Ester 1:15

1:15 The king asked, ¹  “By law, ²  what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that she has not obeyed the instructions of King Ahasuerus conveyed through the eunuchs?”

Ester 2:1

Esther Becomes Queen in Vashti’s Place

2:1 When these things had been accomplished ³  and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered ⁴  Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided ⁵  against her.

Ester 2:16

2:16 Then Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus at his royal residence in the tenth ⁶  month (that is, the month of Tebeth) in the seventh ⁷  year of his reign.

Ester 7:5

7:5 Then King Ahasuerus responded ⁸  to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough ⁹  to act in this way?”

Ester 8:10

8:10 Mordecai ¹⁰  wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. He then sent letters by couriers on horses, who rode royal horses that were very swift.

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 9:20

9:20 Mordecai wrote these matters down and sent letters to all the Jews who were throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

Ester 9:30

9:30 Letters were sent ¹¹  to all the Jews in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus – words of true peace ¹²  –

Ester 10:3

10:3 Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking ¹³  Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. ¹⁴  He worked enthusiastically ¹⁵  for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of ¹⁶  all his descendants. ¹⁷ 

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, ¹⁸  he ordered Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, ¹⁹ 

Ester 1:16-17

1:16 Memucan then replied to the king and the officials, “The wrong of Queen Vashti is not against the king alone, but against all the officials and all the people who are throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 1:17 For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women, leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying, ‘When King Ahasuerus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence, she would not come.’

Ester 1:19

1:19 If the king is so inclined, ²⁰  let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, ²¹  that Vashti ²²  may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another ²³  who is more deserving than she. ²⁴ 

Ester 2:12

2:12 At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, ²⁵  when the turn of each young woman arrived to go to King Ahasuerus – for in this way they had to fulfill their time of cosmetic treatment: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women –

Ester 2:21

2:21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan ²⁶  and Teresh, ²⁷  two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, ²⁸  became angry and plotted to assassinate ²⁹  King Ahasuerus.

Ester 3:1

Haman Conspires to Destroy the Jews

3:1 Some time later ³⁰  King Ahasuerus promoted ³¹  Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position ³²  above that of all the officials who were with him.

Ester 3:6-8

3:6 But the thought of striking out against ³³  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ³⁴  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ³⁵  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ³⁶  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

3:7 In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year ³⁷  of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur ³⁸  (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. ³⁹  It turned out to be the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar). ⁴⁰ 

3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people ⁴¹  that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants ⁴²  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. ⁴³ 

Ester 6:2

6:2 it was found written that Mordecai had disclosed that Bigthana ⁴⁴  and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, had plotted to assassinate ⁴⁵  King Ahasuerus.

Ester 8:1

The King Acts to Protect the Jews

8:1 On that same day King Ahasuerus gave the estate ⁴⁶  of Haman, that adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Now Mordecai had come before the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her.

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 ⁴⁷  against the Jews.

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 3:12

3:12 So the royal scribes ⁴⁸  were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps ⁴⁹  and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

[1:15]  ¹ tn These words are not present in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity (cf. NIV, NCV, CEV, NLT, all of which supply similar phrases).

[1:15]  ² tc The location of the prepositional phrase “according to law” is somewhat unusual in the Hebrew text, but not so much so as to require emendation. Some scholars suggest deleting the phrase as an instance of dittography from the final part of the immediately preceding word in v. 14. Others suggest taking the phrase with the end of v. 14 rather than with v. 15. Both proposals, however, lack adequate justification.

[2:1]  ³ tn Heb “after these things” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). The expression is very vague from a temporal standpoint, not indicating precisely just how much time might have elapsed. Cf. v. 21.

[2:1]  ⁴ sn There may be a tinge of regret expressed in the king’s remembrance of Vashti. There is perhaps a hint that he wished for her presence once again, although that was not feasible from a practical standpoint. The suggestions by the king’s attendants concerning a replacement seem to be an effort to overcome this nostalgia. Certainly it was to their advantage to seek the betterment of the king’s outlook. Those around him the most were probably the most likely to suffer the effects of his ire.

[2:1]  ⁵ tn Or “decreed” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); TEV “and about his proclamation against her.”

[2:16]  ⁶ tc The Greek MSS Codex Alexandrinus (A) and Codex Vaticanus (B) read “twelfth” here.

[2:16]  ⁷ tc The Syriac Peshitta reads “fourth” here.

[7:5]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Heb “has so filled his heart”; NAB “who has dared to do this.”

[8:10]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “He”; the referent (Mordecai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:30]  ¹¹ tc The present translation is based on the Niphal form וַיּשָּׁלַח (vayyishalakh, “were sent”; so also NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT) rather than the reading of the MT וַיּשְׁלַח (vayyishlakh, Qal, “and he sent”). The subject of the MT verb would have to be Mordecai (cf. NAB, NIV, NCV), but this is problematic in light of v. 29, where both Esther and Mordecai are responsible for the letters.

[9:30]  ¹² tn Heb “peace and truth.” The expression is probably a hendiadys (see the note on 5:10 for an explanation of this figure).

[10:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “great among the Jews” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “preeminent among the Jews”; NRSV “powerful among the Jews.”

[10:3]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “brothers”; NASB “kinsmen”; NIV “fellow Jews.”

[10:3]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “he was seeking”; NAB “as the promoter of his people’s welfare.”

[10:3]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “he was speaking peace to”; NRSV “and interceded for the welfare of.”

[10:3]  ¹⁷ 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).

[1:10]  ¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹ 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]  ²⁰ 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]  ²¹ 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]  ²² 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]  ²³ tn Heb “her neighbor”; NIV “someone else.”

[1:19]  ²⁴ 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.”

[2:12]  ²⁵ tc The LXX does not include the words “that were required for the women.”

[2:12]  tn Heb “to be to her according to the law of the women”; NASB “under the regulations for the women.”

[2:21]  ²⁶ tn This individual is referred to as “Bigthana,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 6:2.

[2:21]  ²⁷ tc The LXX does not include the names “Bigthan and Teresh” here.

[2:21]  ²⁸ tn Heb “guarders of the threshold”; NIV “who guarded the doorway.”

[2:21]  ²⁹ tn Heb “sought to send a hand against”; CEV “decided to kill.”

[3:1]  ³⁰ tn Heb “after these things” (so KJV, ASV); NAB, NASB, NIV “After these events.”

[3:1]  ³¹ tn Heb “made great”; NAB “raised…to high rank”; NIV “honored.”

[3:1]  sn The promotion of Haman in 3:1 for reasons unexplained contrasts noticeably with 2:19-23, where Mordecai’s contribution to saving the king’s life goes unnoticed. The irony is striking.

[3:1]  ³² tn Heb “chair”; KJV, NRSV “seat”; NASB “established his authority.”

[3:6]  ³³ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”

[3:6]  ³⁴ tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.

[3:6]  ³⁵ tc The entire first half of the verse is not included in the LXX.

[3:6]  ³⁶ 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.

[3:7]  ³⁷ sn This year would be ca. 474 b.c. The reference to first month and twelfth month indicate that about a year had elapsed between this determination and the anticipated execution.

[3:7]  ³⁸ tn The term פּוּר (pur, “lot”) is an Akkadian loanword; the narrator therefore explains it for his Hebrew readers (“that is, the lot”). It is from the plural form of this word (i.e., Purim) that the festival celebrating the deliverance of the Jews takes its name (cf. 9:24, 26, 28, 31).

[3:7]  ³⁹ tc The LXX adds the following words: “in order to destroy in one day the race of Mordecai, and the lot fell on the fourteenth day of the month.” The LXX reading is included by NAB.

[3:7]  tn Heb “from day to day and from month to month” (so KJV, NASB).

[3:7]  ⁴⁰ tn Since v. 7 seems to interrupt the flow of the narrative, many scholars have suggested that it is a late addition to the text. But there is not enough evidence to warrant such a conclusion. Even though its placement is somewhat awkward, the verse supplies to the reader an important piece of chronological information.

[3:8]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “one people.” Note the subtle absence at this point of a specific mention of the Jewish people by name.

[3:8]  ⁴² tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “nations”

[3:8]  ⁴³ tn Heb “to cause them to rest”; NASB “to let them remain”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “to tolerate them.”

[6:2]  ⁴⁴ tn This individual is referred to as “Bigthan,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 2:21.

[6:2]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; NASB “had sought to lay hands on.”

[8:1]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV; also in vv. 2, 7). Cf. TEV “all the property.”

[8:7]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “sent forth his hand”; NAB, NIV “attacked”; NLT “tried to destroy.” Cf. 9:2.

[3:12]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “secretaries” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).

[3:12]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “princes” (so NLT); CEV “highest officials.”