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Esther 1:16

in Esther 1

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.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peoples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

KJV

And Memucan answered before the king and the princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

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This verse in Esther 1

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Rabanus Maurus

EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 2 · Written before 856.

The advice which King Ahasuerus asks of his seven sages who were, according to royal custom always by his side, concerning the insolent Vashti—as well as the sentence he orders them to pass concerning her—undoubtedly signifies the sentence our Savior passes against the arrogance of …

This site's exposition

hath not done wrong to the king only

on Esther 1:16-18

Memucan’s answer inflates one refusal into an empire-wide grievance: Vashti has wronged not the king only but all the princes and all the people in all the provinces, because her deed will come abroad to every woman and teach wives everywhere to despise their husbands. Matthew Henry calls the argument out for what it is, statesmen frightened by their own wives dressing up a private slight as a public crisis. The logic that turns one woman’s no into a case for an empire is left to make its own point.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Rabanus Maurus

Commentary on Esther · Written before 856.

proposed

But let us hear what Scripture has to say about the stubbornness of Vashti, that most foolish of queens: "So the king was angered, and enflamed by his excessive rage he questioned his wise men, who were always at his side according to royal custom; …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man's pleasure. 9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. Which of the kings of Persia this Ahasuerus was the learned are not agreed.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:88%@v8-10

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament (1765)

proposed

How does this Heathen prince shame many, that are called Christians, who think they do not make their friends welcome, unless they make them drunk, and under pretense of sending the health round, send the sin round, and death with it! Women - While the king entertained the men. For this was the common custom of the Persians, that men and women did not feast together.
And Memucan answered before the king and the princes,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

Vashti - hath not done wrong to the king only - This reasoning or arguing was inconsequent and false. Vashti had not generally disobeyed the king, therefore she could be no precedent for the general conduct of the Persian women. She disobeyed only in one particular; and this, to serve a purpose, Memucan draws into a general consequence; and the rest came to the conclusion which he drew, being either too drunk to be able to discern right from wrong, or too intent on reducing the women to a state of vassalage, to neglect the present favorable opportunity.
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

The combined wisdom of all, it seems, was enlisted to consult with the king what course should be taken after so unprecedented an occurrence as Vashti's disobedience of the royal summons. It is scarcely possible for us to imagine the astonishment produced by such a refusal in a country and a court where the will of the sovereign was absolute.

How the passage was read

What the Jewish commentators add

On the verses either side of this one

Concerning the proper procedure to follow. This refers back to “The king consulted the sages.” 28 Above, v.
Rashi: France, 1040–1105 · Rashi on Esther 1:15:1, via Sefaria, The Metsudah Five Megillot, Lakewood, N.J., 2001

This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.

Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.

The words behind it

24 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH559 →5305 times

  • מְמוּכָ֗ןMemucan

    mumekhanH4462 →3 times

  • לִפְנֵ֤י<to> before

    lifneiH6440 →2123 times

  • הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙the king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • וְהַשָּׂרִ֔יםand the officials

    vehasarimH8269 →421 times

  • לֹ֤אnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙the king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • לְבַדּ֔וֹto only him

    levadoH905 →200 times

  • עָוְתָ֖הshe did wrong

    ʾavetahH5753 →

  • וַשְׁתִּ֣יVashti

    vashtiH2060 →10 times

  • הַמַּלְכָּ֑הthe queen

    hamalkahH4436 →35 times

  • כִּ֤יfor

    kiH3588 →4482 times

  • עַל־on

    ʾal-H5921 →5755 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • הַשָּׂרִים֙the officials

    hasarimH8269 →421 times

  • וְעַל־and on

    veal-H5921 →5755 times

  • כָּל־all

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • הָ֣עַמִּ֔יםthe peoples

    haamimH5971 →1873 times

  • אֲשֶׁ֕רwhich

    ʾasherH834 →5497 times

  • בְּכָל־[are] in all

    bekholH3605 →5413 times

  • מְדִינ֖וֹת[the] provinces of

    medinotH4082 →53 times

  • הַמֶּ֥לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • אֲחַשְׁוֵרֽוֹשׁ׃Ahasuerus

    ʾachashverooshH325 →31 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

3 in all, six open

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Acts 25:10

    Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.

    it leads to

    • 2 Corinthians 4:2

      Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to…

    • Matthew 27:18

      For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.

    • Acts 26:31

      On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

    • Acts 28:18

      They examined me and wanted to release me, because there was no basis for a death sentence against me.

    • Acts 25:25

      But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.

  • Through

    Acts 18:14

    But just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio told the Jews, “If this matter involved a wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to hear your complaint.

    it leads to

    • 1 Peter 3:14–15

      But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be shaken.”

    • Hebrews 5:2

      He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is beset by weakness.

    • 2 Corinthians 11:4

      For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you…

Where this verse is studied

About Esther

Queen Vashti Refuses to Obey Ahasuerus' Command — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Queen Vashti Refuses to Obey Ahasuerus' Command — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Esther: the study guide →Read Esther 1 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Rabanus Maurus, EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 2 and Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Esther.

Read on in Esther 1 →