Since Mordecai was himself included among the king’s officials, Today’s English Version adds the word “other,” to show that Mordecai was one of the officials (so also Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje).

On the king’s gate see 2.19.

The question asked by the king’s servants is cited in direct quotation. This may be more forceful and dramatic than the indirect speech of Today’s English Version. The question is posed in the affirmative, but some languages may choose to use a negative construction, “Why do you not obey the king’s command?”

The king’s command was the command to bow down before Haman, mentioned in the previous verse. Here a sixth word, mitswah, is used in the series of Hebrew words for a command.

Septuagint 3.3

The words the king’s courtiers are literally “those in the court of the king,” namely, “the servants of the king’s court.” Some languages will have a special term for the royal retinue; for example, “the king’s young men.”

Following the form of the Hebrew, the question asked by the king’s servants is recorded in the form of direct quotation (so New Revised Standard Version). Why do you disobey the king’s command? is literally “Why do you disregard the things said by the king?” (see Traduction œcuménique de la Bible: “Why do you disregard what has been said by the king?”). This may be restated as “Why do you leave the words of the king to nothingness?”

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 .