Since Mordecai was himself included among the king’s officials, Good News Translation adds the word “other,” to show that Mordecai was one of the officials (so also Bible en français courant, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje).

On the king’s gate see 2.19.

The question asked by the king’s servants is cited in direct quotation. This may be more forceful and dramatic than the indirect speech of Good News Translation. The question is posed in the affirmative, but some languages may choose to use a negative construction, “Why do you not obey the king’s command?”

The king’s command was the command to bow down before Haman, mentioned in the previous verse. Here a sixth word, mitswah, is used in the series of Hebrew words for a command.

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 story continues quickly, and both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation translate the conjunction waw with the adverb Then to show the progression of the action. The king acts to comply with Esther’s wish. He does not reply directly to her, but instead he gives a command that is presumably addressed to his courtiers. The Hebrew does not indicate who is to bring Haman. Good News Translation gives the impression that the king spoke directly to Haman and ordered him to come quickly. More probably the king sent messengers to Haman (see 6.14). Revised English Bible may reflect the correct meaning: “the king gave orders for Haman to be brought with all speed.”

That we may do as Esther desires is literally “to do the word of Esther.” Good News Translation fails to express correctly why the king and Haman went quickly. It was not so that they could “be Esther’s guests.” Rather they went quickly in order to “do Esther’s bidding” (New Jerusalem Bible). Good News Translation changes the focus to the role of the king and Haman as guests, but the Hebrew states their desire to do what Esther had requested. Revised English Bible says “to meet Esther’s wishes.” and Traduction œcuménique de la Bible says “so that we may obey Esther’s invitation.”

Came to the dinner: the Hebrew verb does not distinguish whether the guests “came to dinner” or “went to dinner” (see comments on 4.2). Some versions use the verb “come” as Revised Standard Version has done. This implies that the reader sees the king and Haman “coming” to Esther’s dinner. Other versions like Good News Translation use the verb “go” to suggest that the reader sees them “going” to her dinner.

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 .

Since Mordecai is not mentioned in verses 3-6 as being present with the queen, it is possible that this scene continues from the scene that began in verse 1 (so Anchor Bible). Or, if verse 3 does begin a new scene, then one must assume that Mordecai entered the throne room with Queen Esther.

King Xerxes begins to speak in verse 7. For translations that use quotation marks, the quotation begins with the word Behold. It is not so clear where the quotation ends. Nearly all translations continue the direct quotation through the end of verse 8. New American Bible and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, however, end the quotation in verse 8 after the words “and seal the letter with the royal signet ring.” The final sentence of verse 8 (“for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked”) in New American Bible and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy is not a part of the quotation of Xerxes, but is rather an editorial comment to the reader of the Book of Esther. Biblia Dios Habla Hoy places this final sentence within parentheses. Though it is true that Esther knew that an edict of the king could not be revoked, and that the king knew that Esther knew it, these words nevertheless should probably be considered part of Xerxes’ words. The author was concerned with developing the narrative plot; and in that regard, Xerxes’ words are addressed more to the reader than to Esther.

The author refers to each of the participants in a formal way, the king and queen by title, and Mordecai by the usual epithet, but the tone of the quotation itself is almost informal. The king’s remarks are prefaced by the emphatic hinneh, Behold. He announces what he has already done by referring to himself in the first person. Possibly his words indicate that he has done enough to help Esther and Mordecai already, but more likely he is reminding them of his goodwill and desire to help them.

On the house of Haman see 8.1.

They have hanged him on the gallows is translated as “he has been impaled on the stake” by New Jerusalem Bible. See comment on 2.23.

Because he would lay hands on … means “he wanted to kill the Jews” or “he wanted to have them killed” (see comments on “lay hands on” in 2.21). In this context some versions use a verb with a more general range of meaning; for instance, “because Haman attacked the Jews” (New International Version), and “because he was endangering the lives of the Jews” (Bible en français courant). Good News Translation restates to say “for his plot against the Jews.” Compare also New Jerusalem Bible‘s “for scheming against the Jews.”

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 .

That these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation: most translations, including Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, render these words as if they refer to future commemoration of “these days,” continuing the time perspective of verse 27, that of people living immediately after the events described in Esther. The Hebrew verbs may, however, be translated to refer to the time when Esther was written, which may have been many years after the events (so New Jerusalem Bible: “Consequently, these days are recalled and observed in every generation”; see also Traduction œcuménique de la Bible and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). According to this latter interpretation, the writer of Esther appears to have lived several generations after the events narrated in this book. Either interpretation is possible, and translators may choose the more widely accepted interpretation in their context.

In every family is translated as “by every clan” in New American Bible. It may be appropriate to say “in every door,” “in every house,” or “in every concession,” where this refers to households and therefore to families in the large sense.

The style of the verse is again that of near synonyms, repetition, and shift of perspective. Using the feature of parallelism, the author establishes two balanced structures, the first positive, the second negative. The first includes two verbs: days should be remembered and kept. The second includes two clauses: these days … should never fall into disuse and nor should the commemoration of these days cease. Good News Translation restructures to achieve more natural English style, but in doing so it significantly changes the author’s style.

Descendants is literally “seed,” which is often used figuratively in Hebrew to mean the generations that will live after contemporary times.

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 .