6:12 Then Mordecai again sat at the king’s gate, while Haman hurried away to his home, mournful and with a veil over his head.
9:11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention.
9:14 So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.
1 tn Heb “Shushan” (so KJV, ASV). Most recent English versions render this as “Susa.”
2 tn The Hebrew word בִּירָה (birah) can refer to a castle or palace or temple. Here it seems to have in mind that fortified part of the city that might be called an acropolis or citadel. Cf. KJV “palace”; NAB “stronghold”; NASB “capital”; NLT “fortress.”
3 tn Heb “to cause to drink” (Hiphil infinitive construct of שָׁקָה, shaqah). As the etymology of the Hebrew word for “banquet” (מִשְׁתֶּה, mishteh, from שָׁתָה, shatah, “to drink”) hints, drinking was a prominent feature of ancient Near Eastern banquets.
5 tn Heb “young women, virgins, good of form.” The same phrase also occurs in v. 3.
7 tn Heb “the silver is given to you”; NRSV “the money is given to you”; CEV “You can keep their money.” C. A. Moore (Esther [AB], 40) understands these words somewhat differently, taking them to imply acceptance of the money on Xerxes’ part. He translates, “Well, it’s your money.”
8 tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes”; NASB “do with them as you please.”