Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Esther 10:1

Clarke's Commentary

CHAPTER X

Ahasuerus lays a tribute on his dominions, 1.

Mordecai's advancement under him, 2.

His character, 3.

NOTES ON CHAP. X

Verse Esther 10:1. Laid a tribute upon the land — On the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of which we have already heard.

The isles of the sea. — Probably the isles of the AEgean sea, which were conquered by Darius Hystaspes. Calmet supposes that this Hystaspes is the Ahasuerus of Esther.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Continued prosperity (10:1-3)

The book concludes by noting the greatness of Mordecai and the benefits that he brought to the Jewish people. Under his administration, non-Jewish peoples were forced to contribute more to the Empire’s economy, so the burden on the Jews was eased (10:1-2). Mordecai continued in his position as chief minister in the government of Ahasuerus for many years, and under him the Jews had security and contentment (3).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

A FINAL NOTE ON THE GREATNESS OF MORDECAI

"And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of the brethren, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed."

The purpose of the author in this very short chapter is that of stressing the greatness of Mordecai, the key word being that, in all the world, no one was any greater than Mordecai except the king. "Mordecai was next unto king Ahasuerus"! This required a preliminary note on how great was Ahasuerus. He was the ruler of most of the world as it was known then, from India to Ethiopia, with one hundred twenty-seven provinces, and here is added a note that he laid tribute upon the land and the isles of the sea. After the Grecian campaign, in which Xerxes suffered defeat, his dominion over the isles of the sea was reduced, but still existed. "Cyprus and Aradus were among the isles he still ruled."F. C. Cook, Barnes' Commentary Series, Esther, p. 503.

Not only was Mordecai next to king Ahasuerus, but his mighty deeds were written in the book of the chronicles of the Medo-Persian empire, along with that of their mighty kings. Incidentally, we have here the most conspicuous evidence that the Medo-Persian Empire was never two empires, but only one; the record of all their kings was in the same book!

"The author of Esther here emphasized the great power and wealth of Xerxes in order to show the marvelous providence of God in elevating a despised Jew to a position of honor and trust in such an empire."Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 456.

Many things we would like to know. For example, how long did Esther remain on the throne as queen? How many years did Mordecai continue as Prime Minister? "But Esther was not written to record the lives of emperors, queens, or prime ministers, but to preserve the record of a great national deliverance of God's people, a deliverance which would bring comfort and hope to millions of Jews through millenniums of time."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 557.

"Seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed" "The meaning of these two phrases is that Mordecai procured both by word and deed the good and prosperity of his people. This is the way in which honor and fortune are attained, the way indicated in the 34th Psalm (Psalms 34:13-15), when teaching the fear of the Lord."C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 3c, p. 380.

Joyce Baldwin pointed out that, "These three verses are couched in thoroughly Biblical terms. Zechariah 9:10 speaks of the Messiah that, `He shall speak peace to the nations (Zechariah 9:10)'; and no earthly ruler could have done more than to speak peace to his people."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 420.

"Speaking peace to all his seed" In all probability Mordecai was a eunuch, and therefore we understand `his seed' here to be a reference to God's Israel.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

A tribute - Perhaps an allusion to some fresh arrangement of the tribute likely to have followed on the return of Xerxes from Greece.

Upon the isles of the sea - Cyprus, Aradus, the island of Tyre, Platea, etc., remained in the hands of the Persians after the victories of the Greeks, and may be the “isles” here intended.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 10

Now chapter 10 just deals with now the exalting of Mordecai. He was made, more or less, prime minister over the Persian Empire. He was given pretty much the office and the role that Haman had had. And it is, no doubt, because of Esther and Mordecai and their position, that when Esther's husband Ahasuerus died, his son, also called Ahasuerus in the scriptures, became the next king, but Queen Esther, no doubt, had a great influence upon him, her stepson. And it was he who gave to Nehemiah the permission and all to go back and rebuild the city of Jerusalem, to restore the walls and all. The stepson of Esther is the one who gave that very important decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, the decree from which the beginning date of the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Four hundred and eighty-three years after that date the Messiah will come. So that is, no doubt, because of the influence that Mordecai and Esther had.

Now, this brings us now to an end of a major section of the Old Testament. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

V. MORDECAI’S GREATNESS CH. 10

Perhaps the writer mentioned Ahasuerus’ tax (Esther 10:1) because Mordecai had something to do with it, or perhaps this tax reflects God’s blessing on the king for preserving the Jews (Genesis 12:3).

Appeal to the official chronicles (Esther 10:2) claimed historicity for the events recorded in Esther (cf. 1 Kings 14:19; et al.). These documents are not available to us today. They may have been Persian [Note: Moore, p. 99.] or Jewish [Note: Baldwin, p. 115.] archives.

Mordecai was one of several biblical characters whom God elevated to a position of high government rank (cf. Joseph, Daniel, and Nehemiah). Scholars have long compared the stories of Esther and Joseph because the settings of both are in countries other than Israel, as well as because of other similarities. [Note: See ibid., p. 25, n. 1, for a list of such studies.] He used his position of influence to benefit his people (Esther 10:3). However, there is no evidence that either Mordecai or Esther had any desire to return to Jerusalem and become part of God’s theocratic program there. No one prevented them from doing so either, before Esther became queen (cf. Nehemiah 2:5).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land, and upon the isles of the sea. Which include all his dominions, both on the continent, and on the sea, the Aegean sea; though Aben Ezra thinks it regards such as were not under his government, but stood in fear of him, of whom he demanded tribute. If Ahasuerus was Xerxes, perhaps his exchequer might be drained by his wars with the Grecians, which put him upon this; though some understand this of his renewing the taxes and tribute, which he remitted upon his marriage with Esther, Esther 2:18.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.   2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?   3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

      We are here told,

      I. How great and powerful king Ahasuerus was. He had a vast dominion, both in the continent and among the islands, from which he raised a vast revenue. Besides the usual customs which the kings of Persia exacted (Ezra 4:13), he laid an additional tribute upon his subjects, to serve for some great occasion he had for money (Esther 10:1; Esther 10:1): The king laid a tribute. Happy is our island, that pays no tribute but what is laid upon it by its representatives, and those of its own choosing, and is not squeezed or oppressed by an arbitrary power, as some of the neighbouring nations are. Besides this instance of the grandeur of Ahasuerus, many more might be given, that were acts of his power and of his might. These however are not thought fit to be recorded here in the sacred story, which is confined to the Jews, and relates the affairs of other nations only as they fell in with their affairs; but they are written in the Persian chronicles (Esther 10:2; Esther 10:2), which are long since lost and buried in oblivion, while the sacred writings live, live in honour, and will live till time shall be no more. When the kingdoms of men, monarchs and monarchies, are destroyed, and their memorial has perished with them (Psalms 9:6), the kingdom of God among men, and the records of that kingdom, shall remain and be as the days of heaven,Daniel 2:44.

      II. How great and good Mordecai was.

      1. He was great; and it does one good to see virtue and piety thus in honour. (1.) He was great with the king, next to him, as one he most delighted and confided in. Long had Mordecai sat contentedly in the king's gate, and now at length he is advanced to the head of his council-board. Men of merit may for a time seem buried alive; but often, by some means or other, they are discovered and preferred at last. The declaration of the greatness to which the king advanced Mordecai was written in the chronicles of the kingdom, as very memorable, and contributing to the great achievements of the king. He never did such acts of power as he did when Mordecai was his right hand. (2.) He was great among the Jews (Esther 10:3; Esther 10:3), not only great above them, more honourable than any of them, but great with them, dear to them, familiar with them, and much respected by them. So far were they from envying his preferment that they rejoiced in it, and added to it by giving him a commanding interest among them and submitting all their affairs to his direction.

      2. He was good, very good, for he did good. This goodness made him truly great, and then his greatness gave him an opportunity of doing so much the more good. When the king advanced him, (1.) He did not disown his people the Jews, nor was he ashamed of his relation to them, though they were strangers and captives, dispersed and despised. Still he wrote himself Mordecai the Jew, and therefore no doubt adhered to the Jews' religion, by the observances of which he distinguished himself, and yet it was no hindrance to his preferment, nor looked upon as a blemish to him. (2.) He did not seek his own wealth, or the raising of an estate for himself and his family, which is the chief thing most aim at when they get into great places at court; but he consulted the welfare of his people, and made it his business to advance that. His power, his wealth, and all his interest in the king and queen, he improved for the public good. (3.) He not only did good, but he did it in a humble condescending way, was easy of access, courteous and affable in his behaviour, and spoke peace to all that made their application to him. Doing good works is the best and chief thing expected from those that have wealth and power; but giving good words is also commendable, and makes the good deed the more acceptable. (4.) He did not side with any one party of his people against another, nor make some his favourites, while the rest were neglected and crushed; but, whatever differences there were among them, he was a common father to them all, recommended himself to the multitude of his brethren, not despising the crowd, and spoke peace to all their seed, without distinction. Thus making himself acceptable by humility and beneficence, he was universally accepted, and gained the good word of all his brethren. Thanks be to God, such a government as this we are blessed with, which seeks the welfare of our people, speaking peace to all their seed. God continue it long, very long, and grant us, under the happy protection and influence of it, to live quiet and peaceable lives, in godliness, honesty, and charity!