Esther 7:4

7:4 For we have been sold ¹  – both I and my people – to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation! If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”

Esther 3:6

3:6 But the thought of striking out against ²  Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed ³  of the identity of Mordecai’s people. ⁴  So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) ⁵  who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.

Esther 4:8

4:8 He also gave him a written copy of the law that had been disseminated ⁶  in Susa for their destruction so that he could show it to Esther and talk to her about it. He also gave instructions that she should go to the king to implore him and petition him on behalf of her people.

Esther 8:11

8:11 The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves – to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children, ⁷  and to confiscate their property.

Esther 3:13

3:13 Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that ⁸  they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, ⁹  on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day ¹⁰  of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions.

¹ sn The passive verb (“have been sold”) is noncommittal and nonaccusatory with regard to the king’s role in the decision to annihilate the Jews.

² tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”

³ tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.

⁴ tc The entire first half of the verse is not included in the LXX.

⁵ 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.

³ tn Heb “given” (so KJV); NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT “issued”; NIV “published”; NAB “promulgated.”

⁴ tn Heb “children and women.” As in 3:13, the translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.

⁵ tn The words “stating that” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁶ tn Heb “children and women.” The translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.

⁷ tc The LXX does not include the words “on the thirteenth day.”