyked him.
And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
And the drinking was in keeping with the law; no one was forced: for the king had given orders to all the chief servants of his house to do as was pleasing to every man.
And the drinking was by an order, none might compell: for so the king had appoynted to all the officers of his house, that they shoulde do according to euery mans pleasure.
And the drinking was according to the law, none did compell: for the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should doe according to euery mans pleasure.
And this banquet was not according to the appointed law; but so the king would have it: and he charged the stewards to perform his will and that of the company.
And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
And `noon was that constreynede `men not willynge to drynke; but so the kyng hadde ordeyned, `makynge souereyns of hise princes `to alle boordis, that ech man schulde take that, that he wolde.
And the drinking was according to the law; none could compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
And the drinking [was] according to the law; none constrained: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure.
In accordance with the law, the drinking was not compulsory; for so the king had ordered all the officers of his household, that they should do according to each man's pleasure.
By edict of the king, no limits were placed on the drinking, for the king had instructed all his palace officials to serve each man as much as he wanted.
Drinking was done by the law. No one was made to drink. The king had told all the workmen of his house that they should give each person what he wanted.
Drinking was by flagons, without restraint; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as each one desired.
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.
Neither was there any one to compel them to drink that were not willing, but as the king had appointed, who set over every table one of his nobles, that every man might take what he would.
And drinking was according to the law, no one was compelled; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as every man desired.
And the drinking [is] according to law, none is pressing, for so hath the king appointed for every chief one of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man and man.
The guests could drink as much as they liked—king's orders!—with waiters at their elbows to refill the drinks. Meanwhile, Queen Vashti was throwing a separate party for women inside King Xerxes' royal palace.
The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
none did compel: Every person drank what he pleased. Among the Greeks, however, each guest was obliged to keep the round, or leave the company: hence the proverb ï¥ × ×××, × ×× ×××, Drink, or begone. Mr. Herbert, in his poem entitled "The Church Porch," has severely reprobated this vile custom. In Britain, however, this demoralizing custom is now almost destroyed, and a new era of social pleasure is arising, by temperate habits, increased domestic comforts, and the spread of gospel truths. Jeremiah 35:8, Jeremiah 51:7, Habakkuk 2:15, Habakkuk 2:16
the officers: John 2:8
Reciprocal: Ezra 2:1 - the children
Cross-References
And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas; and God saw that it was good.
And there was evening and there was morning, a third day.
And there was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
male and female created He them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And the drinking was according to the law, none did compel,.... According to the law Ahasuerus gave to his officers next mentioned, which was not to oblige any man to drink more than he chose; the Targum is,
`according to the custom of his body;'
that is, as a man is able to bear it, so they drank: some f read it, "the drinking according to the law, let none exact"; or require it to be, according to the custom then in use in Persia; for they were degenerated from their former manners, and indulged to intemperance, as Xenophon g suggests: the law formerly was, not to carry large vessels into feasts; but now, says he, they drink so much, that they themselves must be carried out, because they cannot go upright: and so it became a law with the Greeks, at their festivals, that either a man must drink or go out h; so the master of a feast, at which Empedocles was, ordered either that he should drink, or the wine be poured on his head i; but such force or compulsion Ahasuerus forbad: and thus with the Chinese now, they force none to drink, but modestly invite them k:
for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure; to let them have what wine they would, but not force them to drink more than was agreeable to them.
f Vid. Drusium in loc. g Cyropaedia, l. 8. c. 51. h Cicero. Tusculan. Quaest. l. 5. i Laert. in Vit. ejus, l. 8. p. 608. k Semedo's History of China, par. 1. c. 13.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
According to the law - An exception to the ordinary practice of compulsory drinking had been made on this occasion by the kingâs order.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Esther 1:8. None did compel: for so the king had appointed — Every person drank what he pleased; he was not obliged to take more than he had reason to think would do him good.
Among the Greeks, each guest was obliged to keep the round, or leave the company: hence the proverb ηÏιθιηαÏιθι; Drink or begone. To this Horace refers, but gives more license: -
Pasco libatis dapibus; prout cuique libido est.
Siccat inaequales calices conviva, solutus
Legibus insanis: seu quis capit acria fortis
Pocula; seu modicis humescit aetius.
HORAT. Sat. lib. ii., s. vi., ver. 67.
There, every guest may drink and fill
As much or little as he will;
Exempted from the Bedlam rules
Of roaring prodigals and fools.
Whether, in merry mood or whim,
He fills his goblet to the brim;
Or, better pleased to let it pass,
Is cheerful with a moderate glass.
FRANCIS.
At the Roman feasts there was a person chosen by the cast of dice, who was the Arbiter bibendi, and prescribed rules to the company, which all were obliged to observe. References to this custom may be seen in the same poet. ODAR. lib. i., Od. iv., ver. 18: -
Non regna vini sortiere talis.
And in lib. ii., Od. vii., ver. 25: -
____ Quem Venus arbitrum Dicet bibendi?
Mr. Herbert, in his excellent poem, The Church Porch, has five verses on this vile custom and its rule: -
Drink not the third glass, which thou canst not tame
When once it is within thee, but before
Mayst rule it as thou list; and pour the shame,
Which it would pour on thee, upon the floor.
It is most just to throw that on the ground,
Which would throw me there if I keep the round.
He that is drunken may his mother kill,
Big with his sister; he hath lost the reins;
Is outlawed by himself. All kinds of ill
Did with his liquor slide into his veins.
The drunkard forfeits man; and doth divest
All worldly right, save what he hath by beast.
Nothing too severe can be said on this destructive practice.
