Esther 2:9-11

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 

2:10 Now Esther had not disclosed her people or her lineage, ⁴  for Mordecai had instructed her not to do so. ⁵  2:11 And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing ⁶  and what might happen to her.

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 Cf. v. 20, where the same phrase occurs but with the word order reversed.

⁵ tn Heb “that she not tell” (NRSV similar); NASB “that she should not make them known.”

⁷ tn Heb “to know the peace of Esther.”