Ester 2:3

2:3 And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem ¹  under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. ² 

Ester 3:9

3:9 If the king is so inclined, ³  let an edict be issued ⁴  to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver ⁵  to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”

Ester 9:13

9:13 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, let the Jews who are in Susa be permitted to act tomorrow also according to today’s law, and let them hang the ten sons of Haman on the gallows.”

Ester 8:11

8:11 The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves – to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children, ⁶  and to confiscate their property.

Ester 6:9

6:9 Then let this clothing and this horse be given to one of the king’s noble officials. Let him ⁷  then clothe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him lead him about through the plaza of the city on the horse, calling ⁸  before him, ‘So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!’”

Ester 6:6

6:6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” Haman thought to himself, ⁹  “Who is it that the king would want to honor more than me?”

Ester 5:8

5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined ¹⁰  to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time ¹¹  I will do as the king wishes. ¹² 

Ester 6:7-8

6:7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, 6:8 let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden – one bearing the royal insignia! ¹³ 

Ester 7:5

7:5 Then King Ahasuerus responded ¹⁴  to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough ¹⁵  to act in this way?”

Ester 2:4

2:4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive ¹⁶  become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king, ¹⁷  so he acted accordingly.

Ester 1:19

1:19 If the king is so inclined, ¹⁸  let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, ¹⁹  that Vashti ²⁰  may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another ²¹  who is more deserving than she. ²² 

Ester 6:11

6:11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai. He led him about on the horse throughout the plaza of the city, calling before him, “So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!”

Ester 9:5

9:5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, bringing death and destruction, and they did as they pleased with their enemies.

Ester 3:4

3:4 And after they had spoken to him day after day ²³  without his paying any attention to them, they informed Haman to see whether this attitude on Mordecai’s part would be permitted. ²⁴  Furthermore, he had disclosed to them that he was a Jew. ²⁵ 

Ester 8:12

8:12 This was to take place on a certain day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus – namely, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar).

Ester 9:2

9:2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples.

Ester 9:24

9:24 For Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised plans against the Jews to destroy them. He had cast pur (that is, the lot) in order to afflict and destroy them.

Ester 6:14

6:14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived. They quickly brought Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Ester 9:23

9:23 So the Jews committed themselves to continue what they had begun to do and to what Mordecai had written to them.

Ester 1:11

1:11 to bring Queen Vashti into the king’s presence wearing her royal high turban. He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was very attractive. ²⁶ 

Ester 2:21

2:21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan ²⁷  and Teresh, ²⁸  two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, ²⁹  became angry and plotted to assassinate ³⁰  King Ahasuerus.

Ester 9:21

9:21 to have them observe the fourteenth and the fifteenth day of the month of Adar each year

Ester 1:8

1:8 There were no restrictions on the drinking, ³¹  for the king had instructed all of his supervisors ³²  that they should do as everyone so desired. ³³ 

Ester 3:6

3:6 But the thought of striking out against ³⁴  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ³⁵  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ³⁶  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ³⁷  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Ester 10:3

10:3 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking ³⁸  Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. ³⁹  He worked enthusiastically ⁴⁰  for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of ⁴¹  all his descendants. ⁴² 

Ester 3:11

3:11 The king replied to Haman, “Keep your money, ⁴³  and do with those people whatever you wish.” ⁴⁴ 

Ester 9:12

9:12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman! What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”

Ester 6:5

6:5 The king’s attendants said to him, “It is Haman who is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him enter.”

Ester 4:16

4:16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I ⁴⁵  will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. ⁴⁶  If I perish, I perish!”

Ester 7:7

7:7 In rage the king arose from the banquet of wine and withdrew to the palace garden. Meanwhile, Haman stood to beg Queen Esther for his life, ⁴⁷  for he realized that the king had now determined a catastrophic end for him. ⁴⁸ 

Ester 6:4

6:4 Then the king said, “Who is that in the courtyard?” Now Haman had come to the outer courtyard of the palace to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had constructed for him.

Ester 8:5

8:5 She said, “If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, ⁴⁹  which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces.

Ester 2:11

2:11 And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing ⁵⁰  and what might happen to her.

Ester 5:3-4

5:3 The king said to her, “What is on your mind, ⁵¹  Queen Esther? What is your request? Even as much as half the kingdom will be given to you!”

5:4 Esther replied, “If the king is so inclined, ⁵²  let the king and Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.”

Ester 6:2

6:2 it was found written that Mordecai had disclosed that Bigthana ⁵³  and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted to assassinate ⁵⁴  King Ahasuerus.

Ester 7:2

7:2 On the second day of the banquet of wine the king asked Esther, “What is your request, Queen Esther? It shall be granted to you. And what is your petition? Ask up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done!”

Ester 5:7

5:7 Esther responded, ⁵⁵  “My request and my petition is this:

Ester 8:8

8:8 Now you write in the king’s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be rescinded.

Ester 2:2

2:2 The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women. ⁵⁶ 

Ester 2:15

2:15 When it became the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (who had raised her as if she were his own daughter ⁵⁷ ) to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her.

Ester 7:8

7:8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down ⁵⁸  on the couch where Esther was lying. ⁵⁹  The king exclaimed, “Will he also attempt to rape the queen while I am still in the building!”

As these words left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

Ester 2:14

2:14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to a separate part ⁶⁰  of the harem, to the authority of Shaashgaz the king’s eunuch who was overseeing the concubines. She would not go back to the king unless the king was pleased with her ⁶¹  and she was requested by name.

Ester 8:7

8:7 King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Look, I have already given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he took hostile action ⁶²  against the Jews.

Ester 5:14

5:14 Haman’s ⁶³  wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows seventy-five feet ⁶⁴  high built, and in the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet contented.” ⁶⁵ 

It seemed like a good idea to Haman, so he had the gallows built.

[2:3]  ¹ tn Heb “the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 9, 11, 13, and 14.

[2:3]  ² tn Heb “their ointments”; cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “beauty treatments.”

[3:9]  ³ tn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.”

[3:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “let it be written” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “let it be decreed.”

[3:9]  ⁵ sn The enormity of the monetary sum referred to here can be grasped by comparing this amount (10,000 talents of silver) to the annual income of the empire, which according to Herodotus (Histories 3.95) was 14,500 Euboic talents. In other words Haman is offering the king a bribe equal to two-thirds of the royal income. Doubtless this huge sum of money was to come (in large measure) from the anticipated confiscation of Jewish property and assets once the Jews had been destroyed. That such a large sum of money is mentioned may indicate something of the economic standing of the Jewish population in the empire of King Ahasuerus.

[8:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “children and women.” As in 3:13, the translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.

[6:9]  ⁷ tc The present translation reads with the LXX וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ (vÿhilbisho, “and he will clothe him”) rather than the reading of the MT וְהִלְבִּישׁוּ (vÿhilbishu, “and they will clothe”). The reading of the LXX is also followed by NAB, NRSV, TEV, CEV, and NLT. Likewise, the later verbs in this verse (“cause him to ride” and “call”) are better taken as singulars rather than plurals.

[6:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “and let them call” (see the previous note).

[6:6]  ⁹ tn Heb “said in his heart” (so ASV); NASB, NRSV “said to himself.”

[5:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “if upon the king it is good.” Cf. the similar expression in v. 4, which also occurs in 7:3; 8:5; 9:13.

[5:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and tomorrow” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “and then.”

[5:8]  ¹² tn Heb “I will do according to the word of the king,” i.e., answer the question that he has posed. Cf. NCV “Then I will answer your question about what I want.”

[6:8]  ¹³ tc The final comment (“one on whose head the royal crown has been”) is not included in the LXX.

[6:8]  tn Heb “a royal crown on his head.” The reference is to an official decoration or headdress for horses in royal service. See HALOT 506 s.v. כֶּתֶר; DCH 4:477 s.v. כֶּתֶר. Cf. TEV “a royal ornament”; CEV “a fancy headdress.”

[7:5]  ¹⁴ tc The second occurrence of the Hebrew verb וַיּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”) in the MT should probably be disregarded. The repetition is unnecessary in the context and may be the result of dittography in the MT.

[7:5]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “has so filled his heart”; NAB “who has dared to do this.”

[2:4]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “who is good in the eyes of the king.”

[2:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “the matter was good in the eyes of the king.” Cf. TEV “The king thought this was good advice.”

[1:19]  ¹⁸ sn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.” Deferential language was common in ancient Near Eastern court language addressing a despot; it occurs often in Esther.

[1:19]  ¹⁹ sn Laws…that cannot be repealed. On the permanence of the laws of Media and Persia see also Esth 8:8 and Dan 6:8, 12, 15.

[1:19]  ²⁰ sn Previously in this chapter the word “queen” accompanies Vashti’s name (cf. vv. 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17). But here, in anticipation of her demotion, the title is dropped.

[1:19]  ²¹ tn Heb “her neighbor”; NIV “someone else.”

[1:19]  ²² tn Heb “who is better than she.” The reference is apparently to worthiness of the royal position as demonstrated by compliance with the king’s wishes, although the word טוֹב (tob, “good”) can also be used of physical beauty. Cf. NAB, NASB, NLT “more worthy than she.”

[3:4]  ²³ sn Mordecai’s position in the service of the king brought him into regular contact with these royal officials. Because of this association the officials would have found ample opportunity to complain of Mordecai’s refusal to honor Haman by bowing down before him.

[3:4]  ²⁴ tn Heb “Will the matters of Mordecai stand?”; NASB “to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand.”

[3:4]  ²⁵ sn This disclosure of Jewish identity is a reversal of the practice mentioned in 1:10, 20.

[1:11]  ²⁶ tn Heb “was good of appearance”; KJV “was fair to look on”; NAB “was lovely to behold.”

[2:21]  ²⁷ tn This individual is referred to as “Bigthana,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 6:2.

[2:21]  ²⁸ tc The LXX does not include the names “Bigthan and Teresh” here.

[2:21]  ²⁹ tn Heb “guarders of the threshold”; NIV “who guarded the doorway.”

[2:21]  ³⁰ tn Heb “sought to send a hand against”; CEV “decided to kill.”

[1:8]  ³¹ tn Heb “the drinking was according to law; there was no one compelling.”

[1:8]  ³² tn Heb “every chief of his house”; KJV “all the officers of his house”; NLT “his staff.”

[1:8]  ³³ tn Heb “according to the desire of man and man.”

[3:6]  ³⁴ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”

[3:6]  ³⁵ tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.

[3:6]  ³⁶ tc The entire first half of the verse is not included in the LXX.

[3:6]  ³⁷ tc This parenthetical phrase is not included in the LXX. Some scholars emend the MT reading עַם (’am, “people”) to עִם (’im, “with”), arguing that the phrase is awkwardly placed and syntactically inappropriate. While there is some truth to their complaint, the MT makes sufficient sense to be acceptable here, and is followed by most English versions.

[10:3]  ³⁸ tn Heb “great among the Jews” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “preeminent among the Jews”; NRSV “powerful among the Jews.”

[10:3]  ³⁹ tn Heb “brothers”; NASB “kinsmen”; NIV “fellow Jews.”

[10:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “he was seeking”; NAB “as the promoter of his people’s welfare.”

[10:3]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “he was speaking peace to”; NRSV “and interceded for the welfare of.”

[10:3]  ⁴² sn A number of additions to the Book of Esther appear in the apocryphal (or deuterocanonical) writings. These additions supply further information about various scenes described in the canonical book and are interesting in their own right. However, they were never a part of the Hebrew Bible. The placement of this additional material in certain Greek manuscripts of the Book of Esther may be described as follows. At the beginning of Esther there is an account (= chapter 11) of a dream in which Mordecai is warned by God of a coming danger for the Jews. In this account two great dragons, representing Mordecai and Haman, prepare for conflict. But God responds to the prayers of his people, and the crisis is resolved. This account is followed by another one (= chapter 12) in which Mordecai is rewarded for disclosing a plot against the king’s life. After Esth 3:13 there is a copy of a letter from King Artaxerxes authorizing annihilation of the Jews (= chapter 13). After Esth 4:17 the account continues with a prayer of Mordecai (= part of chapter 13), followed by a prayer of Esther (= chapter 14), and an account which provides details about Esther’s appeal to the king in behalf of her people (= chapter 15). After Esth 8:12 there is a copy of a letter from King Artaxerxes in which he denounces Haman and his plot and authorizes his subjects to assist the Jews (= chapter 16). At the end of the book, following Esth 10:3, there is an addition which provides an interpretation to Mordecai’s dream, followed by a brief ascription of genuineness to the entire book (= chapter 11).

[3:11]  ⁴³ tn Heb “the silver is given to you”; NRSV “the money is given to you”; CEV “You can keep their money.” C. A. Moore (Esther [AB], 40) understands these words somewhat differently, taking them to imply acceptance of the money on Xerxes’ part. He translates, “Well, it’s your money.”

[3:11]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes”; NASB “do with them as you please.”

[4:16]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “I and my female attendants.” The translation reverses the order for stylistic reasons.

[4:16]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “which is not according to the law” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “contrary to the law.”

[7:7]  ⁴⁷ sn There is great irony here in that the man who set out to destroy all the Jews now finds himself begging for his own life from a Jew.

[7:7]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “for he saw that calamity was determined for him from the king”; NAB “the king had decided on his doom”; NRSV “the king had determined to destroy him.”

[8:5]  ⁴⁹ tc The LXX does not include the expression “the Agagite.”

[2:11]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “to know the peace of Esther.”

[5:3]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “What to you?”; NAB, NIV NRSV “What is it, Queen Esther?”

[5:4]  ⁵² tn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; NASB “If it please the king.”

[6:2]  ⁵³ tn This individual is referred to as “Bigthan,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 2:21.

[6:2]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; NASB “had sought to lay hands on.”

[5:7]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “answered and said.” This is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.

[2:2]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “young women, virgins, good of form.” The same phrase also occurs in v. 3.

[2:15]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “who had taken her to him as a daughter”; NRSV “who had adopted her as his own daughter.”

[7:8]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “falling”; NAB, NRSV “had (+ just TEV) thrown himself (+ down TEV).”

[7:8]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “where Esther was” (so KJV, NASB). The term “lying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “was reclining.”

[2:14]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “second.” The numerical adjective שֵׁנִי (sheniy, “second”) is difficult here. As a modifier for “house” in v. 14 the word would presumably refer to a second part of the harem, one which was under the supervision of a separate official. But in this case the definite article would be expected before “second” (cf. LXX τὸν δεύτερον, ton deuteron). Some scholars emend the text to שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”), but this does not completely resolve the difficulty since the meaning remains unclear. The translation adopted above follows the LXX and understands the word to refer to a separate group of women in the king’s harem, a group housed apparently in a distinct part of the residence complex.

[2:14]  ⁶¹ tc The LXX does not include the words “was pleased with her.”

[8:7]  ⁶² tn Heb “sent forth his hand”; NAB, NIV “attacked”; NLT “tried to destroy.” Cf. 9:2.

[5:14]  ⁶³ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Haman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:14]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “fifty cubits.” Assuming a standard length for the cubit of about 18 inches (45 cm), this would be about seventy-five feet (22.5 meters), which is a surprisingly tall height for the gallows. Perhaps the number assumes the gallows was built on a large supporting platform or a natural hill for visual effect, in which case the structure itself may have been considerably smaller. Cf. NCV “a seventy-five foot platform”; CEV “a tower built about seventy-five feet high.”

[5:14]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “joyful”; NRSV “in good spirits”; TEV “happy.”