Esther 1:20

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

18Everywhere in Persia and Media, the wives of the king's officers will know what Queen Vashti has done. From today, they will refuse to obey their husbands. They will no longer respect their husbands, and the men will be very angry. 19So we suggest this, if you agree as king. You should give a royal command. It should become one of the laws of Persia and Media, so that nobody can change it. This law must say that Vashti must never see you again. Then you should find a woman who deserves to be queen more than Vashti. You must send this command to everyone in your great kingdom. When people know about this law, all the women will respect their husbands. They will obey them, whether they are important people or ordinary people.’ 21The king and his officers liked this idea. So the king did as Memukan had said. 22He sent letters to all the regions of his kingdom. The letters were in the language of each region, so that all the people could read and understand the law. The law said that every man should be the ruler of his family and he should speak the language of his people.

Esther 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 what has happened. They will be afraid. They will no longer be too proud to obey the judge.
• Deuteronomy 21:21Then all the men of the city must throw stones at the son until he is dead. In this way, you must remove all evil things like that from among you. Then all Israel's people will hear about what has happened. They will be afraid.
• Ephesians 5:33But each one of you husbands should understand this: love your own wife as you love yourself. And every wife among you must respect her husband.
• Colossians 3:18Wives, obey your husbands. That is the right thing to do, because you belong to the Lord.
• 1 Peter 3:1I need to speak to you wives. You should each respect the authority of your own husband. Even if your husband does not believe God's message about Jesus Christ, you should still respect him. If you do that, he may then turn to God and believe his message. You will not need to tell him what is true. He will see the good way that you live.

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

• Divorce
• Family
• Husband
• Memucan
• Persia
• Queen
• Vashti
• Wife
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Shushan
• Acrostic
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Esther, Book of

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