Ester 3:6

3:6 But the thought of striking out against ¹  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ²  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ³  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ⁴  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Ester 3:8

3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people ⁵  that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants ⁶  throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them. ⁷ 

Ester 5:12

5:12 Haman said, “Furthermore, Queen Esther invited ⁸  only me to accompany the king to the banquet that she prepared! And also tomorrow I am invited ⁹  along with the king.

[3:6]  ¹ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”

[3:6]  ² tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.

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

[3:6]  ⁴ 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.

[3:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “one people.” Note the subtle absence at this point of a specific mention of the Jewish people by name.

[3:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “nations”

[3:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “to cause them to rest”; NASB “to let them remain”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “to tolerate them.”

[5:12]  ⁸ tn Heb “caused to come”; KJV “did let no man come in…but myself.”

[5:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “called to her”; KJV “invited unto her”; NAB “I am to be her guest.”