Esther 8:9

7 Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring: for the writing which is written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s ring, may no man reverse.

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.

10 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:

11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
At once the royal scribes were summoned, and on the twenty-third day of the third month (the month of Sivan ), they recorded all of Mordecai’s orders to the Jews and to the satraps, governors, and princes of the 127 provinces from India to Cush —writing to each province in its own script, to every people in their own language, and to the Jews in their own script and language.
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.
WEB
Then the king’s scribes were called at that time, in the third month, which is the month Sivan, on the twenty-third day of the month; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the local governors, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India to Ethiopia, one hundred twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to its writing, and to every people in their language, and to the Jews in their writing, and in their language.
ASV
Then were the king`s scribes called at that time, in the third 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 satraps, and the governors and princes of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, a 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.
DARBY
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, to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the princes of the provinces which are from India even to Ethiopia, a hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their language.
BLB
And the scribes of the king were called at that time, in the third month (it [is] the month of Sivan), on the three and twentieth [day] in it, and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded to the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors, and the officials of the provinces that [are] from India even as far as Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces—province by province according to its writing, and people by people according to its tongue, and to the Jews according to their writing and according to their tongue.
ÅB
Så ble da straks kongens skrivere kalt sammen på den tre og tyvende dag i den tredje måned - det er måneden sivan - og det ble skrevet aldeles som Mordekai befalte, til jødene og til stattholderne og landshøvdingene og landskapenes fyrster fra India like til Etiopia, hundre og syv og tyve landskaper, til hvert landskap i dets skrift og til hvert folk på dets tungemål, også til jødene i deres skrift og på deres tungemål.
OTB
Kongens skrivere ble straks tilkalt, på den tjuetredje dagen i den tredje måneden, måneden Sivan. De skrev ned alle Mordekais ordre til jødene, og til satrapene, guvernørene og embetsmennene i de 127 provinsene som strakte seg fra India til Kusj. Disse ordrene ble skrevet i skriften til hver provins og språket til hvert folk, inkludert jødene i deres egen skrift og språk.
B1930
Så blev da straks kongens skrivere kalt sammen på den tre og tyvende dag i den tredje måned - det er måneden sivan - og det blev skrevet aldeles som Mordekai bød, til jødene og til stattholderne og landshøvdingene og landskapenes fyrster fra India like til Etiopia, hundre og syv og tyve landskaper, til hvert landskap i dets skrift og til hvert folk på dets tungemål, også til jødene i deres skrift og på deres tungemål.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Esther 1:22

    For he sent letters into all the king’s provinces, into every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published according to the language of every people.

    Read in context
  • Esther 1:1

    Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

    Read in context
  • 2 Kings 18:26

    Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto Rab-shakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 6:1

    It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

    Read in context
  • Esther 3:12–13

    Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring.

    Read in context
  • 1 Corinthians 14:9–11

    So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 4:1

    Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

    Read in context