Esther 4:17

4:17 So Mordecai set out to do everything that Esther had instructed him.

Esther 1:9

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

Esther 9:11

9:11 On that same day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was brought to the king’s attention.

Esther 1:15

1:15 The king asked, ²  “By law, ³  what should be done to Queen Vashti in light of the fact that she has not obeyed the instructions of King Ahasuerus conveyed through the eunuchs?”

Esther 2:4

2:4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive ⁴  become queen in place of Vashti.” This seemed like a good idea to the king, ⁵  so he acted accordingly.

Esther 7:4

7:4 For we have been sold ⁶  – 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 8:6

8:6 For how can I watch the calamity that will befall my people, and how can I watch the destruction of my relatives?” ⁷ 

Esther 2:20

2:20 Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people, ⁸  just as Mordecai had instructed her. ⁹  Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her.

Esther 3:7

3:7 In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year ¹⁰  of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur ¹¹  (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. ¹²  It turned out to be the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar). ¹³ 

Esther 5:2

5:2 When the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she met with his approval. ¹⁴  The king extended to Esther the gold scepter that was in his hand, and Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.

Esther 7:8

7:8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down ¹⁵  on the couch where Esther was lying. ¹⁶  The king exclaimed, “Will he also attempt to rape the queen while I am still in the building!”

As these words left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

Esther 9:28

9:28 These days were to be remembered and to be celebrated in every generation and in every family, every province, and every city. The Jews were not to fail to observe these days of Purim; the remembrance of them was not to cease among their descendants.

[1:9]  ¹ 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.

[1:15]  ¹ tn These words are not present in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity (cf. NIV, NCV, CEV, NLT, all of which supply similar phrases).

[1:15]  ² tc The location of the prepositional phrase “according to law” is somewhat unusual in the Hebrew text, but not so much so as to require emendation. Some scholars suggest deleting the phrase as an instance of dittography from the final part of the immediately preceding word in v. 14. Others suggest taking the phrase with the end of v. 14 rather than with v. 15. Both proposals, however, lack adequate justification.

[2:4]  ¹ tn Heb “who is good in the eyes of the king.”

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

[7:4]  ¹ 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.

[8:6]  ¹ tn Heb “my kindred” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NAB “my race”; NIV “my family”; NLT “my people and my family.”

[2:20]  ¹ sn That Esther was able so effectively to conceal her Jewish heritage suggests that she was not consistently observing Jewish dietary and religious requirements. As C. A. Moore observes, “In order for Esther to have concealed her ethnic and religious identity…in the harem, she must have eaten…, dressed, and lived like a Persian rather than an observant Jewess” (Esther [AB], 28.) In this regard her public behavior stands in contrast to that of Daniel, for example.

[2:20]  ² tc The LXX adds the words “to fear God.”

[3:7]  ¹ sn This year would be ca. 474 b.c. The reference to first month and twelfth month indicate that about a year had elapsed between this determination and the anticipated execution.

[3:7]  ² tn The term פּוּר (pur, “lot”) is an Akkadian loanword; the narrator therefore explains it for his Hebrew readers (“that is, the lot”). It is from the plural form of this word (i.e., Purim) that the festival celebrating the deliverance of the Jews takes its name (cf. 9:24, 26, 28, 31).

[3:7]  ³ tc The LXX adds the following words: “in order to destroy in one day the race of Mordecai, and the lot fell on the fourteenth day of the month.” The LXX reading is included by NAB.

[3:7]  ⁴ tn Since v. 7 seems to interrupt the flow of the narrative, many scholars have suggested that it is a late addition to the text. But there is not enough evidence to warrant such a conclusion. Even though its placement is somewhat awkward, the verse supplies to the reader an important piece of chronological information.

[5:2]  ¹ tn Heb “she obtained grace in his eyes”; NASB “she obtained favor in his sight”; NIV “he was pleased with her”; NLT “he welcomed her.”

[7:8]  ¹ tn Heb “falling”; NAB, NRSV “had (+ just TEV) thrown himself (+ down TEV).”

[7:8]  ² tn Heb “where Esther was” (so KJV, NASB). The term “lying” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “was reclining.”