Esther 10:1-3·~1 min

Tribute to Xerxes and Mordecai

Xerxes imposes tribute throughout the empire, and the record of his power and of Mordecai's greatness is said to be written in the royal chronicles of Media and Persia. Mordecai the Jew stands second only to the king, great among the Jews and favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to them.

N¹ow King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the land, even to its farthest shores. ²And all of Mordecai’s powerful and magnificent accomplishments, together with the full account of the greatness to which the king had raised him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? ³For Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews and highly favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.

Section summaryThe final chapter gives only a brief report, but it is enough to show where the story has landed. Xerxes remains king over a wide empire, yet the closing lines concentrate on Mordecai's recognized greatness, his place just beneath the throne, and the peace he seeks for his people.

Role in the chapterThis closing section serves as Esther's epilogue. It gathers the political aftermath into a few verses and leaves the book with the durable standing of Mordecai rather than with the threat that once dominated the court.