Esther 3:8

3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people 1  that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants 2  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. 3 

Esther 7:9

7:9 Harbona, 4  one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Indeed, there is the gallows that Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke out in the king’s behalf. It stands near Haman’s home and is seventy-five feet 5  high.”

The king said, “Hang him on it!”

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

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

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

4 sn Cf. 1:10, where Harbona is one of the seven eunuchs sent by the king to summon Queen Vashti to his banquet.

5 tn Heb “fifty cubits.” See the note on this expression in Esth 5:14.