Esther 2:1

Esther Becomes Queen in Vashti’s Place

2:1 When these things had been accomplished ¹  and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered ²  Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided ³  against her.

Esther 3:1

Haman Conspires to Destroy the Jews

3:1 Some time later ⁴  King Ahasuerus promoted ⁵  Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position ⁶  above that of all the officials who were with him.

Esther 4:14

4:14 “Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew ⁷  who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear ⁸  from another source, ⁹  while you and your father’s household perish. It may very well be ¹⁰  that you have achieved royal status ¹¹  for such a time as this!”

¹ tn Heb “after these things” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). The expression is very vague from a temporal standpoint, not indicating precisely just how much time might have elapsed. Cf. v. 21.

² sn There may be a tinge of regret expressed in the king’s remembrance of Vashti. There is perhaps a hint that he wished for her presence once again, although that was not feasible from a practical standpoint. The suggestions by the king’s attendants concerning a replacement seem to be an effort to overcome this nostalgia. Certainly it was to their advantage to seek the betterment of the king’s outlook. Those around him the most were probably the most likely to suffer the effects of his ire.

³ tn Or “decreed” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); TEV “and about his proclamation against her.”

⁴ tn Heb “after these things” (so KJV, ASV); NAB, NASB, NIV “After these events.”

⁵ tn Heb “made great”; NAB “raised…to high rank”; NIV “honored.”

⁶ tn Heb “chair”; KJV, NRSV “seat”; NASB “established his authority.”

⁷ tn Heb “from all the Jews”; KJV “more than all the Jews”; NIV “you alone of all the Jews.”

⁸ tn Heb “stand”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT “arise.”

⁹ tn Heb “place” (so KJV, NIV, NLT); NRSV “from another quarter.” This is probably an oblique reference to help coming from God. D. J. A. Clines disagrees; in his view a contrast between deliverance by Esther and deliverance by God is inappropriate (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther [NCBC], 302). But Clines’ suggestion that perhaps the reference is to deliverance by Jewish officials or by armed Jewish revolt is less attractive than seeing this veiled reference as part of the literary strategy of the book, which deliberately keeps God’s providential dealings entirely in the background.

¹⁰ tn Heb “And who knows whether” (so NASB). The question is one of hope, but free of presumption. Cf. Jonah 3:9.

¹¹ tn Heb “have come to the kingdom”; NRSV “to royal dignity”; NIV “to royal position”; NLT “have been elevated to the palace.”