[Today’s English Version D.7; Revised Standard Version 15.7]

Lifting his face means that he looked toward her, he gave her his attention, and his face was literally, “burning with glory.” The author is consciously contrasting the description of Esther in verse 5 above with the king, who is now before her. If she had the look of one in love, he looked at her in the “bloom” or “height” of anger. The writer uses very vivid language to portray the scene at hand and to heighten the drama.

Faltered: literally “she fell.” The following words, however, clearly indicate that she did not fall completely to the floor. Perhaps this verb anticipates Esther falling on the head of the slave in front of her. To avoid giving the wrong impression that she fell twice, it may be best to state here that she “slumped” or “staggered” (New American Bible). Contrary to most translations, New Jerusalem Bible says that the queen “sank to the floor,” and then continues by stating that “her head fell against the lady-in-waiting beside her.” But the Greek is clear that Esther fell on the head of the lady-in-waiting, not that Esther’s head fell against the woman with her.

Turned pale and faint: literally “the color of her skin [complexion] changed in [or, because of] faintness.” The first adjective describes Esther’s appearance. This may be expressed as “her face became pale” or “her face became white.” The second adjective describes Esther’s state. In the king’s presence she became dizzy and weak; she may have temporarily lost consciousness, or “almost” done so (Today’s English Version). New Jerusalem Bible provides an idiomatic rendering in English: “As she fainted, the colour drained from her face.” A possible translation may be “her face became without color, and the bones of her body softened.”

Collapsed upon the head of the maid: the verb rendered collapsed means “to bow down upon.” Revised English Bible uses the idiomatic expression “she swooned,” which reinforces the idea of being faint or dizzy. It is not clear how Esther can lean against her slave’s head if Esther has bowed down. For this reason some translations say that she leaned her head on the attendant’s shoulder (so Today’s English Version, Revised English Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Bible en français courant). These words should not be translated in a way that presents an impossible image of Esther falling all the way to the floor and then falling on top of her slave’s head. Regarding the meaning of the word rendered maid, see the comments on verse 2.

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 .