All the Jews to be found in Susa: though no number is given, there must have been many Jews in Susa, since they later killed 300 men (see 9.15).
The Hebrew text says hold a fast on my behalf. The prepositional phrase on my behalf together with the context seems to imply that there was a different reason for the fasting here from that of verse 3 above. Although Esther faces possible death, there is hope of deliverance. Since fasting was often accompanied by prayer in the Old Testament (see 2 Sam 12.16; Ezra 8.21, 23), Good News Translation says “hold a fast and pray for me.” Probably the translators of Good News Translation wanted to make clear that fasting was for religious reasons, so they added “and pray.” Since the writer of the Hebrew text of Esther carefully avoids any explicit mention of God, prayer, or religious faith throughout the story, translators following the Hebrew text may decide not to add the words “and pray.”
Though some interpreters understand the Hebrew words neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day to mean that the people are to fast for three days, choosing to fast either during the day or during the night, that is, for three twelve-hour periods, most scholars understand this phrase to mean that the people are not to eat or drink for the entire three days, fasting both day and night (so Good News Translation, Revised English Bible).
The order of the Hebrew words for night or day may perhaps only be stylistic, but it may be noted that “day or night” is the more frequent order found in the Old Testament. Unless the receptor language has a particular order or formulaic expression, the word order of the original should be retained.
I and my maids will also fast: the verb “to fast” is in the first person singular here. A more literal translation is “I, along with my maids, will also fast.” Though the verb is singular, clearly the maids are included with Esther. Many languages will use a pattern similar to the Hebrew, sometimes using a first person plural pronoun, “we and my maids.”
Though it is against the law: this is literally “which [or, although it] is not according to law.” The law here is, of course, the Persian law, dat, which forbade anyone to enter the inner court without having been called by the king (see 4.11). In some languages it may be necessary to restate as, for example, “even though the law does not allow” or “even though the laws forbids.”
If I perish, I perish: this concluding sentence is powerful and dramatic. Many languages will have an equivalent expression such as Good News Translation (compare Bible en français courant, “even if that must cost me my life”), or perhaps “If it is to be [my] death, I will die.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “And if they kill me, let them kill me.”
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 .