New International Version
Esther 8:9
9At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language.
Esther 8:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and it was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews, the satraps, the governors, and the princes of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces in all, to every province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So on June 25 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews.
Context of Esther 8:9
7King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. 8Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.” At once the royal secretaries were summoned—on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan. They wrote out all Mordecai’s orders to the Jews, and to the satraps, governors and nobles of the 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. These orders were written in the script of each province and the language of each people and also to the Jews in their own script and language. 10Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king. 11The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate the armed men of any nationality or province who might attack them and their women and children, and to plunder the property of their enemies.
Read all of Esther 8Esther 8:9 word by word
וַיִּקָּרְא֣וּ סֹפְרֵֽי־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ בָּֽעֵת־הַ֠הִיא בַּחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֜י הוּא־חֹ֣דֶשׁ סִיוָ֗ן בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה וְעֶשְׂרִים֮ בּוֹ֒ וַיִּכָּתֵ֣ב כְּֽכָל־אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֣ה מָרְדֳּכַ֣י אֶל־הַיְּהוּדִ֡ים וְאֶ֣ל הָאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִֽים־וְהַפַּחוֹת֩ וְשָׂרֵ֨י הַמְּדִינ֜וֹת אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ מֵהֹ֣דּוּ וְעַד־כּ֗וּשׁ שֶׁ֣בַע וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וּמֵאָה֙ מְדִינָ֔ה מְדִינָ֤ה וּמְדִינָה֙ כִּכְתָבָ֔הּ וְעַ֥ם וָעָ֖ם כִּלְשֹׁנ֑וֹ וְאֶ֨ל־הַיְּהוּדִ֔ים כִּכְתָבָ֖ם וְכִלְשׁוֹנָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then were the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- scribesסָפַרsâphar · to recountH5608
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- in the thirdשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
- monthחֹ֫דֶשׁchôdesh · monthH2320
- Sivanסִיוָןsîyvân · SivanH5510
- on the threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- and twentiethעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
- thereof; and it was writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
- according to all that Mordecaiמׇרְדֳּכַיmordekay · MordecaiH4782
- commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- unto the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
- and to the lieutenantsאֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן'ăchashdarpan · satrapH323
- and the deputiesפֶּחָהpechâh · governorH6346
- and rulersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- of the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
- from Indiaהֹ֫דּוּhôdû · IndiaH1912
- unto Ethiopiaכּוּשׁkûsh · CushH3568
- an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- and sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- according to the writingכְּתָבkâthâb · writingH3791
- thereof, and unto every peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- after their languageלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongue: languageH3956
Cross-references for Esther 8:9
- Esther 3:12Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.
- Esther 1:1This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush:
- Daniel 6:1It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom,
- Esther 8:8Now write another decree in the king’s name in behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring—for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked.”
- Esther 1:22He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household, using his native tongue.
- 2 Kings 18:26Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”
- Daniel 4:1King Nebuchadnezzar, To the nations and peoples of every language, who live in all the earth: May you prosper greatly!
- 1 Corinthians 14:9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.
Commentaries on Esther 8:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The month Sivan - This answers to a part of our May and June.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9Sivan corresponds nearly to our June; it was the second month from the issue of the first edict Esther 3:12.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-14Verses 3-14 It was time to be earnest, when the church of God was at stake. Esther, though safe herself, fell down and begged for the deliverance of her people. We read of no tears when she begged for her own life, but although she was sure of that, she wept for her people. Tears of pity and tenderness are the most Christ-like. According to the constitution of the Persian government, no law or decree could be repealed or recalled. This is so far from…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9on the twenty-third day of the third month: The process of writing and sending the new decree intentionally mirrors the account of sending the original decree in Esther 3:12.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-148. Write ... in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring--Hence it is evident that the royal ring had a seal in it, which, being affixed to any document, authenticated it with the stamp of royal authority. which ... may no man reverse--This is added as the reason why he could not comply with the queen's request for a direct reversal or recall of Haman's letters; namely, that the laws of the Medes and Persians, once passed, were irrevocable.Read the comment
Topics related to Esther 8:9
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Esther 8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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