Esther 1:3–8

³that in the third year of his reign he ^fmade a feast for all his officials and servants—the powers of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the princes of the provinces being before him—⁴when he showed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the splendor of his excellent majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.

⁵And when these days were completed, the king made a feast lasting seven days for all the people who were present in ⁴Shushan the ⁵citadel, from great to small, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. ⁶There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple on silver rods and marble pillars; and the ^gcouches were of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of alabaster, turquoise, and white and black marble. ⁷And they served drinks in golden vessels, each vessel being different from the other, with royal wine in abundance, ^haccording to the ⁶generosity of the king. ⁸In 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.