The king’s decree soon became at least as widely known as his queen’s disobedience. It also spelled out the lesson that his subjects were to learn from the fate of Vashti, that every man be master in his own household.
In this way, the domination of husbands over their wives was given a royal stamp.
On this harsh note, and without ever having mentioned the name of God, the book’s introduction comes to a close. Yet, in the midst of Ahasuerus’ drunken foolishness and his advisers’ impure motives, the God of Judah has been working. He has ordained the vacancy left by Queen Vashti, in order to fill it with his servant Esther. Even at this time, he had in mind the salvation of his people and, through them, the salvation of the world (Genesis 12:3; John 4:22).
22 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.