[Today’s English Version E.20; Revised Standard Version 16.20]

Give them reinforcements is military terminology meaning “give them people to help them.” This may be stated as Today’s English Version does, or “come to their help” (New Jerusalem Bible), or “stand behind them.”

On Adar see 3.7. Nueva Biblia Española translates “the thirteenth of March, the month of Adar” (see comments at 3.7 on the Nueva Biblia Española translation of the names of Hebrew months).

They may defend themselves is literally “to ward off those attacking them” (Bible en français courant). The instructions are that the Jews are to protect themselves, not that they are to attack their enemies. Compare comments on LXX 8.11.

Time of their affliction is interpreted by Today’s English Version as “the day set for their destruction,” in view of what had been planned for the Jews. In the Greek version of Esther, affliction is one of the words that was used to describe the day that Mordecai saw in his vision (see comments on 11.8 [A.7], where the same Greek word is rendered “tribulation” in Revised Standard Version).

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 .