Esther 6:8

6:8 let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden – one bearing the royal insignia! ¹ 

Esther 4:1

Esther Decides to Risk Everything in order to Help Her People

4:1 Now when Mordecai became aware of all that had been done, he ²  tore his garments and put on sackcloth and ashes. He went out into the city, crying out in a loud ³  and bitter voice.

Esther 4:4

4:4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, ⁴  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 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, ⁵  opposite the king’s quarters. ⁶  The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace, opposite the entrance. ⁷ 

Esther 6:9

6:9 Then let this clothing and this horse be given to one of the king’s noble officials. Let him ⁸  then clothe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him lead him about through the plaza of the city on the horse, calling ⁹  before him, ‘So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!’”

Esther 6:11

6:11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai. He led him about on the horse throughout the plaza of the city, calling before him, “So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!”

[6:8]  ¹ tc The final comment (“one on whose head the royal crown has been”) is not included in the LXX.

[4:1]  ² tn Heb “Mordecai.” The pronoun (“he”) was used in the translation for stylistic reasons. A repetition of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style.

[4:1]  ³ tn Heb “great.”

[4:4]  ³ 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.”

[5:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “of the house of the king”; NASB, NRSV “of the king’s palace.”

[5:1]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “the entrance of the house” (so ASV).

[6:9]  ⁵ tc The present translation reads with the LXX וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ (vÿhilbisho, “and he will clothe him”) rather than the reading of the MT וְהִלְבִּישׁוּ (vÿhilbishu, “and they will clothe”). The reading of the LXX is also followed by NAB, NRSV, TEV, CEV, and NLT. Likewise, the later verbs in this verse (“cause him to ride” and “call”) are better taken as singulars rather than plurals.

[6:9]  ⁶ tn Heb “and let them call” (see the previous note).