Esther 10
BSASBThis very short closing chapter steps back from the drama and sums up the story’s outcome. The king’s power reaches to the ends of his empire, and Mordecai, once an exile, now stands next to the throne. His greatness is measured by how he used his place: for the good and peace of his people.
Esther 10:1
King Xerxes, whose empire stretched far, laid a tax on the whole land, even the distant coasts and islands. It shows a settled, powerful kingdom. After the danger of the story, life goes on, and God’s people live within the world’s ordinary rule.
BSA: tribute (“tax, task, or levy”): It was a regular burden laid on the people, showing the king’s firm hold over his realm. shores (“coastlands, islands, or borders of the sea”): It points to the far edges of the empire, showing how wide his reach was.
Hebrew: מַס (mas, H4522) — “forced labor, tribute.” The word can describe labor or payment demanded by a ruler. It shows the king’s authority was felt everywhere, even on the far coasts.
Esther 10:2
The record of Mordecai’s mighty deeds and of how the king raised him is said to be written in the royal Persian chronicles. His honor was public and lasting, not secret. Yet the real record of what God did through him is here in Scripture.
BSA: raised (“exalted, lifted up”): Mordecai’s rise was a lifting up from exile to high office, which Scripture elsewhere sees as God’s doing. accomplishments (“deeds, acts”): It points to what Mordecai actually did, not merely his title.
See also: Proverbs 21:1; Daniel 2:21.
Esther 10:3
Mordecai the Jew ranked second only to the king. He was respected by his people, and he used his place to seek their good and speak peace to them all. True greatness here means serving others, not holding on to status.
BSA: peace (“shalom, completeness and wellness”): Mordecai sought his people’s whole well-being, not just an end to quarrels. seeking (“to find and pursue”): He actively pursued his people’s welfare rather than waiting for it to come.
Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם (shalom, H7965) — “peace, wholeness, well-being.” Shalom means more than quiet. It means things being whole and well in every part of life.
See also: Genesis 41:40; Jeremiah 29:7.