Esther 2:9

2:9 This young woman pleased him, ¹  and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen ²  young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem. ³ 

Esther 7:8

7:8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down ⁴  on the couch where Esther was lying. ⁵  The king exclaimed, “Will he also attempt to rape the queen while I am still in the building!”

As these words left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

¹ tn Heb “was good in his eyes”; NLT “Hegai was very impressed with Esther.”

² tn Heb “being looked at (with favor).”

³ tn Heb “of the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 11, 13, 14.

⁴ tn Heb “falling”; NAB, NRSV “had (+ just TEV) thrown himself (+ down TEV).”

⁵ tn Heb “where Esther was” (so KJV, NASB). The term “lying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “was reclining.”