As in verse 4, no time frame is provided. Probably all of the trips back and forth between Esther and Mordecai in verses 5-15 occurred in a short space of time, maybe even all on the same day. The Hebrew does not state how quickly all of this happened.

Like verse 6, this is a pivotal verse that shifts the scene back to Esther. The repetition of the names of Esther and Mordecai in the Hebrew (see also Revised Standard Version) is a way of keeping these two people in focus. Hathach is only a messenger carrying out his duty. Good News Translation shortens this verse considerably in order to avoid repetition. Such avoiding of repetition is characteristic of modern English style but may not be desirable in other languages, especially if it changes the emphasis of the text as it does here.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .