Esther 8:10

riding on swift steeds As time was an object, it was important that the messengers should be well mounted. Both Herodotus (viii. 98) and Xenophon (Cyrop. viii. 6. 17) speak of horses onlyas being used in Persia to carry despatches.

that were used in the king's service This corresponds to but one word in the original, which occurs only in this passage, and is a Hebraised form adapted from the Persian khshatra, lordship, realm, or khshatram, a crown, which is also the source of kether, a crown(Esther 1:11; Esther 2:17; Esther 6:8), and of the Greek κίδαρις.

bred of the stud perhaps literally, sons of the(royal) mares. The word rendered -stud" occurs here only in the Bible. In later Hebrew it means a mule born of a mare and he-ass. The LXX. and Vulgate, probably having no clue to the meaning of the words, much abbreviate the latter part of this verse, having merely, they sent the letters(Vulg. the letters were sent) by couriers.