Esther 1:17

17 For the word of the queen shall go out to all women, that they also despise their husbands, and say, King Ahasuerus commanded, that the queen Vashti should have come to him, and she would not. (For this deed of the queen shall become known to all the women, and then they shall also despise their husbands, for they shall say, King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, but she would not come.)

Esther 1:17 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 1:17

For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women,
&c.] It will soon be spread all over the king's dominions, and reach the ears of the wives of all his subjects, and become their general talk everywhere: so that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes:
make light of their authority, refuse subjection to them, slight their commands, and neglect to yield obedience to them, and so not give them the honour that is due unto them: when it shall be reported, the King Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the
queen to be brought in before him, and she came not;
was disobedient to his commands, refused to go along with the chamberlains sent by the king to fetch her.

Esther 1:17 In-Context

15 the king asked them, to what sentence the queen Vashti should be subject, that would not do the commandment of king Ahasuerus, which he had sent (to her) by the honest and chaste servants. (and the king asked them, What sentence should Queen Vashti be subject to, for she would not obey the command of King Ahasuerus, which he sent to her by the eunuchs.)
16 And Memucan answered, in audience of the king and of the princes, The queen Vashti hath not only despised the king, but all the princes and peoples, that be in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus. (And Memucan answered, before the king and the princes, or the leaders, and said, Queen Vashti hath not only despised the king, but all the princes, or the leaders, and all the peoples, who be in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus.)
17 For the word of the queen shall go out to all women, that they also despise their husbands, and say, King Ahasuerus commanded, that the queen Vashti should have come to him, and she would not. (For this deed of the queen shall become known to all the women, and then they shall also despise their husbands, for they shall say, King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to come to him, but she would not come.)
18 And by this ensample all the wives of the princes of Persia and of Media shall despise the behests of their husbands; wherefore the indignation of the king is just. (And so by this example all the wives of the leaders of Persia and Media shall despise the orders of their husbands; and so the king is justified to have indignation about this.)
19 If it pleaseth to thee, a commandment go out from thy face, and be written by the law(s) of Persia and of Media, which it is unleaveful to be passed (over), that Vashti enter [in] no more to the king, but another woman, which is better than she, take her realm. (So if it please thee, let a command go out from thee, and be it written in the laws of Persia and Media, which law it shall forever be unlawful to break, that Vashti can no more come before the king, and then let another woman, who is more worthy than she, take her reign, or her crown.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.