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 2:3

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 4  under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. 5 

Esther 2:18

2:18 Then the king prepared a large banquet for all his officials and his servants – it was actually Esther’s banquet. He also set aside a holiday for the provinces, and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense. 6 

Esther 3:8

3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people 7  that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants 8  throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them. 9 

Esther 3:13

3:13 Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that 10  they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, 11  on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day 12  of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions.

Esther 9:2

9:2 The Jews assembled themselves in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to strike out against those who were seeking their harm. No one was able to stand before them, for dread of them fell on all the peoples.

Esther 9:12

9:12 Then the king said to Queen Esther, “In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men and the ten sons of Haman! What then have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? What is your request? It shall be given to you. What other petition do you have? It shall be done.”

Esther 9:16

9:16 The rest of the Jews who were throughout the provinces of the king assembled in order to stand up for themselves and to have rest from their enemies. They killed seventy-five thousand 13  of their adversaries, but they did not confiscate their property.

Esther 4:11

4:11 “All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable 14  to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court – that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. 15  Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!”

Esther 8:5

8:5 She said, “If the king is so inclined and if I have met with his approval and if the matter is agreeable to the king and if I am attractive to him, let an edict be written rescinding those recorded intentions of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, 16  which he wrote in order to destroy the Jews who are throughout all the king’s provinces.

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.

2 tn Heb “in his house”; NIV “over his own household.”

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.

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

5 tn Heb “their ointments”; cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “beauty treatments.”

6 tc The LXX does not include the words “and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense.”

7 tn Heb “one people.” Note the subtle absence at this point of a specific mention of the Jewish people by name.

8 tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “nations”

9 tn Heb “to cause them to rest”; NASB “to let them remain”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “to tolerate them.”

10 tn The words “stating that” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

11 tn Heb “children and women.” The translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.

12 tc The LXX does not include the words “on the thirteenth day.”

13 tc For this number much of the Greek MS tradition reads “fifteen thousand.” The Lucianic Greek recension reads “70,100.”

14 tn Heb “one is his law”; NASB “he (the king NIV) has but one law”

15 tn Heb “and he will live”; KJV, ASV “that he may live”; NIV “and spare his life.”

16 tc The LXX does not include the expression “the Agagite.”