complete verse (Esther 9:29)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 9:29:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Esther and Mordecai wrote a letter emphasizing what Mordecai told those Jews about the festival of Purim in his first letter.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “That being the case, Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail and Mordecai the Jew, having written a second letter regarding Purim, gave it full authority.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “In-order to strengthen Mordecai’s letter concerning Purim, Queen Ester child of Abihail also wrote (a letter), regarding this feast. She wrote this with Mordecai.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “Then queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai wrote another letter endorsing truth of the previous letter written by Mordecai.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Mordecai and Queen Esther, who was the daughter of Abihail, wrote a second letter about the Purim feast. Esther used the authority that she had because of being the queen to confirm that what Mordecai had written in the first letter was true.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Esther 9:29

9:29

There are many problems in this verse, and if you compare different English versions you will see that they differ from each other in many ways. These Notes give some of the reasons for the differences.

along with Mordecai the Jew: Some commentators and English versions change the place of this phrase in the verse (see, for example, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible) or omit it altogether (Jerusalem Bible, which follows the LXX). However, it is recommended that you follow the Berean Standard Bible, which is the majority view and the clearest way of understanding the Hebrew text.

with full authority: The Hebrew word which the Berean Standard Bible translates “authority” literally means “strength, power.” Here it is referring to the authority Esther had as queen.

to confirm this second letter: This is a very difficult expression to understand. It seems clear from the context that this second letter refers to the letter Esther (and Mordecai) were now writing. The first letter was, then, the letter Mordecai wrote in 9:20. This is the view of most commentators. It is difficult, however, to understand how a letter can confirm itself. It would make more sense if this letter was written to confirm the letter which Mordecai had written (in 9:20). This is how a number of versions have translated it (Good News Translation, New Century Version, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures). If a literal translation of this phrase would be difficult to understand in your language, you could follow one of these versions. See, for example, the New Century Version:

they wrote to prove the first letter was true

Purim: See note on 3:7b.

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