[Today’s English Version E.22; Revised Standard Version 16.22]

To whom is the king speaking in verses 22 and 23? Is he speaking to the governors of the provinces and to the citizens of the empire (see verse 1)? Or is he speaking to the Jewish people? Part of the difficulty is that some manuscripts read “for you,” that is, the Jews, in verse 23, and some read “for us,” that is, the governors, citizens of the empire, and the king. Revised Standard Version and Today’s English Version follow the latter reading.

In most translations the antecedent of the pronoun you in verse 22 is clearly the governors and loyal citizens, as in verses 17 and 19 (so New American Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible). New American Bible translates the beginning of verse 22 “therefore, you too must celebrate.” New Jerusalem Bible says “You, for your part, … celebrate.” The words “too” and “for your part” translate a Greek word that seems to suggest the idea of “also” (Revised English Bible “you also”) or “in addition to.” The idea is then that the Gentile governors in addition to the Jews are to celebrate this day.

On the other hand, these two verses may be addressed directly to the Jews and not to the governors of the Persian empire. Nueva Biblia Española, following this interpretation, says “therefore, you Jews, celebrate this day” (so also Biblia Dios Habla Hoy and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). Since the text does not have any marker to indicate that the king turns to address only the Jews in these two verses, it is probably better not to follow the models of Nueva Biblia Española, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, though admittedly this latter interpretation makes good sense of the text.

With all good cheer: this describes the manner in which they are to observe the thirteenth day of Adar, that is, with great joyfulness and rejoicing. Today’s English Version says it is to be “celebrated as a festival.”

Notable day: this was a “marked” day, a “great” day (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible), a “special” day (New Jerusalem Bible; see also comments on “special day” in LXX 5.4). If these words are addressed to the Jews, then Today’s English Version‘s rendering is misleading, since “national holidays” may be considered to be primarily political in nature (contrast with 9.31). The emphasis in the Greek version of the book of Esther is not on a political victory but on God’s deliverance of his people.

Your commemorative festivals: these are referred to in some translations as “solemn festivals” (New Jerusalem Bible and La Sainte Bible: La version Etablie par les moines de Maredsous). However, “commemorative” is a celebration of a specific event, remembering that event, and the Greek itself means “named festivals” (Chouraqui translates “festivals given a particular name”). Vast as the Persian empire was, the different peoples and nations had their own different “national holidays.” If this verse is addressed to the Jews, then the commemorative festivals are the festivals of the Jews (see 9.28).

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 .