Letters were written documents. They may be referred to as “what was written,” “the writings,” or “the [written] messages.”

The word couriers is literally “runners” in Hebrew (see also verse 15 below). It is possible that the messengers here were running on foot, as Today’s English Version implies. However, the Persian Empire had couriers who were famous for carrying messages great distances quickly, traveling by horse. Therefore, since the same word occurs in 8.10, 14, where the “runners” were on horseback, it is also possible that the “couriers” here traveled by horse. Horses are explicitly mentioned in chapter 8, because emphasis in the plot of the story there requires more focus on the speed with which the letters were sent.

The king’s provinces: see comments on 1.1. The Today’s English Version translation “every province of the empire” omits direct reference to the king, thereby shifting attention away from the central role of the king in all of the provinces.

No real distinction of meaning is intended among the words destroy, slay, and annihilate. The repetition of similar words indicating thoroughness of the action is consistent with the writer’s style and should be retained if it has the same effect in the receptor language. In addition to destroying in a general sense, and killing in a specific sense, some languages have a special verb or expression for killing in great quantities, that is, totally liquidating wild game or people.

All Jews, young … children: by specifically designating young and old, women and children, the writer is not excluding men. That men were to be killed is understood without being stated. The additional mention of women and children has the sense “even young and old, women and children.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch makes this explicit: “All Jews—men, women, and children.” In Hebrew the word order is literally “child and women.” The translator should follow this order of presentation as Traduction œcuménique de la Bible has done, unless it is unnatural or gives a wrong meaning. Since it is more natural in English to say “women and children,” most English translations have reversed the order.

Plunder their goods: their belongings were not merely to be taken, but all their wealth was to be seized as booty.

Septuagint 3.13

Several small differences from the Hebrew exist in the Greek text: only one verb, to destroy, is used for the destruction of the Jews; “young and old, women and children” are not specifically mentioned; and the precise day for the destruction is not mentioned. The Greek says literally the empire [or, kingdom] of Artaxerxes; Today’s English Version translates this in agreement with its translation of the Hebrew text, though this does shift the focus away from the king’s authority (see comments on Hebrew text above).

Couriers in the Greek is “bearers of letters.” The Greek word specifies their function rather than their method of traveling (see comment on Hebrew “couriers” above). Like Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, and Today’s English Version, most translations harmonize the two versions by using the functional equivalent, couriers, instead of reflecting the literal forms of the Greek and Hebrew terms.

To destroy: see comments on Greek verse 7 above. Like the Hebrew, the Septuagint says that the Jews are to be destroyed “in one day” or, as Today’s English Version says, “on a single day.” New Revised Standard Version uses an English idiom, “on a given day,” which means “on a specific day.”

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 .