This verse is the conclusion to an episode in the story and is so marked by the adverb then (Hebrew waw) in both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation. Esther’s position has now changed in relation to her cousin. In 2.20 it was she who obeyed him; now it is he who follows her instructions.

Mordecai then went away is literally “Mordecai crossed over” (FOX). Perhaps he crossed the city square or the canal from the Chaour River, which separated the acropolis on the west side from the city of Susa on the east side. Most versions say simply that Mordecai “went away.” New Jerusalem Bible reads “So Mordecai went about [the city] and did just as Esther had commanded him.” The same Hebrew verb occurs in Josh 2.23, where the two spies “crossed over” and came to Joshua. Though no object is given in Josh 2.23, the clear meaning is that the spies crossed the River Jordan. FOX translates these words in Esther “And Mordecai crossed over.” Since a canal separated the acropolis from the city of Susa, most likely the author assumes that the reader will understand that Mordecai “crossed over” this canal as he went from the acropolis to the city. Just as translations make explicit the object of this verb in Josh 2.23, they may do so here also by saying “So Mordecai crossed over the canal.” Translators may wish to explain the presence of this canal in a footnote.

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 .

On the king’s signet ring see 3.10. To avoid the wrong impression that the signet ring originally belonged to Haman, Good News Translation 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). Good News Translation 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.

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 of verses 24 and 25 are possibly intended to be part of the letter mentioned in verse 20; Bible en français courant introduces verse 24 with the words “Mordecai recalled this” (so also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente places 9.24-26a within quotation marks, clearly indicating that these words are part of the letter.

However, it is more likely that verses 24-25 recall the reason that the Jews followed Mordecai’s instructions (so Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible). Verse 24 in Revised English Bible begins “This they did because Haman….” Good News Translation presents the verse as a kind of editorial comment by the author.

On the Agagite see 3.1. Whereas elsewhere in the Book of Esther Haman has been called “the enemy of the Jews” (3.10; 8.1; 9.10), here he is called the enemy of all the Jews. Good News Translation says in all of these verses “the enemy of the Jewish people,” omitting the word “all” in verse 24. Since verses 20 and 30 of chapter 9 state that letters were sent “to all the Jews,” the presence of the word “all” in 9.24 should not be overlooked. On this long designation of Haman, see the comment on 3.1.

On cast Pur, see the comment on 3.7. This clause and the appositional that is the lot is a repetition from 3.7. For purposes of clarity Good News Translation expands by adding “to determine the day.” In 3.7 Haman himself did not cast lots, but in this verse he does appear to be the one who cast the lots.

Within the verse there is also repetition and expansion for increased emphasis and drama. Revised Standard Version translates to destroy them and to crush and destroy them. The first verb here is the same that was translated in 3.13 as “annihilate.” The verb translated to crush, hamam, is similar to the sound of the name Haman.

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 .