On the king’s signet ring see 3.10. To avoid the wrong impression that the signet ring originally belonged to Haman, Today’s English Version says “which he had taken back from Haman” (so also New Jerusalem Bible, “who had recovered his signet ring from Haman”). That the king gave Mordecai his signet ring means that Mordecai now has the position of authority that the king had earlier granted to Haman. In the development of the plot of the story, the fact that Mordecai received the king’s ring becomes significant a few verses later (see 8.7-8). Today’s English Version encloses the clause about taking back the ring from Haman within parentheses, to indicate that this is considered to be editorial explanation in the text.

It may be necessary to restructure quite extensively in order to make clear the sequence of actions referred to in this verse. The king had first given his ring to Haman, then he took it back from Haman and put it on his own finger, now he takes it off his own finger and gives it to Mordecai. While being careful to omit none of the meaning of the original text, the translator should not make explicit more details than are necessary for good comprehension.

Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman: see comment in 8.1 on “the house of Haman.” Esther put Mordecai in charge of Haman’s former property, that is, she made him responsible over it.

Septuagint 8.2

The Greek says literally that the king took the ring (New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Today’s English Version “took off” (also Revised English Bible) assumes in light of the Hebrew that the king was wearing the ring. Though the Greek is literally the ring (New Revised Standard Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), Today’s English Version says “his ring with his seal on it,” to make clear which ring is referred to (similarly Revised English Bible, “his signet ring”). This is the ring that had been taken from Haman. The pluperfect verb indicates that this had happened earlier. New Revised Standard Version also refers to the property that had been Haman’s. This alludes to the fact that Haman is no longer alive and therefore no longer possesses the property.

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 .