Esther 3:15

3:15 The messengers ¹  scurried forth ²  with the king’s order. ³  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! ⁴ 

Esther 3:1

Haman Conspires to Destroy the Jews

3:1 Some time later ⁵  King Ahasuerus promoted ⁶  Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position ⁷  above that of all the officials who were with him.

Esther 1:7

1:7 Drinks ⁸  were served in golden containers, all of which differed from one another. Royal wine was available in abundance at the king’s expense.

Amos 6:4-6

6:4 They lie around on beds decorated with ivory, ⁹ 

and sprawl out on their couches.

They eat lambs from the flock,

and calves from the middle of the pen.

6:5 They sing ¹⁰  to the tune of ¹¹  stringed instruments; ¹² 

like David they invent ¹³  musical instruments.

6:6 They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, ¹⁴ 

and pour the very best oils on themselves. ¹⁵ 

Yet they are not concerned over ¹⁶  the ruin ¹⁷  of Joseph.

Revelation 11:10

11:10 And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

[3:15]  ¹ tn Heb “runners.” So also in 8:10, 14. Cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “couriers.”

[3:15]  ² tn Or “went forth in haste” (so ASV).

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

[3:15]  ⁴ 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.

[3:1]  ⁵ tn Heb “after these things” (so KJV, ASV); NAB, NASB, NIV “After these events.”

[3:1]  ⁶ tn Heb “made great”; NAB “raised…to high rank”; NIV “honored.”

[3:1]  ⁷ tn Heb “chair”; KJV, NRSV “seat”; NASB “established his authority.”

[1:7]  ⁸ tn Heb “to cause to drink” (Hiphil infinitive construct of שָׁקָה, shaqah). As the etymology of the Hebrew word for “banquet” (מִשְׁתֶּה, mishteh, from שָׁתָה, shatah, “to drink”) hints, drinking was a prominent feature of ancient Near Eastern banquets.

[6:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “beds of ivory.”

[6:5]  ¹⁰ tn The meaning of the Hebrew verb פָּרַט (parat), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. Some translate “strum,” “pluck,” or “improvise.”

[6:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “upon the mouth of,” that is, “according to.”

[6:5]  ¹² sn The stringed instruments mentioned here are probably harps (cf. NIV, NRSV) or lutes (cf. NEB).

[6:5]  ¹³ tn The meaning of the Hebrew phrase חָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם (khoshvu lahem) is uncertain. Various options include: (1) “they think their musical instruments are like David’s”; (2) “they consider themselves musicians like David”; (3) “they esteem musical instruments highly like David”; (4) “they improvise [new songs] for themselves [on] instruments like David”; (5) “they invent musical instruments like David.” However, the most commonly accepted interpretation is that given in the translation (see S. M. Paul, Amos [Hermeneia], 206-7).

[6:6]  ¹⁴ sn Perhaps some religious rite is in view, or the size of the bowls is emphasized (i.e., bowls as large as sacrificial bowls).

[6:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “with the best of oils they anoint [themselves].”

[6:6]  ¹⁶ tn Or “not sickened by.”

[6:6]  ¹⁷ sn The ruin of Joseph may refer to the societal disintegration in Israel, or to the effects of the impending judgment.