When Mordecai learned: Mordecai did not “learn” something literally as a schoolchild does. He “came to know” or “found out” (FOX) what had happened. The Hebrew is literally “he knew.”

Mordecai rent his clothes: tearing of clothing was a customary way of expressing great emotion such as anger, grief, and humiliation. In this context Mordecai’s emotion is probably “anguish” (Good News Translation) or mourning. It may be necessary to make explicit the reason why he tears his clothes, as Good News Translation has done.

Sackcloth and ashes were symbols of mourning and grief. They occur frequently in the Old Testament, accompanied by various actions. The action may be walking as here; often it is sitting (Jonah 3.6); and occasionally it is lying down (4.3 below). Sackcloth was a coarse cloth made out of goat hair or camel hair that was used for making bags or clothing (see Gen 37.34; 42.25; 2 Sam 3.31). Although it was not always a sack, some translations describe it as “sack-clothing,” that is, clothing made from cloth of sacks. In other languages it may be referred to as “mourning cloth.” Ashes were put on one’s head (see 2 Sam 13.19), and this is made explicit in some translations (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant).

He put on sackcloth and ashes uses the one verb for putting on clothing to refer to two different actions. However, in translation it may be necessary to use two distinct verbs that are appropriate to each gesture. For instance, it may be said, “he dressed [or, wrapped] himself in sackcloth,” and “he sprinkled [or, rubbed] ashes on his head.”

In some societies the meanings of these gestures may not be known. However, instead of making cultural adaptations in the translation, it is preferable to make the meaning clear in the context. For example, it could be said, “he dressed in sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on his head to show that he was sorrowing” or “that he was in great distress.” Another solution may be to use a footnote or a glossary entry to explain these Old Testament practices. In this way as much historical accuracy is retained in the translation as possible.

The midst of the city is not a specific location in the city. It indicates simply that Mordecai walked “through” the city (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible), wailing or lamenting loudly and bitterly, or “with bitterness.” That Mordecai wept “with bitterness” means that he wept because of the intense misery that he experienced. The Hebrew idiom expresses not primarily a sense of anger but rather the sense of undergoing a severely unpleasant experience. In some languages this may be expressed with an idiom like “with sourness in his heart” or “with a darkened liver.” In other languages it may be better to avoid the figurative language of bitterness and say something like “crying loudly and very sadly” (New Century Version) or “crying out loudly with pain” (La Bible du Semeur).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Let the king appoint officers: in Hebrew the word officers comes from the same root as the verb appoint. These officers were appointed or commissioned for this task. New American Bible calls them “commissaries,” that is, someone delegated by a superior to perform a duty. In some languages the expression “let the king place people” will express the meaning “appoint,” since the specific task for which they are placed is stated.

The provinces: see comments on 1.1.

To gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem: on virgins see comments on verse 2. It is not clear whether these young virgins, including Esther, were forced to participate in this beauty contest, or whether they did so by choice. A verb should be used for “gather” or “assemble” that does not connote the use of force.

The word harem of Revised Standard Version as well as Good News Translation translates the Hebrew expression “house [of] the women.” If a special term corresponding to harem exists, it may be used; otherwise an expression similar to the Hebrew, or “dwelling place of the women,” may be used. For the status of the women who lived in the harem, see the comments on 2.14 below.

Susa the capital is “the citadel of Susa” (New Revised Standard Version) as in 1.2.

Under custody of Hegai: according to the Hebrew version the virgins were to be placed “into [or, under] the hand of Hegai.” Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says they were to be placed “under the authority of Hegai,” while New International Version says “in the care of Hegai.” It may be possible to find an idiom similar to the Hebrew that includes the two components of care and authority.

Hegai the king’s eunuch: see comments on 1.10 concerning the translation of eunuch. The precise relationship between the words king and eunuch is not specified in Hebrew. Since this verse states that Hegai was in charge of the women, it does not appear that Hegai’s relationship to the king was that of a personal servant to the king himself. He was the eunuch who was in charge of the women in the king’s harem and was therefore called the king’s eunuch. Some translations call him “the royal eunuch” (New American Bible, Nueva Biblia Española).

Let their ointments be given them: this passive construction may need to be restated; for example, “tell Hegai to give their ointments to them.”

The ointments translates a word whose root meaning is “to rub” or “to polish.” The ointments were used during the year-long preparation before the women were taken to the king (see 2.12). The meaning in English is perhaps captured better in Good News Translation (“beauty treatment”) and in New Revised Standard Version (“cosmetic treatments”). Perhaps a translation such as “rubbing oils [ointments, fats]” or “oils for rubbing on oneself” may be used to imply a beauty treatment for women (see also 2.9, 12).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

A copy of the document: this may be restated as Good News Translation has done, to specify “the contents of the proclamation.” The word translated copy is a Persian word (see introduction, “Translating the Book of Esther,” B-4, pages 7 and following).

Document: a synonym for “letters” in verse 13 above is used here. It is again what was written, and it contains the decree dat, the “law [edict]” that is being proclaimed throughout the empire, in every province (literally “in every province and province”).

Issued as a decree: the meaning is that this document was to become a law to be obeyed. New International Version says “was to be issued as law.” Good News Translation seems to lack this part of the meaning in this verse.

By proclamation renders a verb whose basic meaning is “to be open,” or “to uncover.” Usually this involves both seeing and hearing. The translation “to be publicly displayed” (Revised English Bible) expresses the element of seeing but fails to indicate the hearing element. Other translations use a general term such as “communicated to all the peoples” (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “made known” (New Century Version), without indicating the form of the communication. Translators should, however, attempt to express that this decree will be seen and heard, that is, “a copy of the document was to be read and publicly displayed as a decree in every single province to all the peoples….” Or “The text of the document was to be issued as a law. It was to be read aloud in every single province, and it was to be publicly displayed to all the peoples so that they may read it and be ready when that day came.” Languages that have a special verb for announcing official decrees or messages should use that verb for the public reading that is referred to here.

The people were to be ready for that day, that is, the thirteenth of Adar (see verse 13 above). It may be necessary to make explicit what the people were to be ready for as specified in the preceding verse. Some languages may use an idiom, “they were to fix themselves” or “they were to be on their feet,” meaning they were to be ready.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The king’s question, Who is in the court?, may suggest that he had heard someone (see Biblia Dios Habla Hoy quoted below), or he may simply have been asking who, if any, of his officials were present in the palace (so Good News Translation). Most versions follow the Hebrew text, perhaps implying that the king assumed someone must be in the palace. No time is stated. Some interpreters think that Haman entered at night while the king was reading, but others think that Haman entered the following morning. In any case, at the latest it must have been very early in the morning, since Haman was the only person present in the courtyard.

Now Haman had just entered: Good News Translation sets this sentence off as a new paragraph to indicate that it is an explanatory sentence, a kind of parenthesis. It is a brief flashback. Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation use a pluperfect verb tense, to make it clear that Haman was already in the court when the king asked his question. As in verse 3 above, the translator will need to mark the shifts in scene and in time carefully.

Biblia Dios Habla Hoy reverses the order of the two sentences, beginning the verse with the words “At that moment Haman entered the outer court….” The verse ends in Biblia Dios Habla Hoy with the words “ ‘Who is walking in the outer court?’ asked the king.”

On the outer court see comments on “the inner court” in 4.11.

On the gallows see 2.23.

That he had prepared for him: that is, that Haman had prepared for Mordecai.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The words the Jews gathered in their cities can be understood to mean (1) that the Jews gathered together in whatever cities they lived in, that is, “in their cities” (so most translations), or (2) that the Jews in the cities where they lived gathered to defend themselves in the Jewish quarter of those cities, that is, “their cities” means the Jewish quarters within the city as a whole (so Good News Translation and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). The words their cities are simply ambiguous. Translators will need to choose between these two interpretations and perhaps place the alternative translation in a footnote.

To lay hands on is literally “to stretch forth a hand against.” As in 2.21 and 3.6, this phrase means “to kill” (so Anchor Bible and Moffatt; see also Gen 37.22), though most translations say “to attack.”

On such as sought their hurt is both a literal translation and old-fashioned English. The author uses a word here that he previously used in two forms in relation to Haman (see comments on raʿah in 7.7). It is not easy to reproduce this play on words in translation, but Haman was “evil,” and he received a punishment of “evil” because he had plotted to bring “evil” upon the Jews.

No one could make a stand against them: unlike in the Septuagint, the sense is not that the Gentiles did not attack or resist the Jews. Rather they were not able to withstand the onslaught of the Jews. This may be expressed “no one was able to stand in front of them.”

The fear of them in this verse is the fear that the non-Jewish people had of the Jews (see comment on 8.17). Good News Translation uses a verbal construction, “were afraid,” rather than a noun as in Revised Standard Version. The receptor language should use an appropriate expression; for example, “fear of the Jews fell upon all peoples” or perhaps “fear of the Jews seized the hearts of all peoples.” This is not merely “everybody” but the peoples scattered throughout the provinces of the empire.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The command is maʾamar that was first used of the king’s command addressed to Queen Vashti (see comments 1.15). Now it is Queen Esther’s command that fixed (“imposed, enjoined”) the rules of Purim. Command is expressed by a verb that implies speaking the command, but the result was recorded in writing.

Practices of Purim is literally “the words of Purim.” New Jerusalem Bible says “observances,” while Good News Translation says “rules.” The translator will need to select an appropriate term to express the “matters” that relate to Purim, or the “way” of Purim.

It was recorded is a passive construction that may need to be restated; “they wrote it,” for example.

In writing is literally “in the book.” The Hebrew grammar seems to indicate a specific book (“in the book”; so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New American Bible). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch says “in a special book.” With a slight change in the initial vowel, “in the book” becomes “in a book” or “in writing.” Many translations use an indefinite article: “in a book” (Bible en français courant) or “on a scroll” (Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible). Since the vowel in the Hebrew text is the equivalent of a definite article, the translation should indicate a definite book, that is, “the book” or, as in New International Version, “the records.” It is not clear what book this was, if a specific writing is intended. Probably the writer is not referring to the present book of Esther, though Segond reads “The story of Esther institutes the ritual of Purim; that’s why it is written in this book.” More probably the reference is to a book preserved by the Jews that contained the origins of the festival of Purim or an official record similar to the “Book of the Chronicles” (2.23; 6.1; 10.2). New International Version says “written down in the records.” Here in 9.32 some translations use the word “scroll” (Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible).

The Hebrew noun rendered writing in Revised Standard Version (also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) clearly refers to a scroll in many Old Testament passages, but it may also refer to writings in different forms and of various materials. In the Hebrew Old Testament a different noun is used more than forty times to refer to writing tablets. But as was noted in the comments on the Septuagint text of 9.20 (see ESG 9.20), it is possible that the form of the writing here consisted of clay tablets. Translators may choose to say either “book” (so New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Bible en français courant) or “scroll” (so Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible). In some languages there may be no specific word for “scroll,” so a general word such as “book” or “writing” will be used regardless of the decision regarding the original form of this writing.

Translators may wish to include a footnote similar to the following: “This is not the book of Esther, but without doubt another book preserved by the Jews at that time, but now lost, which tells the origins of the festival of Purim” (a similar footnote is given in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

She came back to the second harem is literally “she came back to the house of the women, second.” The word “second” is not connected grammatically to the rest of the verse. Probably the meaning is that she was taken to a second harem, since Shaashgaz is in charge now, whereas Hegai was in charge of the first harem (see 2.3). Nearly all translations take “second” as an adjective modifying “the house of the women.” Rather than understanding this to be a “second harem” completely separate from the first harem, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy say “another department [section] of the harem.” It is possible, though, to understand “second” as an adverb meaning “a second time,” that is, she was taken back to the same harem again (a second time), as in verse 3.

The king’s eunuch: see comments on 2.3

Concubines: the women who belonged to the royal harem (compare Dan 5.2, 3, 23, where a different Hebrew term is used for “concubines”). They were considered to be wives of the king, but they were of a lower rank than the one chosen to be queen. In Old Testament times having concubines was not considered to be an adulterous relationship. The translator should therefore avoid using a word with connotations of illicitness. La Bible du Semeur renders this word as “wives of the second rank.” In some cultures they may be referred to as “the king’s other wives.”

Delighted in her: the verb translated delighted has a broad range of meanings, depending on the context. It basically means “to care for [something or someone]” or “to have a joyous desire [for something or someone].” In some contexts it expresses the idea of friendship between two persons. Even in the sexual realm of love between a man and a woman, it sometimes means only “delight in,” without strong sexual connotations. Here, however, “delight” seems to express the sense of sexual desire.

Summoned by name: the meaning here is that, unless a woman was specifically identified by name, she did not go a second time to the king. The importance of the name as a means of designating a woman wanted by the king should be clear in the translation.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Good News Translation restructures this verse breaking it into four sentences. This makes reading easier, but it may also change the focus of the original text, which reads All … know that … there is but one law; … to be put to death, except the one …. Focusing in this way on the law, dat, Esther’s words again emphasize the importance of the law in Persian culture and in the author’s story. This is one of the artist’s methods of building the drama of the story (see 1.15, 19 above).

The inner court of the palace is the place where one could see the king on his throne (5.1), in contrast to the outer court (see 6.4), where the king could not be seen.

There is but one law: literally “one law of him.” New International Version says “the king has but one law.” That law is that anyone who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned by the king is to be killed.

Holds out the golden scepter: Biblia Dios Habla Hoy makes explicit the meaning of this gesture by adding the words “as a sign of clemency.” The golden scepter, a symbol of the king’s authority, was a long, slender staff made of gold, with an ornamented head. Where scepters are unknown, one may say the “king’s stick,” the “stick of kingship,” or the “object in the king’s hand showing authority.” It may be described as a “staff [made, or forged] of gold.”

That he may live: this may be restated as “so that that person will not be killed” (compare Good News Translation).

At the beginning of the last sentence, the Hebrew contains the first person singular pronoun, which has an emphatic function. Neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation represents this, but Traduction œcuménique de la Bible reproduces the force by saying “As for me, it has been thirty days since….” Translators should follow the example of Bible en français courant or Traduction œcuménique de la Bible if possible.

These thirty days: no reason is given in the story to explain why the king has not called for Esther for an entire month, but such a detail heightens the dramatic tension, as Esther must now risk her life to enter the inner court to speak to him. Depending on cultural practice, the length of time may be indicated by days, as the Hebrew does (so Revised Standard Version), or it may be represented as a month, or even as weeks, if that is more natural.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .