1And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land , and upon the isles of the sea . 2And all the acts of his power and of his might , and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai , whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia ? 3For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus , and great among the Jews , and accepted of the multitude of his brethren , seeking the wealth of his people , and speaking peace to all his seed .