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.
Then the king's secretaries were called together on the twenty-third day of the third month (called Sivan). They wrote down everything that Mordecai commanded to be sent to the Jews and to all the governors, officials, and rulers of the provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia—all 127 provinces. The message was written to each province in its own script and to each people group in their own language, including to the Jews in their own writing and language.
This verse describes how Mordecai's new decree to protect the Jews was officially written and sent out to every province of the Persian Empire in each region's own language and writing system.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place in the Persian Empire under King Xerxes (Ahasuerus), after Haman's plot to destroy the Jews had been exposed and he had been executed. Mordecai, now elevated to Haman's former position, was issuing a counter-decree to allow Jews to defend themselves. The Persian Empire was vast, stretching from India to Ethiopia, and contained many different peoples with their own languages and writing systems.
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