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

18Today the wives of the officials in Persia and Media who have heard what the queen did will talk back to all the king’s officials. There will be contempt and short tempers. 19If it pleases you, Your Majesty, issue a royal decree. It should be recorded in the decrees of the Persians and Medes, never to be repealed, that Vashti may never again appear in front of King Xerxes. Furthermore, Your Majesty, you should give her royal position to another woman who is more worthy than she. When you issue your decree, your whole kingdom, great as it is, will hear it. Then all the wives will honor their husbands, regardless of their status.” 21The king and his officials approved of this, and so the king did as Memucan suggested. 22He sent official documents to all the king’s provinces, to each province in its own script and to the people in each province in their own language: “Let every husband be the ruler in his own house and speak with authority.”

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 17:13When all the people hear about it, they will be afraid and will never defy ⌞God’s law⌟ again.
• Deuteronomy 21:21All the men of the city should stone him to death. You must get rid of this evil. When all Israel hears about it, they will be afraid.
• Ephesians 5:33But every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands.
• Colossians 3:18Wives, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority. This is appropriate behavior for the Lord’s people.
• 1 Peter 3:1Wives, in a similar way, place yourselves under your husbands’ authority. Some husbands may not obey God’s word. Their wives could win these men ⌞for Christ⌟ by the way they live without saying anything.

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