New Living Translation
Esther 8:9
9So 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.
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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- 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.
Context of Esther 8:9
7Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. 8Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.” 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. 10The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service. 11The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take 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 3:12So on April 17 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
- Esther 1:1These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.
- Daniel 6:1Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.
- Esther 8:8Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”
- Esther 1:22He sent letters to all parts of the empire, to each province in its own script and language, proclaiming that every man should be the ruler of his own home and should say whatever he pleases.
- 2 Kings 18:26Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, Shebna, and Joah said to the Assyrian chief of staff, “Please speak to us in Aramaic, for we understand it well. Don’t speak in Hebrew, for the people on the wall will hear.”
- Daniel 4:1King Nebuchadnezzar sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!
- 1 Corinthians 14:9It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.
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
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
Commentaries