[Today’s English Version C.21; Revised Standard Version 14.10]

The words to open and to magnify express the purpose or intention of the enemies, who “have covenanted with their idols” (14.8 [C.19]). They stand in dramatic contrast to the intentions expressed in the preceding verse. It is now the mouths of the nations that they wish to be opened in praise of “vain, useless things.” Both Revised Standard Version and Today’s English Version make it explicit that the “useless things” that they wish to praise are idols. An American Translation translates “useless things” as “unreal gods.” Having extinguished what is of God, they wish to worship what is mortal.

The nations means the non-Jewish people of the world. La Bible Pléiade says “the Gentiles.” New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy say “the heathen.” Since the preceding verse indicates that the enemies want to exterminate the Jews, the nations does not include the Jewish people, as Today’s English Version‘s “the whole world” may suggest.

Magnify: the Greek verb expresses the idea “to look at something with amazement or astonishment.” From this root idea comes the idea of “to honor” (so Biblia Dios Habla Hoy) or “to worship” (Nueva Biblia Española). Anchor Bible says “and to idolize forever a mere mortal king.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Osty-Trinquet say “to cause to admire forever a king of flesh.”

A mortal king is literally “a king of flesh” (so New Jerusalem Bible). New American Bible says “an earthly king” (contrast with 13.9, 15; 14.3, where God is called “King”). The translator may say “a king who is merely a human” or “a king who will die [like all people].”

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 .