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. 1 

Esther 3:4

3:4 And after they had spoken to him day after day 2  without his paying any attention to them, they informed Haman to see whether this attitude on Mordecai’s part would be permitted. 3  Furthermore, he had disclosed to them that he was a Jew. 4 

Esther 4:4

4:4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, 5  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 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!”

Esther 9:25

9:25 But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king 6  gave written orders that Haman’s 7  evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows.

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

2 sn Mordecai’s position in the service of the king brought him into regular contact with these royal officials. Because of this association the officials would have found ample opportunity to complain of Mordecai’s refusal to honor Haman by bowing down before him.

3 tn Heb “Will the matters of Mordecai stand?”; NASB “to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand.”

4 sn This disclosure of Jewish identity is a reversal of the practice mentioned in 1:10, 20.

5 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.”

6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

7 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Haman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.