American Standard Version
Esther 1:13
13Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment;
Esther 1:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
- New International Version (NIV)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
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice,
Context of Esther 1:13
11to bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes her beauty; for she was fair to look on. 12But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him. Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment; 14and the next unto him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom), 15What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the chamberlains?
Read all of Esther 1Esther 1:13 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לַחֲכָמִ֖ים יֹדְעֵ֣י הָֽעִתִּ֑ים כִּי־כֵן֙ דְּבַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לִפְנֵ֕י כָּל־יֹדְעֵ֖י דָּ֥ת וָדִֽין׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Esther 1:13
- Jeremiah 10:7Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee.
- Daniel 2:2Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the enchanters, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.
- Daniel 4:6Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.
- Daniel 5:7The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
- Matthew 2:1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,
- 1 Chronicles 12:32And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
- Matthew 16:3And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the heaven is red and lowering. Ye know how to discern the face of the heaven; but ye cannot discern the signs of the times.
Commentaries on Esther 1:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13To the wise men - Probably the lawyers.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Wise men - Not “astrologers,” who were unknown in Persia; but rather men of practical wisdom, who knew the facts and customs of former times. For so was the king‘s manner - Some render it: “for so was the king‘s business laid before all that knew law ”Read the comment
- 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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13The king did not react immediately. He consulted his wise advisers, as he usually did. He checked with Persian legal experts to see what could be done about his disobedient wife (Esther 1:15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1913-19. Then the king said to the wise men--These were probably the magi, without whose advice as to the proper time of doing a thing the Persian kings never did take any step whatever; and the persons named in Es 1:14 were the "seven counsellors" (compare Ezr 7:14) who formed the state ministry. The combined wisdom of all, it seems, was enlisted to consult with the king what course should be taken after so unprecedented an occurrence as Vashti's…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 1:13
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries