Esther 1:17
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?”
16 And in the presence of the king and his princes, Memucan replied, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the princes and the peoples in all the provinces of King Xerxes.
For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard about the queen’s conduct will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in much contempt and wrath.
19 So if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree, and let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media so that it cannot be repealed, that Vashti shall never again enter the presence of King Xerxes, and that her royal position shall be given to a woman better than she.
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
- For the conduct of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Xerxes ordered Queen Vashti to be brought before him, but she did not come.’
- KJV
- For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
- WEB
- For this deed of the queen will become known to all women, causing them to show contempt for their husbands when it is reported, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she didn’t come.’
- ASV
- For this deed of the queen will come abroad unto all women, to make their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when it shall be reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought in before him, but she came not.
- DARBY
- For the act of the queen will come abroad to all women, so as to render their husbands contemptible in their eyes, when they shall say, The king Ahasuerus commanded the queen Vashti to be brought in before him, and she came not!
- BLB
- For the matter of the queen will go forth upon all the women, to despise their husbands in their eyes, when they say, ‘King Ahasuerus said to bring Vashti the queen before his face, and she did not come.’
- ÅB
- For dronningens adferd vil komme ut blant alle kvinnene og få dem til å forakte sine ektemenn; de vil si: Kong Ahasverus befalte at dronning Vasti skulle føres fram for ham, men hun kom ikke.
- OTB
- For dronningens oppførsel vil bli kjent for alle kvinner, og få dem til å se med forakt på sine ektemenn, og si: 'Kong Ahasverus befalte dronning Vashti å bli ført fram for ham, men hun kom ikke.'
- B1930
- For dronningens adferd vil komme ut blandt alle kvinnene og få dem til å forakte sine ektemenn; de vil si: Kong Ahasverus bød at dronning Vasti skulde føres frem for ham, men hun kom ikke.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Ephesians 5:33
Nevertheless, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Read in context2 Samuel 6:16
As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.
Read in context