Esther 1:19

1:19 If the king is so inclined, ¹  let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, ²  that Vashti ³  may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another ⁴  who is more deserving than she. ⁵ 

Esther 3:9

3:9 If the king is so inclined, ⁶  let an edict be issued ⁷  to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver ⁸  to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”

Esther 5:8

5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined ⁹  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 ¹⁰  I will do as the king wishes. ¹¹ 

Esther 7:3

7:3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have met with your approval, ¹²  O king, and if the king is so inclined, grant me my life as my request, and my people as my petition.

[1:19]  ¹ 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.

[1:19]  ² sn Laws…that cannot be repealed.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.

[1:19]  ³ 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.

[1:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “her neighbor”; NIV “someone else.”

[1:19]  ⁵ 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.”

[3:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.”

[3:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “let it be written” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “let it be decreed.”

[3:9]  ⁸ 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.

[5:8]  ¹¹ 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]  ¹² tn Heb “and tomorrow” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “and then.”

[5:8]  ¹³ 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.”

[7:3]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “If I have found grace in your eyes” (so also in 8:5); TEV “If it please Your Majesty.”