Esther 10 · Verse 3

Esther 10:3

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.
Esther 10:3, King James Version

Esther 10:3 in other translations

BSBFor Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews and highly favored by his many kinsmen, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.
WEBFor Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his descendants.
ASVFor Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
YLTFor Mordecai the Jew is second to king Ahasuerus, and a great man of the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking good for his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
DARBYFor Mordecai the Jew was second to king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the welfare of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
BBEFor Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and respected by the body of his countrymen; working for the good of his people, and saying words of peace to all his seed.
WebsterFor Mordecai the Jew was next to king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.

What does Esther 10:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. For Mordecai ... was next unto King Ahasuerus ... great among the Jews, &c.--The elevation of this pious and patriotic Jew to the possession of the highest official power was of very great importance to the suffering church at that period; for it enabled him, who all along possessed the disposition, now to direct the royal influence and authority in promoting the interests and extending the privileges of his exiled countrymen. Viewed in this light, the providence of God is plainly traceable in all the steps that led to his unexpected advancement. This providential interposition is all the more remarkable, that, as in the analogous case of Joseph, it was displayed in making the ordinary and natural course of things lead to the most marvellous results. To use the pious words of an eminent prelate, "though in the whole of this episode there was no extraordinary manifestation of God's power, no particular cause or agent that was in its working advanced above the ordinary pitch of nature, yet the contrivance, and suiting these ordinary agents appointed by God, is in itself more admirable than if the same end had been effected by means that were truly miraculous." The sudden advancement of individuals from obscurity and neglect to the highest stations of power and influence is, in Eastern courts, no extraordinary nor infrequent occurrence. The caprice, the weak partiality of the reigning sovereign, or, it may be, his penetrating discernment in discovering latent energy and talent, has often "raised the beggar from the dunghill, and set him among princes" [1Sa 2:8]. Some of the all-powerful viziers in modern Persia, and not a few of the beys in Egypt, have been elevated to their respective dignities in this manner. And, therefore, the advancement of "Mordecai, who was next unto Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews," was in perfect accordance with the rapid revolution of "the wheel of fortune" in that part of the world. But, considering all the circumstances of Mordecai's advancement, not only his gaining the favor of the king, but his being "accepted of the multitude of his brethren, it was beyond all controversy the doing of the Lord, and was truly marvellous in his people's eyes." accepted of the multitude of his brethren--Far from being envious of his grandeur, they blessed God for the elevation to official power of so good a man. speaking peace to all his seed--While his administration was conducted with a mild and impartial hand, he showed a peculiarly warm and friendly feeling to all his countrymen when asked his counsel or his aid.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Was next unto king Ahasuerus - He was his prime minister; and, under him, was the governor of the whole empire. The Targum is extravagant in its encomiums upon Mordecai: "All the kings of the earth feared and trembled before him: he was as resplendent as the evening star among the stars; and was as bright as Aurora beaming forth in the morning; and he was chief of the kings." Seeking the wealth of his people - Studying to promote the Jewish interest to the utmost of his power. Speaking peace to all his seed - Endeavoring to settle their prosperity upon such a basis, that it might be for ever permanent. Here the Hebrew text ends; but in the ancient Vulgate, and in the Greek, ten verses are added to this chapter, and six whole chapters besides, so that the number of chapters in Esther amounts to sixteen. A translation of these may be found in the Apocrypha, bound up with the sacred text, in most of our larger English Bibles. On any part of this work it is not my province to add any comment. This is the last of the historical books of the Old Testament, for from this time to the birth of Christ they had no inspired writers; and the interval of their history must be sought among the apocryphal writers and other historians who have written on Jewish affairs. The most complete supplement to this history will be found in that most excellent work of Dean Prideaux, entitled The Old and New Testaments connected, in the History of the Jews and Neighbouring Nations, from the Declension of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah to the time of Christ, 4 vols. 8vo. 1725. The editions prior to this date are not so complete. We have already seen what the Feast of Purim means, and why it was instituted; if the reader is desirous of farther information on this subject, he may find it in the works of Buxtorf, Leusden, Stehlin, and Calmet's Dictionary, article Pur.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Esther 10:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

כִּ֣י\׀kiforH3588
מָרְדֳּכַ֣יma.re.do.KhaiMordecaiH4782
הַיְּהוּדִ֗יhai.ye.hu.Dithe JewH3064
מִשְׁנֶה֙mish.Neh[was] secondH4932
לַמֶּ֣לֶךְla.Me.lekhto the kingH4428
אֲחַשְׁוֵר֔וֹשׁ'a.chash.ve.Ro.oshAhasuerusH325
וְגָדוֹל֙ve.ga.dOland [was] greatH1419
לַיְּהוּדִ֔יםlai.ye.hu.Dimto the JewsH3064
וְרָצ֖וּיve.ra.Tzuiand was acceptableH7521
לְרֹ֣בle.Roto [the] multitude ofH7230
אֶחָ֑יו'e.Chavbrothers hisH251
דֹּרֵ֥שׁdo.ReshseekingH1875
טוֹב֙tOvgoodH2896
לְעַמּ֔וֹle.'a.Mofor people hisH5971
וְדֹבֵ֥רve.do.Verand speakingH1696
שָׁל֖וֹםsha.LompeaceH7965
לְכָל\־le.kholto allH3605
זַרְעֽוֹ\׃zar.'Ooffspring hisH2233

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Esther 10:3

  • Nehemiah 2:10

    When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

  • Romans 14:18

    For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

  • Romans 10:1

    Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

  • Genesis 41:40

    Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

  • 2 Chronicles 28:7

    And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king.

  • Daniel 5:29

    Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

  • Genesis 41:43-44

    And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

  • Psalms 122:6-9

    Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.

  • 1 Samuel 23:17

    And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

  • Esther 3:2

    And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

  • Romans 9:2-3

    That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:

  • Daniel 5:16

    And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
next unto king.
Ge 41:44; 1Sa 23:17; 2Ch 28:7; Da 5:16,29
accepted.
3:2; Ro 14:18
seeking.
Ne 2:10; Ps 122:6-9; Ro 9:2,3; 10:1 REMARKS ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER. This Book, which derives its name from the person whose history it chiefly relates, is termed in Hebrew, [megillâh 'Ectêr ,] megillath Esther, "the volume of Esther." Concerning its author there are various opinions: some attribute it to Ezra; some to Joachim, the son of Joshua the high priest; others to the men of the great synagogue; and others to Mordecai, which seems the most probable opinion. The events here related probably refer to the time of Artaxerxes Longimanus, who, according to Prideaux, was the Ahasuerus of Esther, agreeably to Josephus, (Ant. 1 xi. c. 6,) the Septuagint version, and the apocryphal additions to this book. The history, therefore, comes in between the sixth and seventh chapters of Ezra, commencing about A.M. 3540, and continuing through a period of twelve years: it relates the royal feast of Ahasuerus; the disgrace of Vashti, (ch. 1:;) the elevation of Esther to the Persian throne; the essential service rendered to the king by Mordecai, in detecting a plot against his life, (ch. 2:;) the promotion of Haman, and his purposed destruction of the Jews, (ch. 3:;) the consequent affliction of the Jews, and the measures pursued by them, (ch. 4:;) the defeat of Haman's plot, through the instrumentality of Esther, against Mordecai, (ch. 5:-7:;) and also the defeat of his general plot against the Jews, (ch. 8:; 9:1-15;) the institution of the feast of Purim to commemorate this deliverance, (ch. 9:16-32;) and the advancement of Mordecai, (ch. 10:;) and though some Christians have hesitated to receive this book into the sacred canon, yet it has always been received by the Jews, not only as perfectly authentic, but also as one of the most excellent of their sacred books. That it is a genuine and faithful description of a real fact, the observation of the feast of Purim, to the present day, is a sufficient evidence; since it is impossible, and in fact inconceivable, that a nation should institute, and afterwards continue to celebrate without interruption, through every generation of that people, in a long succession of ages, in whatever places they may have sojourned, this solemn annual festival, merely because one of their nation had written an agreeable fable or romance. It has been remarked, as an objection to this book, that the name of God no where occurs in it: His superintending providence, however, is frequently illustrated. It is shewn, indeed, in every part of the work; disconcerting evil designs, and producing great events, by means seemingly inadequate. It also presents an interesting description of mortified pride, and of malice baffled to the destruction of its possessors; and exhibits a very lively representation of the vexations and troubles, the anxieties, treachery, and dissimulation of a corrupt court.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Esther 10:2

    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?

  • Esther 10:3

    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.

Read all of Esther 10

Esther 10:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque Mardochêo Judío fué segundo después del rey Assuero, y grande entre los Judíos, y acepto á la multitud de sus hermanos, procurando el bien de su pueblo, y hablando paz para toda su simiente.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car Mardochée, le Juif, fut le second après le roi Assuérus, et il fut grand parmi les Juifs et agréable à la multitude de ses frères, cherchant le bien de son peuple et parlant pour la paix de toute sa race.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn Mordokai, der Jude, war der Zweite nach dem König Ahasveros, und groß bei den Juden, und wohlgefällig der Menge seiner Brüder; er suchte das Wohl seines Volkes und redete zur Wohlfahrt seines ganzen Geschlechts.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et quomodo Mardochæus judaici generis secundus a rege Assuero fuerit, et magnus apud Judæos, et acceptabilis plebi fratrum suorum, quærens bona populo suo, et loquens ea quæ ad pacem seminis sui pertinerent.