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 .

king

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Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:

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  • Piro: “a great one”
  • Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
  • Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
  • Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
  • Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
  • Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
  • Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
  • Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))

Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:

“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”

(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )

See also king (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on Greek Esther 9:13

Esther’s formal address to the king is less elaborate than earlier. Here she only uses the single basic formula, If it please the king (see comments on 1.19). Her request is that the Jews be allowed to act again in accordance with the “law,” dat, that was in effect on that day (see 8.13, 14). Various versions translate Esther’s request differently, and the translator will need to accommodate the receptor language; for instance, “give the Jews in Susa permission” (New International Version) or “let the Jews in Shushan be permitted” (New Jerusalem Bible). An idiomatic translation may read “Give the road [or, way] to the Jews in Susa to do….”

The reason for Esther’s request here is not clear. Since the original decree stated only one day when the people of the empire were to attack and destroy the Jews (3.12-13), there seems to be no reason for Esther’s request that the Jews be given a second day on which to defend themselves. Within the development of the story, however, this additional day does explain why the date for the celebration of Purim varied in different places.

Since the ten sons of Haman had already been killed, the request here was for their bodies to be hung on the gallows for public display (see Today’s English Version 9.14). Today’s English Version indicates that it was the corpses that were to be hung, by saying “have the bodies … hung.” The point of the hanging was to add the element of shame to their death, as the note in Traduction œcuménique de la Bible states.

Gallows: for comment see 2.23.

Septuagint 9.13

The words “If it please the king” are omitted in the Greek.

The Greek does not say explicitly in this verse that it is the Jews in Susa who are to be allowed to do the same tomorrow; but as verse 15 makes clear, the reference is in fact only to “the Jews in Susa” (Today’s English Version).

The Greek says “hang [up] the ten sons of Haman,” though the meaning is the bodies, as is made explicit in Septuagint verse 14 below (see also comment on the Hebrew text above).

Traduction œcuménique de la Bible interprets Esther’s request to be one and not two, namely, that the king allow the Jews “to proceed similarly tomorrow, in such a way as to hang the ten sons of Haman.” The events in the following verses suggest that the interpretation made by New Revised Standard Version and Today’s English Version is the more accurate.

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 .