eunuch

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “eunuch” in English is translated in Low German as “man (or: person) who does not have male strength” (Minsch, de ehr Mannskraft nicht hebt) (translation by Johannes Jessen, publ. 1933, republ. 2006). Similarly, in the German Luther Bible it is translated as Entmannter or “de-masculated.” (Source: Jost Zetzsche)

In Bislama it is “a person who has been castrated.” (Source: Bill Camden in The Bible Translator 1995, p. 240ff. )

When the mentioning of “eunuch” does not play an important part of the story, such as in Esther 2:3 or Esther 1:15, the Elhomwe translation uses “servant or “someone working at the palace” “because otherwise element of being castrated too much emphasis.” (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

Esther

The Hebrew and Greek that is transliterated as “Esther” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign depicting a star on a crown, referring to her being a queen and her name likely meaning “star” (see here ). (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Esther” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Esther .

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Translation commentary on Greek Esther 6:14

On the king’s eunuchs see 1.10.

The Revised Standard Version translation brought Haman in haste to the banquet (so also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) is a more natural translation of the Hebrew punctuation and word order than the Today’s English Version and New Jerusalem Bible translations, which say that they “arrived in a hurry.” That is, the words in haste go with the verb brought and not with the verb arrived.

Banquet: see comments on 1.3.

Prepared: see comments on 5.4.

Septuagint 6.14

The Hebrew includes with him after the verb talking; the Septuagint does not.

The Greek says only the eunuchs rather than “the king’s eunuchs.”

Hurriedly brought: the Greek specifies that “the eunuchs arrived hurrying Haman to the banquet…” (so Traduction œcuménique de la Bible).

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 .