Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.
Now, O king, establish the decree - or interdict.
And sign the writing, that it be not changed - (Esther 1:19; Esther 8:8). This immutability of the king's commands was special to the Medes and Persians; it was due to their regarding him infallible as the representative of Ormuzd: it was not so among the Babylonians. Medes and Persians - the order of the names is an undesigned mark of genuineness. Cyrus the Persian reigned subordinate to Darius the Mede as to dignity, though exercising more real power. After Darius' death, the order is, 'Persia and Media,' "the Persians and Medes," (Esther 1:14; Esther 1:19, etc.)