Esther 10 is the short final chapter of the book, three verses that close the story of Esther and Mordecai with a brief look at the king’s authority and Mordecai’s rising influence. These questions are written for small groups, Sunday school classes, and personal study. You can work through them in order or choose the set that fits your time.
Esther 10 at a Glance
The chapter opens with King Ahasuerus imposing a tribute on his land and the islands of the sea, a sign of the empire’s reach and its ongoing governance. It then points readers to the official records of Media and Persia, where the king’s deeds and Mordecai’s advancement are said to be kept.
The final verse shifts attention to Mordecai himself. He is second only to the king, honored among the Jews, and trusted by his people because he seeks their good and speaks peace to his descendants. The chapter ends on that note of public service rather than personal triumph.
Observation Questions
Use these questions to slow the group down and look closely at the words on the page before anyone offers an interpretation. Ask someone to read the chapter aloud first, then take the questions one at a time, letting people point to specific phrases before discussing meaning.
Esther 10:1
King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land, and on the islands of the sea.
(WEB)
Reading the opening verse aloud sets the scene of the empire’s reach and gives the group a clear starting point. It is short enough to hear carefully and to notice how the chapter moves from the king to Mordecai.
Esther 10:2
All the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?
(WEB)
This verse points beyond the book to the royal records and names Mordecai’s greatness. Reading it aloud helps the group hear how the story was meant to be remembered and recorded.
Esther 10:3
For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his descendants.
(WEB)
The final verse is the heart of the chapter and the best place to close the reading. Hearing it aloud invites the group to reflect on service, trust, and the peace Mordecai sought for his people.
Esther 10:2-3
2 All the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his descendants.
(WEB)
Reading these two verses together lets the group hear the transition from the king’s records to Mordecai’s character. The contrast between public record and personal faithfulness becomes easier to discuss when both are heard in one breath.
Esther 10:1-3
1 King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land, and on the islands of the sea. 2 All the acts of his power and of his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia? 3 For Mordecai the Jew was next to King Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted by the multitude of his brothers, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his descendants.
(WEB)
Reading the whole chapter aloud gives the group the complete arc of the ending in one sitting. It works well as an opening reading before any of the questions are discussed.
Memory Verse for Esther 10
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we thank you for the story of Esther and Mordecai, and for the reminder that you work faithfully through people placed in unexpected roles. As we finish this chapter, help us to seek the good of those around us and to speak peace where there is tension. Give us humble hearts that can rejoice in the honor of others and that stay faithful when trust is placed in our hands. Teach us to use whatever influence we have for the benefit of those who depend on us. Guide our conversations today and bless the time we have shared together. Amen.
