When the turn came: Revised Standard Version begins a new paragraph with a temporal clause, thereby indicating a new development in the story. If it is difficult to find an equivalent for turn, it may be useful to restate, “When the time [or, day] came for Esther.” This may be restructured in a form of a separate sentence, as Good News Translation has done.

As in verse 13, the Hebrew does not actually state that Hegai’s advice concerned what Esther wore, though his advice no doubt included suggestions on how to dress (see Good News Translation: “she wore just what Hegai … advised her to wear”).

Abihail: as in Num 3.35 and 1 Chr 5.14, Abihail is a man’s name; but in 1 Chr 2.29 and 2 Chr 11.18 it is the name of a woman.

Uncle: see comments on 2.7.

The king’s eunuch: see comments on 2.3.

Esther found favor: that this is a key phrase in the Hebrew story of Esther is indicated in the original text by the transitional formula “and it was” (wayyehi) placed at the beginning of this clause, and rendered Now in Revised Standard Version. The Hebrew word translated in some versions as favor (chen) is not the same as that found in verse 9 above. Therefore in this context some translations reflect the attitude of others toward her (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation; so also Bible en français courant). Chouraqui translates literally that she was “the bearer of grace in the eyes of all who saw her.” Some languages will have a similar idiom; for example, “everyone saw her with [or, through] good eyes” or “everyone’s heart [or, liver] was good toward her.”

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 .