Esther 1:2

1:2 In those days, as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa ¹  the citadel, ² 

Esther 1:9

1:9 Queen Vashti ³  also gave a banquet for the women in King Ahasuerus’ royal palace.

Esther 4:6

4:6 So Hathach went to Mordecai at the plaza of the city in front of the king’s gate.

Esther 4:11

4:11 “All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable ⁴  to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court – that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. ⁵  Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!”

Esther 6:7

6:7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor,

Esther 7:10

7:10 So they hanged Haman on the very gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. The king’s rage then abated.

[1:2]  ¹ tn Heb “Shushan” (so KJV, ASV). Most recent English versions render this as “Susa.”

[1:2]  ² tn The Hebrew word בִּירָה (birah) can refer to a castle or palace or temple. Here it seems to have in mind that fortified part of the city that might be called an acropolis or citadel. Cf. KJV “palace”; NAB “stronghold”; NASB “capital”; NLT “fortress.”

[1:9]  ³ sn Vashti is the name of Xerxes’ queen according to the Book of Esther. But in the Greek histories of this period the queen’s name is given as Amestris (e.g., Herodotus, Histories 9.108-13). The name Vashti does not seem to occur in the nonbiblical records from this period. Apparently the two women are not to be confused, but not enough is known about this period to reconcile completely the biblical and extrabiblical accounts.

[4:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “one is his law”; NASB “he (the king NIV) has but one law”

[4:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “and he will live”; KJV, ASV “that he may live”; NIV “and spare his life.”