Esther 10

This is the final chapter of Esther. In the preceding chapter, Esther 9, the Jews prevail over their enemies and the feast of Purim is established. This chapter is the three-verse epilogue that follows.

Outline

• Verse 1 King Ahasuerus lays a "tribute" (a levy or tax) upon the land and upon the isles of the sea.
• Verse 2 The acts of the king's power and might, along with his advancement of Mordecai, are said to be written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia, that is, the royal annals.
• Verse 3 Mordecai the Jew becomes second to the king. He is great among the Jews and "accepted" (held in affection and esteem) by his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people and speaking peace to all his seed.

Key Verse

• Esther 10:3 "For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus." This verse sums up the outcome of the story: the Jews, who had been endangered by Haman's plot, are ultimately exalted.

People and Places

• Ahasuerus: King of Persia, the ruler in whose reign the entire book is set.
• Mordecai: Esther's cousin. In this chapter he is portrayed as having risen to a position second only to the king.
• Persia: The Persian Empire.
• Media: A nation named alongside Persia, referring to ancient Media.

Points to Consider

The Book of Esther does not mention Esther again in this chapter, closing instead with Mordecai's position. It is also frequently noted that the name of God does not appear directly anywhere in the book.

The Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) contains additional material after 10:3, including the interpretation of a dream Mordecai had. The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church accept this material as canonical. It is also included in the Korean Catholic Bible and in the Common Translation Bible (a Korean ecumenical translation). Because Protestants regard only the Hebrew text as canonical, the Book of Esther in Protestant Bibles ends at 10:3.