Ester 1:10

Queen Vashti is Removed from Her Royal Position

1:10 On the seventh day, as King Ahasuerus was feeling the effects of the wine, ¹  he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, ² 

Ester 1:19

1:19 If the king is so inclined, ³  let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, ⁴  that Vashti ⁵  may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another ⁶  who is more deserving than she. ⁷ 

Ester 2:9

2:9 This young woman pleased him, ⁸  and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen ⁹  young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem. ¹⁰ 

Ester 2:17

2:17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval ¹¹  more than all the other young women. ¹²  So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen ¹³  in place of Vashti.

Ester 5:9

Haman Expresses His Hatred of Mordecai

5:9 Now Haman went forth that day pleased and very much encouraged. ¹⁴  But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate, and he did not rise nor tremble in his presence, ¹⁵  Haman was filled with rage toward Mordecai.

Ester 9:18

The Origins of the Feast of Purim

9:18 But the Jews who were in Susa assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth days, and rested on the fifteenth, making it a day for banqueting and happiness.

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.

[1:10]  ¹ tn Heb “as the heart of the king was good with the wine.” Here the proper name (King Ahasuerus) has been substituted for the title in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:10]  ² tn Heb “King Ahasuerus”; here the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “him” in the translation for stylistic reasons. Cf. similarly NIV, NCV, CEV, NLT “King Xerxes.”

[1:19]  ³ 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[1:19]  ⁴ sn Laws…that cannot be repealed.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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “her neighbor”; NIV “someone else.”

[1:19]  ⁷ 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.”

[2:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “was good in his eyes”; NLT “Hegai was very impressed with Esther.”

[2:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “being looked at (with favor).”

[2:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “of the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 11, 13, 14.

[2:17]  ¹¹ tn Heb “grace and loyal love.” The expression is probably a hendiadys.

[2:17]  ¹² tc The LXX does not include the words “more than all the other young women.”

[2:17]  ¹³ tn Heb “caused her to rule.”

[5:9]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “happy and good of heart”; NASB “glad and pleased of heart”; NIV “happy and in high spirits.”

[5:9]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “tremble from before him”; NIV “nor showed fear in his presence”; TEV “or show any sign of respect as he passed.”