¹⁶Memucan said in the presence of the king and his officials, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples who are in every one of King Ahasuerus’s provinces.^ab ¹⁷For the queen’s action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.’ ¹⁸Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen’s act will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in more contempt and fury.

¹⁹“If it meets the king’s approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it cannot be revoked:^ac Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus’s presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she.^ad ²⁰The decree the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom,^ae so all women will honor their husbands,^af from the greatest to the least.”^ag

²¹The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan’s advice.

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Cross references

ab Est 1:1,3,5; 9:30
ac Est 8:8; Dn 6:8,15
ad Est 2:2,4,17
ae Est 1:1; 8:9
af Est 1:10–12; Eph 5:22,24,33; Col 3:18; 1Tm 2:12; 1Pt 3:1
ag Est 1:5