Esther 2:1

Esther Becomes Queen in Vashti’s Place

2:1 When these things had been accomplished 1  and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered 2  Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided 3  against her.

Esther 2:11

2:11 And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing 4  and what might happen to her.

Esther 4:5

4:5 So Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been placed at her service, 5  and instructed him to find out the cause and reason for Mordecai’s behavior. 6 

Esther 8:1

The King Acts to Protect the Jews

8:1 On that same day King Ahasuerus gave the estate 7  of Haman, that adversary of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Now Mordecai had come before the king, for Esther had revealed how he was related to her.

1 tn Heb “after these things” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). The expression is very vague from a temporal standpoint, not indicating precisely just how much time might have elapsed. Cf. v. 21.

2 sn There may be a tinge of regret expressed in the king’s remembrance of Vashti. There is perhaps a hint that he wished for her presence once again, although that was not feasible from a practical standpoint. The suggestions by the king’s attendants concerning a replacement seem to be an effort to overcome this nostalgia. Certainly it was to their advantage to seek the betterment of the king’s outlook. Those around him the most were probably the most likely to suffer the effects of his ire.

3 tn Or “decreed” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); TEV “and about his proclamation against her.”

4 tn Heb “to know the peace of Esther.”

5 tn Heb “whom he caused to stand before her”; NASB “whom the king had appointed to attend her.”

6 tn Heb “concerning Mordecai, to know what this was, and why this was.”

7 tn Heb “house” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV; also in vv. 2, 7). Cf. TEV “all the property.”