Esther 1:22

1:22 He sent letters throughout all the royal provinces, to each province according to its own script and to each people according to its own language, ¹  that every man should be ruling his family ²  and should be speaking the language of his own people. ³ 

Esther 2:8-9

2:8 It so happened that when the king’s edict and his law became known ⁴  many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace ⁵  to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women. 2:9 This young woman pleased him, ⁶  and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen ⁷  young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem. ⁸ 

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 7:4

7:4 For we have been sold ¹⁰  – both I and my people – to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation! If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”

Esther 7:9

7:9 Harbona, ¹¹  one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Indeed, there is the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke out in the king’s behalf. It stands near Haman’s home and is seventy-five feet ¹²  high.”

The king said, “Hang him on it!”

Esther 8:11

8:11 The king thereby allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and to stand up for themselves – to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any army of whatever people or province that should become their adversaries, including their women and children, ¹³  and to confiscate their property.

[1:22]  ¹ sn For purposes of diplomacy and governmental communication throughout the far-flung regions of the Persian empire the Aramaic language was normally used. Educated people throughout the kingdom could be expected to have competence in this language. But in the situation described in v. 22 a variety of local languages are to be used, and not just Aramaic, so as to make the king’s edict understandable to the largest possible number of people.

[1:22]  ² tn Heb “in his house”; NIV “over his own household.”

[1:22]  ³ tc The final prepositional phrase is not included in the LXX, and this shorter reading is followed by a number of English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, NLT). Some scholars suggest the phrase may be the result of dittography from the earlier phrase “to each people according to its language,” but this is not a necessary conclusion. The edict was apparently intended to reassert male prerogative with regard to two things (and not just one): sovereign and unquestioned leadership within the family unit, and the right of deciding which language was to be used in the home when a bilingual situation existed.

[2:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “were heard” (so NASB); NRSV “were (had been NIV) proclaimed.”

[2:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “the house of the king.” So also in vv. 9, 13. Cf. NLT “the king’s harem.”

[2:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “was good in his eyes”; NLT “Hegai was very impressed with Esther.”

[2:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “being looked at (with favor).”

[2:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “of the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 11, 13, 14.

[2:12]  ¹⁰ tc The LXX does not include the words “that were required for the women.”

[7:4]  ¹³ sn The passive verb (“have been sold”) is noncommittal and nonaccusatory with regard to the king’s role in the decision to annihilate the Jews.

[7:9]  ¹⁶ sn Cf. 1:10, where Harbona is one of the seven eunuchs sent by the king to summon Queen Vashti to his banquet.

[7:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “fifty cubits.” See the note on this expression in Esth 5:14.

[8:11]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “children and women.” As in 3:13, the translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.