Esther 1:13
11 to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
12 Queen Vashti, however, refused to come at the king’s command brought by his eunuchs. And the king became furious, and his anger burned within him.
Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
14 His closest advisors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and ranked highest in the kingdom.
15 “According to law,” he asked, “what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey the command of King Xerxes delivered by the eunuchs?”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Then the king consulted the wise men who knew the times, for it was customary for him to confer with the experts in law and justice.
- KJV
- Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so was the king’s manner toward all that knew law and judgment:
- WEB
- Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times (for it was the king’s custom to consult those who knew law and judgment;
- ASV
- Then the king said to the wise men, who knew the times, (for so was the king`s manner toward all that knew law and judgment;
- DARBY
- And the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for so was the king's business [conducted] before all that knew law and judgment;
- BLB
- And the king said to the wise men knowing the times—for thus was the manner of the king before the face of all those knowing law and judgment,
- ÅB
- Og kongen sa til vismennene, som forsto seg på tidene - slik ble kongens saker fremlagt for alle som forsto seg på lov og rett,
- OTB
- Da rådførte kongen seg med de vise menn som forsto tidene, for det var kongens skikk å tale foran alle som kjente lov og rett,
- B1930
- Og kongen sa til vismennene, som forstod sig på tidene - således blev kongens saker fremlagt for alle som forstod sig på lov og rett,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Chronicles 12:32
From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
Read in contextDaniel 2:2
So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to explain his dreams. When they came and stood before the king,
Read in contextJeremiah 10:7
Who would not fear You, O King of nations? This is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.
Read in contextMatthew 16:3
and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but not the signs of the times.
Read in contextDaniel 2:12
This response made the king so furious with anger that he gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Read in contextDaniel 5:7
The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”
Read in contextMatthew 2:1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
Read in contextDaniel 2:27
Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires.
Read in context