In verses 12-14 the narrative briefly and suddenly returns to the subject of the women in order to provide the reader with necessary background information or to demonstrate the author’s familiarity with his subject. The writer used this same technique of suddenly changing the subject in verses 5-7.
The translator should look at verses 12-14 as a single unit. Both Revised Standard Version and Today’s English Version make them a paragraph because they describe a custom or a tradition in the royal palace. Revised Standard Version follows the complex syntax of the original Hebrew, while Today’s English Version revises the order of the information to make it easier to understand. The translator needs to mark very clearly the fact that this information is not part of the series of events in the story of Esther, but it is an explanation that has been added to the story; that is, the story turns to a different subject for a moment in order to explain something. In Revised Standard Version the adverb Now marks this digression; it sets off this information from the preceding part of the story.
When the turn came most likely means that the young women were assigned an order in which to go in to the king. A possible translation is the following: “When the time [or, day] came for each young woman to go….” Less likely is the understanding expressed in the Septuagint and followed by a few interpreters, that the turn means “the opportune time” or “the critical moment,” that is, just the time when each maiden looked her best.
Twelve months and six months: the author earlier referred to time in terms of days (see 1.4, 5, 10), but here he speaks of months. Today’s English Version follows the common current practice of speaking of twelve months as a year. Unless there is a strong cultural preference to do otherwise, the translator may wish to retain months. Twelve months was the regular period, that is, the normal or customary length of time. The Hebrew idiom is literally “thus the days were completed [or, came to an end].”
Under the regulations: literally, “according to regulation” (for the Hebrew word dat see 1.8). These words in the Hebrew probably go with the words “twelve months,” and New Jerusalem Bible expresses the meaning clearly in English: “the twelve months’ treatment prescribed for women.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says “the twelve-month rule.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, however, takes these words with the phrase “when the turn came.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “According to the rule of the harem, each maiden went to King Ahasuerus when it was her turn.” Though the meaning is essentially the same either way, the “regulation” probably concerned the length of the treatment (Revised Standard Version) rather than the fact that each woman should go to the king only when her turn came (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Today’s English Version says “the regular beauty treatment,” but this translation fails to express the idea that this treatment was “prescribed” and was not an optional choice for the women. Bible en français courant more correctly says “The young women of the harem had to follow for a year the beauty treatment prescribed for the women.”
Their beautifying with oil, spices, and ointments apparently refers to massages, as Today’s English Version makes explicit. Myrrh is a resin of certain trees in Africa and Asia that gives off a good smell. Where myrrh is unknown, one may say “oil of very good quality.” The spices are taken by some translators to be balsam (Today’s English Version, Bible en français courant, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Balsam was a mixture of oil and resin that was obtained from certain trees and shrubs, and was used for medicines and perfumes. Obviously the spices are not condiments associated with cooking. Most versions indicate use of oil the first six months and perfumed substances the second six months.
Septuagint 2.12
Although basically the same as the Hebrew, the Septuagint says only “the king,” omitting his name. It also does not state that the beauty treatment was “according to regulation” as the Hebrew does. The verse is long and syntactically complex both in Hebrew and in Greek. New Revised Standard Version simplifies by breaking it into two sentences, while Today’s English Version restructures and reduces it to the bare essentials of its information content.
Spices and ointments: New Revised Standard Version translates the original, citing as closely as possible what was used in the women’s beautification, while Today’s English Version generalizes in using modern terminology.
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 .