1:13 那時，在王左右常見王面、國中坐高位的，有波斯和米底亞的七個大臣，就是甲示拿、示達、押瑪他、他施斯、米力、瑪西拿、米母干，都是達時務的明哲人。按王的常規，辦事必先詢問知例明法的人。王問他們說：
1:14 【併於上節】
1:15 「王后瓦實提不遵太監所傳的王命，照例應當怎樣辦理呢？」
1:16 米母干在王和眾首領面前回答說：「王后瓦實提這事，不但得罪王，並且有害於王各省的臣民；
1:17 因為王后這事必傳到眾婦人的耳中，說：『亞哈隨魯王吩咐王后瓦實提到王面前，她卻不來』，她們就藐視自己的丈夫。
1:18 今日波斯和米底亞的眾夫人聽見王后這事，必向王的大臣照樣行；從此必大開藐視和忿怒之端。
1:19 王若以為美，就降旨寫在波斯和米底亞人的例中，永不更改，不准瓦實提再到王面前，將她王后的位分賜給比她還好的人。
1:20 所降的旨意傳遍通國（國度本來廣大），所有的婦人，無論丈夫貴賤都必尊敬他。」
1:21 王和眾首領都以米母干的話為美，王就照這話去行，
1:22 發詔書，用各省的文字、各族的方言通知各省，使為丈夫的在家中作主，各說本地的方言。
13 Since
it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice,
he spoke with the wise men who understood the times 14 and were
closest to the king—Karshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena and
Memukan, the seven nobles of Persia and Media who had special access to the
king and were highest in the kingdom.
15 “According
to law, what must be done to Queen Vashti?” he asked. “She has not obeyed the
command of King Xerxes that the eunuchs have taken to her.”
16 Then
Memukan replied in the presence of the king and the nobles, “Queen Vashti has
done wrong, not only against the king but also against all the nobles and the
peoples of all the provinces of King Xerxes. 17 For the queen’s
conduct will become known to all the women, and so they will despise their
husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him,
but she would not come.’ 18 This very day the Persian and
Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will
respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of
disrespect and discord.
19 “Therefore,
if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in
the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never
again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal
position to someone else who is better than she. 20 Then when
the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women
will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”
21 The
king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan
proposed. 22 He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to
each province in its own script and to each people in their own language,
proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his
native tongue.
***************
看到這段記載，讓人覺得十分荒謬與可笑，丈夫在家中的地位不是自己來維持，而是一群酒醉的君臣來制定法律保護！真是讓人覺得這是男人的恥辱，讓男性讀者流著冷汗不止！心想哪時候男人變得如此軟弱了？
雖然是荒謬，卻是要成就上帝大事的開始！要不是國王將王后廢了，怎麼可能輪到以斯帖當皇后呢？
其實翻開歷史，有很多重大事件的發生，常常是人料想不到，甚至是很「奇葩」的事件！正如第一次世界大戰的起源，只是從奧匈帝國五十歲皇儲斐迪南大公（ArchdukeFranz
Ferdinand）和他的四十歲有孕在身的妻子蘇菲（Suphie，已生三個孩子），在波斯尼亞首都塞拉耶佛（Sarajevo）遭一個十九歲的波斯尼亞塞爾維亞族激進學生普林西普（Gavrilo Princip）開槍打死。奧匈帝國於一九一四年七月二十八日向塞爾維亞宣戰，點燃了一戰戰火。
剛開始並沒有德、英、法、俄四個強國之間的戰爭，這兩個國家打起來，整個歐洲就陷入混戰之狀況。就像酒吧有兩個人打架，演變成全部在場的人打群架一樣荒謬！
人生的事件有時也是如此，怪不得有人說：「人在江湖，身不由己！」
但不管如何，現實的狀況如此混亂，基督徒需要求上帝讓我們有清醒的心，清楚上帝要我們完成的使命是什麼？正如在亂世中的末底改和以斯帖，在上帝的引導下，成就拯救猶大全族不致被惡人滅除。
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