So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes that all women will honor their husbands, no matter their social standing, because the king's decree, once issued, carries immense weight across his vast empire. This highlights how a single, powerful decree could attempt to enforce social order, even down to the most intimate relationships within every household.
So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Queen Vashti's defiance and subsequent banishment, the king and his advisors propose a new royal decree. This decree will be spread throughout the vast Persian empire, mandating that all wives must honor their husbands to prevent any future challenges to male authority. This action sets the stage for the search for a new queen, ultimately leading to Esther's rise.
Imagine a single decision, a command from the highest authority, echoing across an empire that spans continents. How does such a decree truly impact the lives of everyday people?
In Esther 1:20, the vastness of King Ahasuerus's empire is emphasized not just to impress, but to highlight the absolute reach of his command. The Persian Empire at this time was immense, covering 127 provinces.
Absolute Authority
This decree wasn't just a suggestion; it was a formal proclamation with the weight of the king's power behind it. The word used for 'decree' (pithgam) was a Persian loanword, indicating its official and perhaps even unique status within the empire's legal framework.
Universal Application
The decree states that 'all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.' This wasn't a law that applied only to certain classes or regions. It was meant to be universally enforced, from the wealthiest noblewomen to the most humble villagers, ensuring a uniform societal expectation across the entire empire.
Sometimes, the most profound divine plans are set in motion by seemingly small, even foolish, human actions. How can we see God working behind the scenes of human events?
While this decree stems from King Ahasuerus's drunken pride and Vashti's defiance, the biblical narrative subtly points to a greater purpose.
Unseen Hand
The commentators note that God's providence was at work, using this very incident to pave the way for Esther to become queen. What Ahasuerus intended as a display of his absolute authority and a solution to a perceived problem, God was repurposing.
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Divine Strategy
Even a king's 'folly' or 'madness' could be harnessed by God to achieve His ultimate goals. This doesn't excuse the human actions, but it reveals God's sovereignty over all events, ensuring His will is accomplished despite human imperfections and schemes.
Understand the original words
pithgam · Hebrew Noun
A formal authoritative command or official proclamation issued by a ruler to their subjects, intended to be binding law.
yeqar · Hebrew Noun
The act of showing respect, reverence, or high regard. In the Bible, it is often due to God, but also commanded for parents, leaders, and within marriage.
The decree in Esther 1:20 wasn't just about marital respect; it was a political move to reassert the king's absolute authority across a vast and diverse empire after a public challenge by Queen Vashti. The immense size of the Persian Empire meant such a decree had far-reaching social implications.
c. 550-330 BC
Achaemenid Persian Empire at its Zenith
The Persian Empire, established by Cyrus the Great, stretched from the Aegean Sea to the Indus River, encompassing 127 provinces as mentioned in Esther 1:1. This vast empire was known for its complex administration and communication systems, allowing royal decrees to reach all corners.
c. 486-465 BC
Reign of Xerxes I (Ahasuerus)
Ahasuerus, identified by most scholars with Xerxes I, ruled the massive Persian Empire during this period. His reign was marked by grand building projects and military campaigns, such as the invasion of Greece.
Date uncertain, likely during Xerxes' reign— this verse
Vashti Deposed as Queen
Following a drunken royal banquet, King Xerxes orders Queen Vashti to appear before him and his guests, but she refuses. In his rage and consulting his advisors, Xerxes decides to depose her, setting in motion the events that would lead to Esther becoming queen.
Undated, following Vashti's deposition
Royal Decree on Wives' Submission
To assert royal authority and quell any potential ripple effect from Vashti's defiance, a decree is issued across the empire. This decree mandates that all wives, regardless of social standing, must honor and obey their husbands, reinforcing patriarchal structures.
Undated, following the decree
Esther Chosen as Queen
A search for a new queen is conducted throughout the empire. Esther, a young Jewish woman living in exile in Susa, is chosen and secretly brought to the king's palace, unaware of her lineage.
This passage speaks to the headship and order within the church, drawing a parallel to God's established order of authority, much like the king attempts to establish an unchangeable decree for the home.
Ephesians 5:22-24Here, wives are called to submit to their own husbands as to the Lord, reflecting the societal expectation of honor and deference that the king's decree enforces on a massive scale.
Colossians 3:18This verse directly instructs wives to be subject to their husbands, aligning with the pervasive cultural norm that Ahasuerus sought to solidify with his sweeping royal command.
Proverbs 31:28While this passage praises the wife who is blessed by her husband, it points to a relationship where honor is given and received, a concept amplified to an absolute decree in Esther's narrative.
pooleEsther 1:20: "And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small."
No text from Poole on this verse.
pulpitEsther 1:20: "And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give to their husbands honour, both to great and small."
Verse 20. - The king's decree. The "commandment" of the preceding verse is here given the formal name of pithgam, "decree," which is a Persian word, used also in Ezra (Ezra 4:17; Ezra 5:7, 11). For it is great. These words seem at first sight superfluous. Perhaps their force is this - Let a decr…
The verse emphasizes that all women will honor their husbands, no matter their social standing, because the king's decree, once issued, carries immense weight across his vast empire. This highlights how a single, powerful decree could attempt to enforce social order, even down to the most intimate relationships within every household.
Following Queen Vashti's defiance and subsequent banishment, the king and his advisors propose a new royal decree. This decree will be spread throughout the vast Persian empire, mandating that all wives must honor their husbands to prevent any future challenges to male authority. This action sets the stage for the search for a new queen, ultimately leading to Esther's rise.
Following Queen Vashti's defiance and subsequent banishment, the king and his advisors propose a new royal decree. This decree will be spread throughout the vast Persian empire, mandating that all wives must honor their husbands to prevent any future challenges to male authority. This action sets the stage for the search for a new queen, ultimately leading to Esther's rise.
"So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.”" — The verse emphasizes that all women will honor their husbands, no matter their social standing, because the king's decree, once issued, carries immense weight across his vast empire. This highlight…
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Last reviewed October 2026