Esther 2:17
2:17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval 1 more than all the other young women. 2 So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen 3 in place of Vashti.
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 7:2
7:2 On the second day of the banquet of wine the king asked Esther, “What is your request, Queen Esther? It shall be granted to you. And what is your petition? Ask up to half the kingdom, and it shall be done!”
Esther 7:8
7:8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down 5 on the couch where Esther was lying. 6 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 9:12
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.”
1 tn Heb “grace and loyal love.” The expression is probably a hendiadys.
2 tc The LXX does not include the words “more than all the other young women.”
3 tn Heb “caused her to rule.”
4 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 tn Heb “falling”; NAB, NRSV “had (+ just TEV) thrown himself (+ down TEV).”
6 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.”