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 ¹  and what might happen to her.

Ester 5:3

5:3 The king said to her, “What is on your mind, ²  Queen Esther? What is your request? Even as much as half the kingdom will be given to you!”

Ester 5:6

5:6 While at the banquet of wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your request? It shall be given to you. What is your petition? Ask for as much as half the kingdom, ³  and it shall be done!”

[2:11]  ¹ tn Heb “to know the peace of Esther.”

[5:3]  ² tn Heb “What to you?”; NAB, NIV NRSV “What is it, Queen Esther?”

[5:6]  ³ sn As much as half the kingdom. Such a statement would no doubt have been understood for the exaggeration that it clearly was. Cf. the similar NT scene recorded in Mark 6:23, where Herod makes a similar promise to the daughter of Herodias. In that case the request was for the head of John the Baptist, which is a lot less than half the kingdom.