Now King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land and on the ^acoastlands of the sea. 2 And all the ¹accomplishments of his authority and strength, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai ^ato which the king ²advanced him, are they not written in ^bthe Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was ^asecond only to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews and in favor with his many kinsmen, ^bone who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the welfare of his whole nation.

Then King Ahasuerus set forced labor upon the land and the ^acoastlands of the sea. 2 And the entire work of his authority and his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, ^awhom the king had made so great, are they not written in ^bthe book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was ^asecond only to King Ahasuerus and was great among the Jews and pleasing to his many fellow brothers, ^bone who sought the good of his people and one who spoke for the peace of all his seed.