Esther 9:4
in Esther 9For Mordecai exercised great power in the palace, and his fame spread throughout the provinces as he became more and more powerful.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went forth throughout all the provinces; for the man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
KJV
For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
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This verse in Esther 9
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
On the thirteenth day
on Esther 9:1-4
The day the lot chose eleven months earlier arrives. The enemies of the Jews "had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned". The satraps, governors and administrators now help the people they were ordered to destroy, "because the fear of Mordecai had fallen upon them".
This site's exposition
For Mordecai exercised great power in the palace
This verse explains the officials' fear in verse 3. Mordecai's rank at court was matched by a reputation that reached every province, and Matthew Henry credits it to his wisdom and virtue. John Gill reads the last clause as office heaped on office, with wealth and power growing together.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
That is, the praiseworthy actions of our sacred teachers and the power of the virtues gave great honor and reverence to the mass of the faithful. Hence in the Acts of the Apostles, where we read that these first preachers of the Gospel were trying …
"All the officials of the provinces, the satraps and the governors, and the royal officials were supporting the Jews." Certainly the praiseworthy action of the holy teachers and the strength of their virtue have contributed great honor and respect to the multitude of the faithful. …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For Mordecai was great in the king's house,.... Not only over Esther's affairs, but was one of the king's counsellors, and was the chief minister of state: and his fame went out throughout all the provinces; what a favourite he was of the king, as well as a relation of the queen, and how wise and just his administrations were: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater, was more and more in the king's favour, and had offices of honour and trust heaped upon him, and increased both in wealth and power.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| גָ֤דוֹל | gadol | [was] great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| מָרְדֳּכַי֙ | maredokhai | Mordecai | H4782 → | 60 times |
| בְּבֵ֣ית | beveit | in [the] house of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וְשָׁמְע֖וֹ | veshameo | and [the] report of him | H8089 → | |
| הוֹלֵ֣ךְ | holekh | [was] going | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַמְּדִינ֑וֹת | hamedinot | the provinces | H4082 → | 53 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הָאִ֥ישׁ | haish | the man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מָרְדֳּכַ֖י | maredokhai | Mordecai | H4782 → | 60 times |
| הוֹלֵ֥ךְ | holekh | [was] going | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וְגָדֽוֹל׃ פ | vegadol | and becoming great | H1431 → | 117 times |
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
גָ֤דוֹל[was] great
gadolH1419 →526 times
מָרְדֳּכַי֙Mordecai
maredokhaiH4782 →60 times
בְּבֵ֣יתin [the] house of
beveitH1004 →2046 times
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וְשָׁמְע֖וֹand [the] report of him
veshameoH8089 →
הוֹלֵ֣ךְ[was] going
holekhH1980 →1546 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
הַמְּדִינ֑וֹתthe provinces
hamedinotH4082 →53 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הָאִ֥ישׁthe man
haishH376 →1663 times
מָרְדֳּכַ֖יMordecai
maredokhaiH4782 →60 times
הוֹלֵ֥ךְ[was] going
holekhH1980 →1546 times
וְגָדֽוֹל׃ פand becoming great
vegadolH1431 →117 times
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
Psalms 1:3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 17:8
He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not…
- Ezekiel 47:12
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of all kinds will grow. Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from…
- Psalms 92:14
In old age they will still bear fruit; healthy and green they will remain,
- John 15:6
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
- Ezekiel 19:10
Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the water; it was fruitful and full of branches because of the abundant waters.
- Jeremiah 17:8
Through
Proverbs 4:18The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
it leads to
- John 8:12
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- Job 11:17
Your life will be brighter than noonday; its darkness will be like the morning.
- Daniel 12:3
Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
- John 8:12
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 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 12.