[Today’s English Version A.15; Revised Standard Version 12.4]

The Greek says literally that the king “wrote these words as a memorial.” In light of 2.23 and 6.1, the meaning is that the king “had an account of this written in the official records” (Today’s English Version) to be preserved. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy renders “as a memorial” with the translation “so that they would not be forgotten.”

As in the previous verse, the king is the subject of the main verb, but it is unlikely that he himself wrote these things in the official records. Though the text says that the “king wrote,” it is probable that a scribe in the royal court did the actual writing (see 3.12), and many cultures will naturally make this interpretation. Some translations use a causative verb such as in Today’s English Version, “the king had an account … written” (so also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New American Bible). Many languages use a construction such as “the king caused an account to be written.” Nueva Biblia Española says “the king commanded that this incident be written.” But it is also possible that the king himself did the writing (Revised English Bible “The king wrote an account”).

And Mordecai wrote an account of them is literally “and Mordecai wrote concerning these words.” It is possible to understand the Greek to mean that Mordecai was involved with the king in the writing of one single account. More likely, though, the sense is that Mordecai wrote a separate account of the incident. If this latter interpretation is accepted, translators may wish to insert a word such as “also,” as in Today’s English Version and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy.

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