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:
And he wrote {H3789} in the king {H4428} Ahasuerus {H325}' name {H8034}, and sealed {H2856} it with the king's {H4428} ring {H2885}, and sent {H7971} letters {H5612} by {H3027} posts {H7323} on horseback {H5483}, and riders {H7392} on mules {H7409}, camels {H327}, and young {H1121} dromedaries {H7424}:
They wrote in the name of King Achashverosh and sealed it with the king's signet ring; they sent the letters by couriers on horseback riding fast horses used in the king's service and bred from the royal stock.
Mordecai 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.
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:
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2 Chronicles 30:6
So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria. -
Job 9:25
¶ Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. -
Jeremiah 51:21
And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; -
Daniel 4:1
¶ Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. -
Jeremiah 2:23
How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [thou art] a swift dromedary traversing her ways; -
Esther 3:12
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. -
Esther 3:13
And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, [even] upon the thirteenth [day] of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey.
Esther 8:10 describes the critical moment when the counter-decree, designed to save the Jewish people from Haman's plot, was officially dispatched throughout the vast Persian Empire. This verse highlights the authority, urgency, and logistical prowess of the Achaemenid Persian administration.
Context
Following Haman's execution and Queen Esther's courageous intercession, Mordecai was elevated to a position of power. The original decree to annihilate the Jews, sealed with the king's ring, could not be revoked directly due to Persian law, which held royal edicts as immutable. Therefore, a new decree was necessary—one that would grant the Jews the right to defend themselves. This verse details the official writing and urgent dissemination of this life-saving edict, a significant turning point in the story of Jewish deliverance.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The term "posts" refers to the highly organized and rapid royal messenger system of the Persian Empire. Historians note the efficiency of these couriers. The mention of various animals—horses, mules, camels, and particularly "young dromedaries" (a swift, single-humped camel)—highlights the deliberate choice of the fastest available means of transport to ensure the decree reached all 127 provinces without delay. This meticulous effort underscores the critical importance of the message being conveyed.
Practical Application
This verse reminds us that even when facing seemingly irreversible decrees of doom, God can orchestrate a powerful and swift reversal. The speed and thoroughness with which this saving message was delivered can inspire believers to communicate God's life-giving truth with similar urgency and dedication. It also underscores the importance of exercising authority responsibly and for righteous purposes, as Mordecai did in drafting this decree, ultimately bringing about joy and celebration.