Esther 1:16-22

16And in the presence of the king and the other officials, Memucan said, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17For the queen’s conduct will 1become known to all the women so as to make their own husbands despicable in their sight, when they say, ‘King Ahasuerus 2commanded that Queen Vashti be brought in to his presence, but she did not come.’ 18And this day the wives of the officials of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will talk about it to all the king’s officials, and there will be plenty of contempt and anger. 19If it pleases the king, let a royal 3edict be issued by him and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media so 4that it cannot 5be repealed, that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king give her royal position to 6another who is more worthy than she. 20When the king’s edict which he will make is heard throughout his kingdom, 7great as it is, then 8all women will give honor to their husbands, great and small.”

21Now this word pleased the king and the officials, and the king did 9as Memucan proposed. 22So he sent letters to all the king’s provinces, 10to each province according to its script and to every people according to their language, that every man was to 11be the ruler in his own house and the one who speaks in the language of his own people.