Esther 6:8

6:8 let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden – one bearing the royal insignia! ¹ 

Esther 1:7

1:7 Drinks ²  were served in golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the king’s expense.

Esther 1:11

1:11 to bring Queen Vashti into the king’s presence wearing her royal high turban. He wanted to show the people and the officials her beauty, for she was very attractive. ³ 

Esther 8:15

8:15 Now Mordecai went out from the king’s presence in purple and white royal attire, with a large golden crown and a purple linen mantle. The city of Susa shouted with joy. ⁴ 

Esther 9:30

9:30 Letters were sent ⁵  to all the Jews in the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the empire of Ahasuerus – words of true peace ⁶  –

Esther 1:19

1:19 If the king is so inclined, ⁷  let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, ⁸  that Vashti ⁹  may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another ¹⁰  who is more deserving than she. ¹¹ 

Esther 2:17

2:17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval ¹²  more than all the other young women. ¹³  So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen ¹⁴  in place of Vashti.

Esther 3:6

3:6 But the thought of striking out against ¹⁵  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ¹⁶  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ¹⁷  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ¹⁸  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Esther 5:1

Esther Appeals to the King for Help

5:1 It so happened that on the third day Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace, ¹⁹  opposite the king’s quarters. ²⁰  The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace, opposite the entrance. ²¹ 

¹ tc The final comment (“one on whose head the royal crown has been”) is not included in the LXX.

² 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.

³ tn Heb “was good of appearance”; KJV “was fair to look on”; NAB “was lovely to behold.”

⁴ tn Heb “shouted and rejoiced.” The expression is a hendiadys (see the note on 5:10 for an explanation of this figure).

⁵ tc The present translation is based on the Niphal form וַיּשָּׁלַח (vayyishalakh, “were sent”; so also NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT) rather than the reading of the MT וַיּשְׁלַח (vayyishlakh, Qal, “and he sent”). The subject of the MT verb would have to be Mordecai (cf. NAB, NIV, NCV), but this is problematic in light of v. 29, where both Esther and Mordecai are responsible for the letters.

⁶ tn Heb “peace and truth.” The expression is probably a hendiadys (see the note on 5:10 for an explanation of this figure).

⁶ sn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.” Deferential language was common in ancient Near Eastern court language addressing a despot; it occurs often in Esther.

⁷ sn Laws…that cannot be repealed. On the permanence of the laws of Media and Persia see also Esth 8:8 and Dan 6:8, 12, 15.

⁸ sn Previously in this chapter the word “queen” accompanies Vashti’s name (cf. vv. 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17). But here, in anticipation of her demotion, the title is dropped.

⁹ tn Heb “her neighbor”; NIV “someone else.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “who is better than she.” The reference is apparently to worthiness of the royal position as demonstrated by compliance with the king’s wishes, although the word טוֹב (tob, “good”) can also be used of physical beauty. Cf. NAB, NASB, NLT “more worthy than she.”

⁷ tn Heb “grace and loyal love.” The expression is probably a hendiadys.

⁸ tc The LXX does not include the words “more than all the other young women.”

⁹ tn Heb “caused her to rule.”

⁸ tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”

⁹ tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.

¹⁰ tc The entire first half of the verse is not included in the LXX.

¹¹ tc This parenthetical phrase is not included in the LXX. Some scholars emend the MT reading עַם (’am, “people”) to עִם (’im, “with”), arguing that the phrase is awkwardly placed and syntactically inappropriate. While there is some truth to their complaint, the MT makes sufficient sense to be acceptable here, and is followed by most English versions.

⁹ tn Heb “of the house of the king”; NASB, NRSV “of the king’s palace.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “the house of the king”; NASB “the king’s rooms”; NIV, NLT “the king’s hall.” This expression is used twice in this verse. In the first instance, it is apparently the larger palace complex that is in view, whereas in the second instance the expression seems to refer specifically to the quarters from which the king governed.

¹¹ tn Heb “the entrance of the house” (so ASV).