Then: see comment on 2.2.

The king’s secretaries were summoned: though the verb “to call” is passive, it is possible that Haman is the implicit agent. Today’s English Version makes this explicit: “Haman called the king’s secretaries.” The secretaries were probably scribes who were responsible for writing official correspondence. Here they wrote under Haman’s authority or according to his instructions. For secretaries it may be necessary to say “writers” or “writers of letters.”

On the first month see 3.7.

Edict: this is the first of three official edicts recorded in the book (see also 8.9; 9.14), but the text says simply that “it was written all as Haman commanded [or, ordered].” In verse 14 below, what was written will be specifically identified as a dat “law, edict” (see also 9.14).

The satraps, governors, and princes of all the peoples are mentioned in order of rank (see 1.1). The satraps were responsible for the large administrative units called “satrapies,” the governors ruled over the provinces, and the princes were ethnarchs or tribal chieftains.

In its own script … in its own language: see comments on 1.22. Script is the “symbols [marks]” used in writing or the “way” of writing of each people.

On the expression in the name of, see comments on 2.22.

On sealed with the king’s ring, see the comments on verse 10 above.

Septuagint 3.12

The Greek contains several small differences from the Hebrew. Although the Greek says only that they wrote “through Artaxerxes the king,” the meaning is that they wrote in his name or by his authority. The Greek does not state that the decree was sealed with the king’s ring, but it does contain the information from India to Ethiopia and There were one hundred twenty-seven provinces in all (see 1.1).

Though the Greek does not state that the decree was “translated” into the languages spoken in the provinces, this implicit information may need to be supplied in some languages (see Today’s English Version, and see reference to Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente in 1.22).

The word magistrates is translated as “rulers” in Today’s English Version, but the specific sense of the Greek word is better captured by the translations “army commanders” (Revised English Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente) or “generals” (Bible en français courant and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

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 .