[Today’s English Version E.11; Revised Standard Version 16.11]

[He] so far enjoyed: this may need to be restated to make the king the subject of an active verb; for example, “We did so much kindness toward him like the kindness we do toward every nation….”

We have: Today’s English Version understands the plural pronoun as a plural of majesty (see verse 8).

That he was called our father: that Haman was called father serves to illustrate the extent to which the king’s good will was extended toward Haman (see comments on B.6). Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente says “he benefitted from the good will that we show toward every nation, up to the point of being called ‘Father’ and of seeing everyone bow down before him.”

Haman was called our father. If the word “we” spoken by the king in Addition E is the plural of majesty, that is, referring to the speaker, then “our father” may mean “father of the king” (so New American Bible and Biblia Dios Habla Hoy). Most translations, however, keep the words “our father,” since the end of this verse indicates the high respect the people had for Haman.

That Haman was bowed down to by all as the person second to the royal throne means that the people of the Persian empire honored Haman more than anyone else except the king himself.

The text says literally that Haman was continually bowed down to by all. Since Haman had such a high position in the royal court, people prostrated themselves before him in the oriental fashion as they did before the king. Today’s English Version‘s “received more honor” is not as specific as the Greek in indicating how in the Persian culture people paid honor to Haman. Revised English Bible is more specific: “used to receive obeisance from everyone.” New Jerusalem Bible says “being accorded … the prostration of respect.”

In the second part of the verse, as in the first, it may be necessary to use active verbs; for example, “people proclaimed him ‘Father’ … and they all continually bowed down to him….”

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 .

This was on the thirteenth day refers to the events of verse 16.

They rested translates the same Hebrew verb translated in the preceding verse as “got relief.” Today’s English Version makes it explicit that the “relief” was from killing, but it may not be necessary to be this specific. There was no more danger, they were at peace, and they made that a day of feasting and gladness. It may be helpful to restate this as “they dedicated that day to feasting and joy” or “they made [or, cut] that day a day of joy and a day of feasting.”

Septuagint 9.17

The theme of “rest” is brought into sharp focus in the Greek version of this verse, which says both that they rested and that they made that same day a day of rest. Today’s English Version interprets the first rest to be respite from battle, while the second is that of celebration (so also Bible en français courant).

On the fourteenth day is literally “on the fourteenth day of the same month.”

The Septuagint omits the words “this was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar,” since that information has already been given in verse 16 in the Septuagint.

Joy and gladness: see Septuagint 8.16, 17. The Greek says “they kept [or, observed/held] that day [a day] of rest with joy and celebration.”

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 .