Esther 1:14

1:14 Those who were closest to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. These men were the seven officials of Persia and Media who saw the king on a regular basis ¹  and had the most prominent offices ²  in the kingdom.

Esther 2:12

2:12 At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, ³  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 3:9

3:9 If the king is so inclined, ⁴  let an edict be issued ⁵  to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver ⁶  to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”

Esther 4:8

4:8 He also gave him a written copy of the law that had been disseminated ⁷  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 5:8

5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined ⁸  to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time ⁹  I will do as the king wishes. ¹⁰ 

Esther 5:12

5:12 Haman said, “Furthermore, Queen Esther invited ¹¹  only me to accompany the king to the banquet that she prepared! And also tomorrow I am invited ¹²  along with the king.

Esther 5:14

5:14 Haman’s ¹³  wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Have a gallows seventy-five feet ¹⁴  high built, and in the morning tell the king that Mordecai should be hanged on it. Then go with the king to the banquet contented.” ¹⁵ 

It seemed like a good idea to Haman, so he had the gallows built.

Esther 7:8

7:8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down ¹⁶  on the couch where Esther was lying. ¹⁷  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.

Esther 9:26

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

[1:14]  ¹ tn Heb “seers of the face of the king”; NASB “who had access to the king’s presence.”

[1:14]  ² tn Heb “were sitting first”; NAB “held first rank in the realm.”

[2:12]  ³ tc The LXX does not include the words “that were required for the women.”

[3:9]  ⁵ tn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.”

[3:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “let it be written” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “let it be decreed.”

[3:9]  ⁷ sn The enormity of the monetary sum referred to here can be grasped by comparing this amount (10,000 talents of silver) to the annual income of the empire, which according to Herodotus (Histories 3.95) was 14,500 Euboic talents. In other words Haman is offering the king a bribe equal to two-thirds of the royal income. Doubtless this huge sum of money was to come (in large measure) from the anticipated confiscation of Jewish property and assets once the Jews had been destroyed. That such a large sum of money is mentioned may indicate something of the economic standing of the Jewish population in the empire of King Ahasuerus.

[4:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “given” (so KJV); NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT “issued”; NIV “published”; NAB “promulgated.”

[5:8]  ⁹ tn Heb “if upon the king it is good.” Cf. the similar expression in v. 4, which also occurs in 7:3; 8:5; 9:13.

[5:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and tomorrow” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “and then.”

[5:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I will do according to the word of the king,” i.e., answer the question that he has posed. Cf. NCV “Then I will answer your question about what I want.”

[5:12]  ¹¹ tn Heb “caused to come”; KJV “did let no man come in…but myself.”

[5:12]  ¹² tn Heb “called to her”; KJV “invited unto her”; NAB “I am to be her guest.”

[5:14]  ¹³ tn Heb “his”; the referent (Haman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:14]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “fifty cubits.” Assuming a standard length for the cubit of about 18 inches (45 cm), this would be about seventy-five feet (22.5 meters), which is a surprisingly tall height for the gallows. Perhaps the number assumes the gallows was built on a large supporting platform or a natural hill for visual effect, in which case the structure itself may have been considerably smaller. Cf. NCV “a seventy-five foot platform”; CEV “a tower built about seventy-five feet high.”

[5:14]  ¹⁵ tn Or “joyful”; NRSV “in good spirits”; TEV “happy.”

[7:8]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “falling”; NAB, NRSV “had (+ just TEV) thrown himself (+ down TEV).”

[7:8]  ¹⁶ 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.”