[Today’s English Version C.12; Revised Standard Version 14.1]

The words And Esther may be translated as “Esther also.” Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “Queen Esther … also sought refuge in the Lord” (so also New Jerusalem Bible). Since the preceding verses state that Mordecai prayed to the Lord, translators may want to add the word “also” as in Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and New Jerusalem Bible. In some languages it will be more natural to introduce this new development in the story with a word like “Then” as New Revised Standard Version does, “Then Queen Esther….”

Deathly anxiety is literally “in the struggle [or, battle] of death.” This may refer to the external threat to Esther. Compare “in the mortal peril that had overtaken her” (New Jerusalem Bible; also Bible en français courant). More likely it refers to the internal agony that she was facing (so Today’s English Version and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

Fled to the Lord is not to be understood literally. The word fled is used figuratively to indicate the sense of urgency with which Esther began to pray. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says that Esther “sought refuge with the Lord” (so also New Jerusalem Bible). The translator may say “she hurried to make supplication before [or, to pray to] the Lord.”

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 .