New King James Version
Esther 1:12
12But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him.
Esther 1:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
- New International Version (NIV)But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But when they conveyed the king’s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger.
Context of Esther 1:12
10On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing her royal crown, in order to show her beauty to the people and the officials, for she was beautiful to behold. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs; therefore the king was furious, and his anger burned within him. 13Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, 14those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom):
Read all of Esther 1Esther 1:12 word by word
וַתְּמָאֵ֞ן הַמַּלְכָּ֣ה וַשְׁתִּ֗י לָבוֹא֙ בִּדְבַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּיַ֣ד הַסָּרִיסִ֑ים וַיִּקְצֹ֤ף הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַחֲמָת֖וֹ בָּעֲרָ֥ה בֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the queenמַלְכָּהmalkâh · queenH4436
- Vashtiוַשְׁתִּיvashtîy · VashtiH2060
- refusedמָאֵןmâ'ên · to refuseH3985
- to comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- at the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- commandmentדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- byיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
- chamberlainsסָרִיסsârîys sâris · eunuchH5631
- veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- wrothקָצַףqâtsaph · be angryH7107
- and his angerחֵמָהchêmâh chêmâ' · rageH2534
- burnedבָּעַרbâ‛ar · to burn: burnH1197
Cross-references for Esther 1:12
- Genesis 3:16To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”
- Ephesians 5:22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:1Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,
- Proverbs 19:12The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion, But his favor is like dew on the grass.
- Proverbs 20:2The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
- Daniel 2:12For this reason the king was angry and very furious, and gave the command to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
- Daniel 3:13Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
- Nahum 1:6Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him.
- Revelation 6:16and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
- Exodus 32:19So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.
- Deuteronomy 29:20“The Lord would not spare him; for then the anger of the Lord and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the Lord would blot out his name from under heaven.
- Psalms 74:1O God, why have You cast us off forever? Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
- Psalms 79:5How long, Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
Commentaries on Esther 1:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Vashti refused to come - And much should she be commended for it. What woman, possessing even a common share of prudence and modesty, could consent to expose herself to the view of such a group of drunken Bacchanalians? Her courage was equal to her modesty: she would resist the royal mandate, rather than violate the rules of chaste decorum. Her contempt of worldly grandeur, when brought in competition with what every modest woman holds dear and sacred, is…Read the comment
- 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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12refused to come: The queen's refusal is not explained. Perhaps she feared the king, who was drunk, might humiliate her. the king became furious: His anger likely increased because he was drunk and felt embarrassed in front of his friends.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-1210-12. On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine--As the feast days advanced, the drinking was more freely indulged in, so that the close was usually marked by great excesses of revelry. he commanded ... the seven chamberlains--These were the eunuchs who had charge of the royal harem. The refusal of Vashti to obey an order which required her to make an indecent exposure of herself before a company of drunken revellers, was…Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 1:12
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries