Esther 1 New International Version (NIV) Queen Vashti Deposed. 1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, [] the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush []: 2 At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles ...