New International Version
Esther 1:20
20Then 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)When this decree is published throughout the king’s vast empire, husbands everywhere, whatever their rank, will receive proper respect from their wives!”
Context of Esther 1:20
18This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord. 19“Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she. 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.” 21The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed. 22He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.
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 17:13All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not be contemptuous again.
- Deuteronomy 21:21Then all the men of his town are to stone him to death. You must purge the evil from among you. All Israel will hear of it and be afraid.
- Ephesians 5:33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
- Colossians 3:18Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:1Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,
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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