Following the Hebrew, Revised Standard Version links this verse to the preceding verse by using an initial conjunction And. Many translations, however, begin a new sentence in this verse (see Good News Translation), because there is no clear relationship between the event recounted in verse 1 and the rhetorical question that is posed in this verse. If the receptor language has a conjunction similar to the Hebrew waw or the Greek kai, it may be used here. Otherwise it may be preferable to allow this sentence to begin without depending upon the previous one.
All the acts of his power and might is literally “deeds of his power and of his might.” A literal translation may be misleading, suggesting that this refers to the acts of Mordecai. The New American Bible translation (“All the acts of his power and valor, as well as a detailed account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia”) can be understood to mean that the chronicles contain both an account of the greatness of Mordecai and all the acts of Mordecai’s power and valor (so also New International Version). Since the king is the subject of 10.1, however, it is most natural in the English translations of New American Bible and New International Version to understand the pronoun “his” as referring to Xerxes and not to Mordecai. But to avoid ambiguity, some translations restructure. Good News Translation reads “All the great and wonderful things he did, as well as the whole story of how he promoted Mordecai to high office….” In this Good News Translation translation the second occurrence of the pronoun “he” makes clear that “great and wonderful things he did” refers to Xerxes. Similar is Revised English Bible, “All his acts of might and power, and the high dignities which he conferred on Mordecai….” The pronouns “he” and “his” clearly have Xerxes as the antecedent.
Acts of his power and might is remindful of the description of the king given at the beginning of the book, where it was his wealth and splendor that was cited (see 1.4). The meaning of this phrase is most likely that found in Nueva Biblia Española, “his military victories.” This first subject of the sentence is parallel to the second, which is the full account of the high honor of Mordecai.
The high honor: the author uses the noun “greatness” here, which is related to the verb that was used by Haman to describe how he had been honored by the king (see 5.11). The translator may say “great honor,” or an expression may be used such as “the greatness in which the king had placed Mordecai.”
The words are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia remind the reader of similar phrases in 1 Kgs 14.19, 29; 15.7; 2 Chr 25.26; 32.32. For Book of the Chronicles, see comments on 2.23 above. Though stated in the form of a rhetorical question, the intention is to emphasize the historical trustworthiness of the writer’s story, which the reader may, in theory, verify by consulting this Book of the Chronicles. To avoid giving the impression that this is a question that expresses doubt, Good News Translation puts these words in the form of an affirmation: “All … are recorded in the official records” (so also Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible).
On Media and Persia see comments on 1.3.
The translator may need to restate some of this verse, perhaps saying “All the things the king did in his power and strength, and the story of all he did, raising Mordecai to a place of great honor, haven’t they written it all…?” In some languages the contents of this verse may be expressed better in restructured form. Compare New Century Version: “And all the great things that Xerxes did are written down. They tell of his power and strength. They are written in the record books of the kings of Media and Persia. Also written in those record books are all the things that Mordecai did. The king had made Mordecai a great man.” Other models are possible for the rhetorical question: “They are all written in the official records…, are they not?” or “Of course [or, indeed, surely], they are all written…” (compare the Septuagint version of this verse), or the receptor language may prefer to use an emphatic particle at the end of the sentence that emphasizes the truth of what has been said or that it is a fact known by all. Since rhetorical questions are a common device in both oral and written literature, the translator should not be overly eager to restructure from a question to a declarative statement.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .