Amplified Bible
Esther 1:20
20So when the king’s great decree is proclaimed throughout his [extensive] kingdom, all women will give honor to their husbands, from the great to the insignificant.”
Esther 1:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And when the king’s decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small.
- New International Version (NIV)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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike."
- New King James Version (NKJV)When the king’s decree which he will make is proclaimed throughout all his empire (for it is great), all wives will honor their husbands, both great and small.”
Context of Esther 1:20
18This [very] day the ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s refusal will speak [in the same way] to all the king’s officials, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. 19If it pleases the king, let a royal command be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of the Persians and Medes so that it cannot be repealed or modified, that Vashti is no longer to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better and more worthy than she. So when the king’s great decree is proclaimed throughout his [extensive] kingdom, all women will give honor to their husbands, from the great to the insignificant.” 21This statement (advice) pleased the king and the officials, and the king did what Memucan proposed. 22So he sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, saying that every man should be the master and rule in his own home and that he should speak [in the household] in the language of his own people.
Read all of Esther 1Esther 1:20 word by word
וְנִשְׁמַע֩ פִּתְגָ֨ם הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֲשֶֽׁר־יַעֲשֶׂה֙ בְּכָל־מַלְכוּת֔וֹ כִּ֥י רַבָּ֖ה הִ֑יא וְכָל־הַנָּשִׁ֗ים יִתְּנ֤וּ יְקָר֙ לְבַעְלֵיהֶ֔ן לְמִגָּד֖וֹל וְעַד־קָטָֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- decreeפִּתְגָּםpithgâm · edictH6599
- which he shall makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- shall be publishedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: proclaimH8085
- throughout all his empireמַלְכוּתmalkûth malkûth malkûyâh · royaltyH4438
- for it is greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- all the wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- shall giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- to their husbandsבַּעַלba‛al · master: husbandH1167
- honourיְקָרyeqâr · preciousnessH3366
- both to greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- and smallקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
Cross-references for Esther 1:20
- Deuteronomy 17:13Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again.
- Deuteronomy 21:21Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death; so you shall remove the evil from among you, and all Israel will hear of it and be afraid.
- Ephesians 5:33However, each man among you [without exception] is to love his wife as his very own self [with behavior worthy of respect and esteem, always seeking the best for her with an attitude of lovingkindness], and the wife [must see to it] that she respects and delights in her husband [that she notices him and prefers him and treats him with loving concern, treasuring him, honoring him, and holding him dear].
- Colossians 3:18Wives, be subject to your husbands [out of respect for their position as protector, and their accountability to God], as is proper and fitting in the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:1In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate, not as inferior, but out of respect for the responsibilities entrusted to husbands and their accountability to God, and so partnering with them] so that even if some do not obey the word [of God], they may be won over [to Christ] without discussion by the godly lives of their wives,
Commentaries on Esther 1:20
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-22Verses 10-22 Ahasuerus's feast ended in heaviness, by his own folly. Seasons of peculiar festivity often end in vexation. Superiors should be careful not to command what may reasonably be disobeyed. But when wine is in, men's reason departs from them. He that had rule over 127 provinces, had no rule over his own spirit. But whether the passion or the policy of the king was served by this decree, God's providence made way for Esther to the crown, and…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-22Commentary by Robert Jamieson 1. Ahasuerus--It is now generally agreed among learned men that the Ahasuerus mentioned in this episode is the Xerxes who figures in Grecian history.Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 1:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Esther 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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