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And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea.
Esther 10:1 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land, and on the islands of the sea.
  • BSB Now King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the land, even to its farthest shores.
  • NKJV And King Ahasuerus imposed tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea.
  • NASB Now King Ahasuerus imposed a tax on the land and the coastlands of the sea.
  • NLT King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

King Ahasuerus imposed tribute throughout the land and the coastlands. The note shows the empire stable and prosperous after the crisis.

Overview

This brief notice of taxation signals the restored order and strength of Ahasuerus's reign following the events of the book. It sets the stage for Mordecai's prominence within a secure and far-reaching empire. The mention of the king's power forms a backdrop against which Mordecai's God-given influence for his people stands out.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 8

  • Isa 24:15Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.
  • Ps 72:10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.
  • Isa 11:11And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
  • Esth 8:9Then 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.
  • Luke 2:1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
  • Gen 10:5By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
  • Dan 11:18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.
  • Esth 1:1Now 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:)

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Esther videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Esther 10:1YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EstherMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Though God is never named, his hidden hand preserves the people from whom the Messiah will come — a deliverance 'for such a time as this' that anticipates the open deliverance of Christ.

How Esther 10:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.