Esther 2:9

2:9 This young woman pleased him, ¹  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 ²  young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem. ³ 

Esther 2:2

2:2 The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women. ⁴ 

Esther 2:12

2:12 At the end of the twelve months that were required for the women, ⁵  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 2:4

2:4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive ⁶  become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king, ⁷  so he acted accordingly.

Esther 2:13

2:13 the woman would go to the king in the following way: Whatever she asked for would be provided for her to take with her from the harem to the royal palace.

Esther 2:3

2:3 And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem ⁸  under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. ⁹ 

Esther 2:7-8

2:7 Now he was acting as the guardian ¹⁰  of Hadassah ¹¹  (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. ¹²  This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. ¹³  When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her ¹⁴  as if she were his own daughter.

2:8 It so happened that when the king’s edict and his law became known ¹⁵  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 ¹⁶  to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women.

Esther 4:4

4:4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, ¹⁷  the queen was overcome with anguish. Although she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that he could remove his sackcloth, he would not accept them.

Esther 4:16

4:16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I ¹⁸  will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. ¹⁹  If I perish, I perish!”

[2:9]  ¹ tn Heb “was good in his eyes”; NLT “Hegai was very impressed with Esther.”

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

[2:9]  ³ tn Heb “of the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 11, 13, 14.

[2:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “young women, virgins, good of form.” The same phrase also occurs in v. 3.

[2:12]  ⁷ tc The LXX does not include the words “that were required for the women.”

[2:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “who is good in the eyes of the king.”

[2:4]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the matter was good in the eyes of the king.” Cf. TEV “The king thought this was good advice.”

[2:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 9, 11, 13, and 14.

[2:3]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “their ointments”; cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “beauty treatments.”

[2:7]  ¹⁶ tn According to HALOT 64 s.v. II אמן the term אֹמֵן (’omen) means: (1) “attendant” of children (Num 11:12; Isa 49:23); (2) “guardian” (2 Kgs 10:1, 5; Esth 2:7); (3) “nurse-maid” (2 Sam 4:4; Ruth 4:16); and (4) “to look after” (Isa 60:4; Lam 4:5). Older lexicons did not distinguish this root from the homonym I אָמַן (’aman, “to support; to confirm”; cf. BDB 52 s.v. אָמַן). This is reflected in a number of translations by use of a phrase like “brought up” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NIV) or “bringing up” (NASB).

[2:7]  ¹⁷ sn Hadassah is a Jewish name that probably means “myrtle”; the name Esther probably derives from the Persian word for “star,” although some scholars derive it from the name of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. Esther is not the only biblical character for whom two different names were used. Daniel (renamed Belteshazzar) and his three friends Hananiah (renamed Shadrach), Mishael (renamed Meshach), and Azariah (renamed Abednego) were also given different names by their captors.

[2:7]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “for there was not to her father or mother.” This is universally understood to mean Esther’s father and mother were no longer alive.

[2:7]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “beautiful of form.” The Hebrew noun תֹּאַר (to’ar, “form; shape”) is used elsewhere to describe the physical bodily shape of a beautiful woman (Gen 29:17; Deut 21:11; 1 Sam 25:3); see BDB 1061 s.v. Cf. TEV “had a good figure.”

[2:7]  ²⁰ tn Heb “had taken her to him.” The Hebrew verb לָקַח (laqakh, “to take”) describes Mordecai adopting Esther and treating her like his own daughter: “to take as one’s own property” as a daughter (HALOT 534 s.v. I לקח 6).

[2:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “were heard” (so NASB); NRSV “were (had been NIV) proclaimed.”

[2:8]  ²⁰ tn Heb “the house of the king.” So also in vv. 9, 13. Cf. NLT “the king’s harem.”

[4:4]  ²² tn The words “about Mordecai’s behavior” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in translation for the sake of clarity. Cf. NIV, NLT “about Mordecai”; TEV, CEV “what Mordecai was doing.”

[4:16]  ²⁵ tn Heb “I and my female attendants.” The translation reverses the order for stylistic reasons.

[4:16]  ²⁶ tn Heb “which is not according to the law” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “contrary to the law.”