[Today’s English Version D.16; Revised Standard Version 15.16]

Returning again to a frequently used expression, the author says that the king was in a state of “confusion” (see verse 13 and comments). The Greek verb translated was agitated in Revised Standard Version has a range of meaning such as “troubled,” “agitated” (New Jerusalem Bible), “distressed” (Revised English Bible), “disturbed,” “confused,” “upset” (see 3.15). The translation “concerned” does not seem to express adequately the sense that the king was in a state of confusion or distress.

The word servants refers to the king’s attendants (Today’s English Version). The Greek uses a different term from that used in Septuagint 2.2, where the role of the servants was more official. The word used here is a collective term referring to “all those waiting on the king, all those attending to the king’s needs.” Some languages may have a technical term like the English term “courtiers” (New Jerusalem Bible) that may be used here.

To comfort her: the Greek word so translated by Revised Standard Version has a wide range of uses in the Septuagint. The context is too general to make clear the precise sense in which the verb is used here. In addition to the translation comfort (Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), other translations include “revive” (Today’s English Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nueva Biblia Española) and “reassure” (Revised English Bible). It is clear that the servants were trying to help Esther, but it is not clear whether the help took primarily the form of giving comfort or the form of trying to revive her after she had fainted. Either sense fits the context; translators may choose either. If so desired the alternative translation may be placed in a footnote.

Those who translate the LXX in its normal order should continue with the text and discussion on page 139.

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 .