New English Translation
Esther 1:20
20And let the king’s decision which he will enact be disseminated throughout all his kingdom, vast though it is. Then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the most prominent to the lowly.”
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
18And this very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard the matter concerning the queen will respond in the same way to all the royal officials, and there will be more than enough contempt and anger! 19If the king is so inclined, let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, that Vashti may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another who is more deserving than she. And let the king’s decision which he will enact be disseminated throughout all his kingdom, vast though it is. Then all the women will give honor to their husbands, from the most prominent to the lowly.” 21The matter seemed appropriate to the king and the officials. So the king acted on the advice of Memucan. 22He sent letters throughout all the royal provinces, to each province according to its own script and to each people according to its own language, that every man should be ruling his family and should be speaking 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 not be so presumptuous again.
- Deuteronomy 21:21Then all the men of his city must stone him to death. In this way you will purge out wickedness from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid.
- Ephesians 5:33Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
- Colossians 3:18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:1In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way 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
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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