Esther 10

Esther 10:1

God is in control An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on the Book of Esther

www.easyenglish.info Robert Bryce Words in boxes are from the Bible.

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This commentary has been through Advanced Theological Checking.

Chapter 10 v1 King Xerxes made the people in all his *kingdom pay taxes.

v2 The kings of Media and Persia made official records. These records include all the things that Xerxes did by his authority and power. The records also give a full account of how the king made Mordecai a very great man. v3 In fact, Mordecai the *Jew was only second in rank to King Xerxes. Mordecai was the most important man among the *Jews. And he was popular with the *Jewish people. He worked hard for the benefit of the *Jews.

Verses 1-3 After all that had happened, things returned to normal. (See Esther chapter 1.) The rich and powerful king made all the people in his *kingdom pay taxes. (This may mean that he made them work hard for him.) But something was different. The *Jews had been in great danger. Now a *Jew was a very important person in the government. Mordecai was working for the benefit of the *Jews. He was not working for his own benefit, as Haman had done.

The writer says that the official records include all these matters. He wants us to know that he has told a true story. The Calendar in the Book of Esther The Book of Esther uses the *Jewish calendar:

   Order    of months in the *Jewish calendar

   Name    of the*Jewish month

   English    month

   An    event in the year of Esther’s marriage

   Events    in the year of Haman’s plot

   1st    month

   Nissan    (or Nisan)

   March    or April

   

   Esther 3:7 – Haman used the *Purim.

   Esther 3:12 – Haman wrote his plot as a law.

   2nd    month

   Iyar

   April    or May

   

   

   3rd    month

   Sivan

   May    or June

   

   Esther 8:9 – Mordecai wrote the law to save the *Jews.

   4th    month

   Tammuz

   June    or July

   

   

   5th    month

   Av

   July    or August

   

   

   6th    month

   Elul

   August    or September

   

   

   7th    month

   Tishrei

   September    or October

   

   

   8th    month

   Chesvan

   October    or November

   

   

   9th    month

   Kislev

   November    or December

   

   

   10th    month

   Teves    (or Tebeth)

   December    or January

   Esther 2:16 – Esther first went to King Xerxes

   

   11th    month

   Shevat

   January    or February

   

   

   12th    month

   Adar

   February    or March

   

   Esther 3:7 – the date that the *Purim selected.

   Esther 3:13 – the date in Haman’s law was the 13th day of Adar.

   Esther 8:12 – the date when the *Jews could defend themselves.

   Esther    chapter 9 – the *Jews defended themselves. About *Purim today The *Jews still remember *Purim each year. It is on the 14th and 15th days of the month called Adar.

On the day before, the 13th day in the month called Adar, many *Jews do not eat food. This day is called the ‘fast of Esther’. A fast is when people do not eat for a short time.

The 14th and 15th days of the month called Adar are days to be happy. These days are called ‘*Purim’. *Jews have some special traditions on these days:

 They read the Book of Esther in public. This book is called the ‘Megilla’.

 They give gifts of food to friends.

 They give gifts to help poor people.

 They have a special meal with their family and friends. This meal is a happy party.

© 1997-2006, Wycliffe Associates (UK)

This publication is written in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 words).

February 2006

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