Went in to the king: the meaning here is that the maiden went in to be with the king, not simply that she moved from one location to another, as may be understood from the Good News Translation rendering.

The words whatever she desired to take with her are not specific. Clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, or other items may be included. Probably the words mean that she could wear whatever garment or jewelry she desired (so Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente “all the ornaments she asked for” and Good News Translation “she could wear”), though the Hebrew does not actually state that whatever she took with her was something to wear. The translator should not attempt to specify what the young woman took with her.

Good News Translation restructures the verse to avoid repetition. In so doing, the artist’s style of repetition and parallel structures is lost. From the harem to the king’s palace is literally “from the house of the women to the house of the king.”

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 .