Esther 1:18

Est 1:18 [Likewise] shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto all the king’s princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen. Thus [shall there arise] too much contempt and wrath.

Ver. 18. Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say] Say what? We will not do as our lords command us. Like enough all this; for their tongues were their own, and their wills no less. That free will (about which there is so much ado made) when men once lost, the women caught it up; and hence they are so wedded to their own will, saith one merrily. Quicquid volunt, valde volunt, what they will do they will do contra gentes, saith another. And for talking and telling their minds, the rabbis have a proverb, that ten kabs (measures) of speech descended into the world, and the women took away nine of them. These ladies of Persia and Media were feasting with the queen when the king sent for her, ubi quid factum est? garritur, potitatur, saltitatur, saith an interpreter, at which time they were chatting, and bibbing, and dancing, and (when their mirth was marred) they would not spare to speak their minds and ease their stomachs, whatever came of it. We read in our own chronicles of the Lady de Breuse, that by her railing and intemperate tongue she had so exasperated King John (whom she reviled as a tyrant and a murderer), that he would not be pacified by her strange present (four hundred cows, and one bull, all milk-white, except only the ears, which were red) sent unto the queen (Speed. 572).

Then shall there arise too much contempt and wrath] Contempt on the wives’ part, and wrath on the husbands’; wives shall slight their husbands, and they again shall fall foul upon their wives; so that coniugium marriage, shall become coniurgium; a dispute, and the house they dwell together in shall be no better than a fencing school, wherein the two sexes seem to have met together for nothing but to play their prizes, and to try masteries. This made Sulla say, I had been happy if I had never been married.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Est 1:18. Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath — Contempt in the wives, and thereupon wrath in the husbands, and consequently strife in families, which may produce great and general mischiefs.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Meaning, that they would take first occasion thereof to do the like, and that the rest of women would by continuance do the same.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 18. The ladies of Persia] שרות saroth, the princesses; but the meaning is very well expressed by our term ladies.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) Translate, and this day shall the princesses of Persia and Media, which heard the affair of the queen, say . . .

Contempt and wrath.—Presumably, contemptuous defiance on the part of the wives, and anger on the part of the husbands.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. Memucan points out that, inasmuch as the disobedience was public and notorious—for the princesses who were feasting with Vashti heard her answer—they will ‘say the like,’ i.e. will meet their husbands’ commands with equally insolent replies; or, better, as marg. of R.V., will ‘tell it,’ viz. spread the story far and wide.

much] lit., as in marg., enough, meaning, of course, more than enough; an example of the figure of speech called Litotes.

contempt and wrath] on the part of wives and husbands respectively.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen,.... From henceforward they will give a like answer to their husbands, when they lay their commands upon them, as Vashti has to the king; they will tell them to their faces they will not obey their orders:

thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath; there will be in wives a general contempt of their husbands, which will cause discord and strife, quarrels, wrath and anger; contempt on one part, wrath on the other, and contention between both.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Translate it: “Likewise shall the princesses of Persia and Media, which have heard of the deed of the queen, say this day unto all the king’s princes.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Wives. Greek turannides, "princesses, or female tyrants." --- Slight. Septuagint, "dare to slight their husbands. Wherefore if," &c. (Haydock) --- Just. Hebrew, "enough of contempt and indignation." This may be referred either to the king or to the women’s husbands. The example will prove a source of continual quarrels. (Calmet) --- Brentius approves the decision of this parasite; though St. Ambrose, &c., think that the queen was justified by the laws, which the king had no right to infringe, to gratify his drunken humour, ver. 10. Luther would also wrest this text in favour of adultery, p.ii. Devort. p. 177. (Worthington)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Contempt in the wives, and thereupon wrath in the husbands; and consequently strife in families; which may produce great and general mischiefs.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. Ladies — Princesses; those who were with their husbands at the court of Ahasuerus, or at Shushan, where they would at once (this day) hear of Vashti’s deed, that is, both her act and words, and be emboldened to say to their lords what Vashti had said to the king.

Contempt and wrath — Contempt on the part of wives for their husbands, and consequent wrath or anger (compare Est_1:12) on the part of the affronted husbands. This verse should be rendered thus: And this day will the princesses of Persia and Media, who have heard of the word of the queen, say (like words) to all the princes of the king, and (there will be) enough contempt and wrath.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The ladies. Rather, "the princesses." Translate the whole passage as follows: shall the princesses of Persia and Media, which have heard of the deed of the queen, say this day to all the king"s princes." Not only will the wives of the common people get hold of the story, and quote Vashti"s example as often as they wish to disobey their husbands, but our own wives too will disobey us on the same pretext, and will begin forthwith "this day." Too much contempt and wrath. Literally, "sufficient;" but the meaning is that given by our translators enough," "more than enough." Contempt on the part of the wives; wrath on the part of the husbands.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Contempt - Contempt in the wives, and thereupon wrath in the husbands; and consequently strife in families.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

the princesses of Persia and Media, etc. will say this word to all the princes; this is an ellipsis.

and much contempt and wrath And in this matter, there is much contempt and wrath.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.