Esther 9:14

9:14 So the king issued orders for this to be done. A law was passed in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.

Esther 9:26

9:26 For this reason these days are known as Purim, after the name of pur.

Esther 1:8

1:8 There were no restrictions on the drinking, ¹  for the king had instructed all of his supervisors ²  that they should do as everyone so desired. ³ 

Esther 1:13

1:13 The king then inquired of the wise men who were discerners of the times – for it was the royal custom to confer with all those who were proficient in laws and legalities. ⁴ 

Esther 2:4

2:4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive ⁵  become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king, ⁶  so he acted accordingly.

Esther 7:5

7:5 Then King Ahasuerus responded ⁷  to Queen Esther, “Who is this individual? Where is this person to be found who is presumptuous enough ⁸  to act in this way?”

Esther 2:12

2:12 At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, ⁹  when the turn of each young woman arrived to go to King Ahasuerus – for in this way they had to fulfill their time of cosmetic treatment: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfume and various ointments used by women –

Esther 3:2

3:2 As a result, ¹⁰  all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate were bowing and paying homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded. However, Mordecai did not bow, ¹¹  nor did he pay him homage.

Esther 6:10

6:10 The king then said to Haman, “Go quickly! Take the clothing and the horse, just as you have described, and do as you just indicated to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Don’t neglect ¹²  a single thing of all that you have said.”

Esther 9:19

9:19 This is why the Jews who are in the rural country – those who live in rural cities – set aside the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a holiday for happiness, banqueting, holiday, and sending gifts to one another.

Esther 4:16

4:16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I ¹³  will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. ¹⁴  If I perish, I perish!”

¹ tn Heb “the drinking was according to law; there was no one compelling.”

² tn Heb “every chief of his house”; KJV “all the officers of his house”; NLT “his staff.”

³ tn Heb “according to the desire of man and man.”

¹ tn Heb “judgment” (so KJV); NASB, NIV “justice”; NRSV “custom.”

¹ tn Heb “who is good in the eyes of the king.”

² tn Heb “the matter was good in the eyes of the king.” Cf. TEV “The king thought this was good advice.”

¹ tc The second occurrence of the Hebrew verb וַיּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”) in the MT should probably be disregarded. The repetition is unnecessary in the context and may be the result of dittography in the MT.

² tn Heb “has so filled his heart”; NAB “who has dared to do this.”

¹ tc The LXX does not include the words “that were required for the women.”

¹ tn Heb “and” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). Other modern English versions leave the conjunction untranslated here (NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT).

² sn Mordecai did not bow. The reason for Mordecai’s refusal to bow before Haman is not clearly stated here. Certainly the Jews did not refuse to bow as a matter of principle, as though such an action somehow violated the second command of the Decalogue. Many biblical texts bear witness to their practice of falling prostrate before people of power and influence (e.g., 1 Sam 24:8; 2 Sam 14:4; 1 Kgs 1:16). Perhaps the issue here was that Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites, a people who had attacked Israel in an earlier age (see Exod 17:8-16; 1 Sam 15:17-20; Deut 25:17-19).

¹ tn Heb “do not let fall”; NASB “do not fall short.”

¹ tn Heb “I and my female attendants.” The translation reverses the order for stylistic reasons.

² tn Heb “which is not according to the law” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “contrary to the law.”