Esther 1 22

Esther 1:22 kjv

For he sent letters into all the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

Esther 1:22 nkjv

Then he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province in its own script, and to every people in their own language, that each man should be master in his own house, and speak in the language of his own people.

Esther 1:22 niv

He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.

Esther 1:22 esv

He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.

Esther 1:22 nlt

He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.

Esther 1 verses

Esther 1 22 Meaning

Esther 1:22 describes the imperial decree issued by King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) in response to Queen Vashti's disobedience. This comprehensive edict, sent throughout the vast Persian Empire, stipulated two main points: that every man should be acknowledged as the master of his own household, and that he should make his pronouncements known in the language of his own people. The decree aimed to solidify patriarchal authority across all levels of society and prevent any similar perceived acts of defiance from wives spreading throughout the kingdom.

Esther 1 22 Context

Esther chapter 1 establishes the setting for the entire book. It describes King Ahasuerus' lavish feast in Susa, showcasing his immense wealth and power over his vast empire extending from India to Ethiopia. The conflict arises when Queen Vashti refuses the king's command to appear before his drunken guests. This public disobedience greatly offends the king and his wise men, particularly Memucan, who fears that Vashti's act will inspire similar defiance among wives throughout the empire. Esther 1:22 records the immediate and dramatic consequence of this fear: an empire-wide decree aimed at preserving the patriarchal order. This verse marks the official end of Vashti's reign and sets the stage for the search for a new queen, ultimately leading to Esther's elevation and her role in saving her people. Historically, the Persian Empire was a vast, diverse entity, requiring sophisticated administration, including the dissemination of decrees in multiple languages, reflecting the meticulousness, albeit at times absurdity, of Ahasuerus' rule.

Esther 1 22 Word analysis

• So he sent: (וַיִּשְׁלַח, vayyišlaḥ) - From the Hebrew root shalach, "to send forth." Signifies a formal, decisive, and official action initiated by the king.
• letters: (סְפָרִים, s'fariym) - Plural of sefer, meaning "scroll, book, document." These were official written communications, ensuring the decree's legal weight and wide dissemination.
• to all the king's provinces: (אֶל־כָּל־מְדִינוֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ, ʾel-kāl-mədiynoṯ hammelēḵ) - "Provinces" (mədiynoṯ) highlights the extensive administrative divisions of the vast Persian Empire, spanning from India to Ethiopia (Esth 1:1). "King's" emphasizes the decree's origin from the supreme authority.
• to each province in its own script: (מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה כִּכְתָבָהּ, mədiynāh ūmədiynāh kiḵtāḇāh) - "Script" (kiḵtāḇāh, "according to its writing"). This shows administrative practicality and thoroughness to ensure legibility and legal clarity for the diverse populations across the empire.
• and to every people in their own language: (וְעַם וָעָם כִּלְשׁוֹנוֹ, wəʿam wāʿām kiĺšonōw) - "Language" (kiĺšonōw, "according to its tongue/language"). This detail underscores the king's intent for universal understanding of the decree, aiming for absolute clarity and unquestioning obedience.
• that every man: (לִהְיוֹת כָּל־אִישׁ, lihyōt kāl-ʾiysh) - "To be every man." Refers to the male head of the household, emphasizing the broad scope of the intended effect on all households.
• should be master: (שׁוֹרֵר, šorēr) - From the root sarar, meaning "to rule, have dominion, be prince, or exercise lordship." It denotes the exercising of absolute authority and control. This word conveys the king's aim for unchallengeable male dominance within the home.
• in his own house: (בְּבֵיתוֹ, bəḠêytōw) - "In his house/home." Specifies the precise domain of the man's declared authority, the private sphere, making the king's reach comprehensive from public to domestic life.
• and speak in the language of his own people: (וּמְדַבֵּר כִּלְשׁוֹן עַמּוֹ, ūmədaḇḇēr kilšon ʿammōw) - "And speaking according to the tongue of his people." This phrase has generated various interpretations among scholars. One widely accepted understanding is that it ensures the man's word (his dictates, instructions, authority) is clearly and undeviatingly understood within his household because everyone is expected to adhere to the language and customs he represents. It further entrenches his patriarchal identity and control within the home by making his decrees in his own tongue authoritative.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "So he sent letters to all the king's provinces, to each province in its own script and to every people in their own language": This phrase paints a vivid picture of the sheer scale and diversity of the Persian Empire. It showcases the elaborate and seemingly efficient administrative machinery dedicated to enforcing royal decrees. The meticulous care for various scripts and languages highlights a practical understanding of governing such a vast multi-ethnic domain, ensuring maximum penetration and comprehension of the law.
• "that every man should be master in his own house": This is the central purpose and ideological core of the decree. It reveals a deep-seated cultural anxiety within the Persian court regarding female insubordination and the perceived threat to social order. The king, influenced by his advisors, sought to explicitly and legally reinforce male patriarchal authority at the foundational level of every household. This decree elevates what might typically be a domestic norm to an empire-wide immutable law.
• "and speak in the language of his own people": This final clause strongly emphasizes the husband's prerogative to set the terms of discourse and identity within his home. It implicitly demands that all members of the household understand and adhere to the husband's language, thereby solidifying his unquestionable authority and ensuring his word holds undisputed sway within his private domain. It contributes to the comprehensive enforcement of male dominance.

Esther 1 22 Bonus section

• The decree's focus on domestic life reveals a preoccupation with perceived disorder at the grassroots level of society. It implies that instability in the family unit could eventually translate to instability in the broader kingdom, from the perspective of the Persian court.
• While Persian law was famously unalterable (Dan 6:8; Esth 8:8), the extreme nature of this particular decree, driven by anger rather than true statesmanship, subtly hints at the capricious and humanly flawed nature of pagan kingship, standing in contrast to the steady, wise, and holy decrees of God.
• The elaborate communication methods mentioned—"in its own script and to every people in their own language"—while necessary for imperial governance, prefigure later divine acts of universal communication, such as the giving of the Law on Sinai to various groups (Deut 5:4) or the speaking in diverse tongues at Pentecost (Acts 2:6-8), highlighting the divine ability to communicate truth universally.

Esther 1 22 Commentary

Esther 1:22 encapsulates the patriarchal worldview and the autocratic power of the Persian monarchy. Reacting to the perceived existential threat of Queen Vashti's defiance to household order, King Ahasuerus issues a decree not of sound wisdom but of wounded male pride and administrative panic. This seemingly petty edict, that "every man should be master in his own house," reflects the anxieties of the king's counselors that Vashti's insubordination would lead to widespread domestic chaos. The dispatch of these letters, painstakingly translated into every language and script of the vast empire, demonstrates the absolute reach of the king's power and the bureaucracy designed to implement it.

This verse serves as more than just a historical detail; it provides essential context for Esther's future rise. Vashti's permanent removal creates the vacancy, and this very decree ensures she cannot return, clearing the path for God's providential working through Esther. The edict ironically underscores the human attempt to control all outcomes, yet it unknowingly sets the stage for a narrative where a quiet Jewish woman, led by God, will subvert the plans of mighty men and arbitrary laws for her people's salvation. It provides a sharp contrast between an earthly king's flawed attempt at maintaining order through fear and a divine plan of salvation, often working through seemingly chaotic human events.