Esther 1:2

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

Esther 3:15

3:15 The messengers ³  scurried forth ⁴  with the king’s order. ⁵  The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar! ⁶ 

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 ⁷  and had the most prominent offices ⁸  in the kingdom.

Esther 2:19

Mordecai Learns of a Plot against the King

2:19 Now when the young women were being gathered again, ⁹  Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. ¹⁰ 

Esther 2:21

2:21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan ¹¹  and Teresh, ¹²  two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, ¹³  became angry and plotted to assassinate ¹⁴  King Ahasuerus.

Esther 6:12

6:12 Then Mordecai again sat at the king’s gate, while Haman hurried away to his home, mournful and with a veil over his head.

Esther 5:1

Esther Appeals to the King for Help

5:1 It so happened that on the third day Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace, ¹⁵  opposite the king’s quarters. ¹⁶  The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace, opposite the entrance. ¹⁷ 

[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.”

[3:15]  ³ tn Heb “runners.” So also in 8:10, 14. Cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “couriers.”

[3:15]  ⁴ tn Or “went forth in haste” (so ASV).

[3:15]  ⁵ tn Heb “with the word of the king.”

[3:15]  ⁶ sn The city of Susa was in an uproar. This final statement of v. 15 is a sad commentary on the pathetic disregard of despots for the human misery and suffering that they sometimes inflict on those who are helpless to resist their power. Here, while common people braced for the reckless loss of life and property that was about to begin, the perpetrators went about their mundane activities as though nothing of importance was happening.

[1:14]  ⁵ tn Heb “seers of the face of the king”; NASB “who had access to the king’s presence.”

[1:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “were sitting first”; NAB “held first rank in the realm.”

[2:19]  ⁷ tc The LXX does not include the words “Now when the young women were being gathered again.” The Hebrew word שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”) is difficult in v. 19, but apparently it refers to a subsequent regathering of the women to the harem.

[2:19]  ⁸ sn That Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate apparently means that he was a high-ranking government official. It was at the city gate where important business was transacted. Being in this position afforded Mordecai an opportunity to become aware of the plot against the king’s life, although the author does not include the particular details of how this information first came to Mordecai’s attention.

[2:21]  ⁹ tn This individual is referred to as “Bigthana,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 6:2.

[2:21]  ¹⁰ tc The LXX does not include the names “Bigthan and Teresh” here.

[2:21]  ¹¹ tn Heb “guarders of the threshold”; NIV “who guarded the doorway.”

[2:21]  ¹² tn Heb “sought to send a hand against”; CEV “decided to kill.”

[5:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “of the house of the king”; NASB, NRSV “of the king’s palace.”

[5:1]  ¹² tn Heb “the house of the king”; NASB “the king’s rooms”; NIV, NLT “the king’s hall.” This expression is used twice in this verse. In the first instance, it is apparently the larger palace complex that is in view, whereas in the second instance the expression seems to refer specifically to the quarters from which the king governed.

[5:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “the entrance of the house” (so ASV).