Esther 8:10
in Esther 8Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes and sealed it with the royal signet ring. He sent the documents by mounted couriers riding on swift horses bred from the royal mares.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he wrote in the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king’s service, bred of the stud:
KJV
And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus’ name, and sealed it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
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This verse in Esther 8
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe month of Sivan, which comes third after Nisan in the Hebrew calendar, is the same one the Greeks call Thessaroi and the Romans Junius. On the twenty-third day of that month new letters were dictated by Mordecai in order to refute the earlier letters …
This site's exposition
the royal scribes were summoned
on Esther 8:9-10
The counter-decree is written "on the twenty-third day of the third month," about seventy days after Haman's decree of 3:12. It goes to the same "127 provinces from India to Cush," in each script and language. Mounted couriers carry it over the roads that carried Haman's decree.
This site's exposition
Mordecai wrote in the name
The Hebrew words for the royal couriers' mounts are rare. Clarke takes rechesh as a swift horse and the second word as Persian. Barnes proposed horses bred in the king's own stud, and the Berean follows that sense.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
The month of Sivan, which is the third after Nisan among the Jews, and is called Thessari among the Greeks, is named June among Latin peoples. On the twenty-third day of this month new letters were written according to Mordecai's dictation in order to invalidate …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
It was not a time to trifle when so many lives were in danger. 15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:84%@v13-15
And he wrote in the King Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
On mules, camels, and young dromedaries - What these beasts were is difficult to say. The word רכש rechesh, which we translate mules, signifies a swift chariot horse. The strange word אחשתרנים achashteranim is probably a Persian word, but perhaps incurably corrupted. The most likely derivation is that of Bochart, from the Persian akhash, huge, large, rough, and aster, a mule; large mules.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
sent . . . by posts . . . and riders on . . . camels, and young dromedaries--The business being very urgent, the swiftest kind of camel would be employed, and so the word in the original denotes the wind-camel. Young dromedaries also are used to carry expresses, being remarkable for the nimbleness and ease of their movements.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Riders on mules, camels and young dromedaries - Most moderns translate “riders upon coursers and mules, the offspring of mares;” but the words translated “mules” and “mares,” are of very doubtful signification, since they scarcely occur elsewhere. The real meaning of the clause must remain doubtful; perhaps the true translation is, “riders upon coursers of the king’s stud, offspring of high-bred steeds.” So Est 8:14.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Carried by couriers. The horsemen, whom he [the king] commanded to hurry.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
With their booty to be taken. As was written in the first [letters], but they did not lay their hands upon the spoils, for they showed everyone that this was not done for the sake of money.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּכְתֹּ֗ב | vaiyikhto | and he wrote | H3789 → | 224 times |
| בְּשֵׁם֙ | beshem | in [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹ֔שׁ | ʾachashverosh | Ahasuerus | H325 → | 31 times |
| וַיַּחְתֹּ֖ם | vaiyachtom | and he sealed [it] | H2856 → | 26 times |
| בְּטַבַּ֣עַת | betabaat | with [the] signet-ring of | H2885 → | 49 times |
| הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| סְפָרִ֡ים | sefarim | letters | H5612 → | 186 times |
| בְּיַד֩ | beyad | by [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הָרָצִ֨ים | haratzim | <the> couriers | H7323 → | 103 times |
| בַּסּוּסִ֜ים | basusim | on <the> horses | H5483 → | 140 times |
| רֹכְבֵ֤י | rokhevei | [the] riders of | H7392 → | 78 times |
| הָרֶ֙כֶשׁ֙ | harekhesh | the steed[s] | H7409 → | |
| הָֽאֲחַשְׁתְּרָנִ֔ים | haachashteranim | <the> royal | H327 → | |
| בְּנֵ֖י | benei | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הָֽרַמָּכִֽים׃ | haramakhim | the mares | H7424 → |
וַיִּכְתֹּ֗בand he wrote
vaiyikhtoH3789 →224 times
בְּשֵׁם֙in [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֲחַשְׁוֵרֹ֔שׁAhasuerus
ʾachashveroshH325 →31 times
וַיַּחְתֹּ֖םand he sealed [it]
vaiyachtomH2856 →26 times
בְּטַבַּ֣עַתwith [the] signet-ring of
betabaatH2885 →49 times
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וַיִּשְׁלַ֣חand he sent
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
סְפָרִ֡יםletters
sefarimH5612 →186 times
בְּיַד֩by [the] hand of
beyadH3027 →1618 times
הָרָצִ֨ים<the> couriers
haratzimH7323 →103 times
בַּסּוּסִ֜יםon <the> horses
basusimH5483 →140 times
רֹכְבֵ֤י[the] riders of
rokheveiH7392 →78 times
הָרֶ֙כֶשׁ֙the steed[s]
harekheshH7409 →
הָֽאֲחַשְׁתְּרָנִ֔ים<the> royal
haachashteranimH327 →
בְּנֵ֖י[the] sons of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
הָֽרַמָּכִֽים׃the mares
haramakhimH7424 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 60:6Caravans of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah, and all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
it leads to
- Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense…
- Psalms 72:10
May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
- Psalms 72:15
Long may he live! May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him; may they bless him all day long.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Genesis 25:3–4
Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites.
- Matthew 2:11
Through
Jeremiah 51:21With you I shatter the horse and rider; with you I shatter the chariot and driver.
it leads to
- Exodus 15:1
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: “I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and rider He has thrown into the sea.
- Exodus 15:1
Through
Daniel 4:1King Nebuchadnezzar, To the people of every nation and language who dwell in all the earth: May your prosperity be multiplied.
it leads to
- Daniel 6:25
Then King Darius wrote to the people of every nation and language throughout the land: “May your prosperity abound.
- Daniel 6:25
Through
Jeremiah 2:23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 7:31
They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind.
- Jeremiah 7:31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Esther
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Esther and Rabanus Maurus, EXPLANATION ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER 11.