Discovery BoxEsther 1:19 
Context1:19 If the king is so inclined, 1 let a royal edict go forth from him, and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media that cannot be repealed, 2 that Vashti 3 may not come into the presence of King Ahasuerus, and let the king convey her royalty to another 4 who is more deserving than she. 5
Esther 2:7
Context2:7 Now he was acting as the guardian 6 of Hadassah 7 (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. 8 This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. 9 When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her 10 as if she were his own daughter.
Esther 2:9
Context2:9 This young woman pleased him, 11 and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen 12 young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem. 13
Esther 2:17
Context2:17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval 14 more than all the other young women. 15 So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen 16 in place of Vashti.
Esther 4:4
Context4:4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, 17 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 4:8
Context4:8 He also gave him a written copy of the law that had been disseminated 18 in Susa for their destruction so that he could show it to Esther and talk to her about it. He also gave instructions that she should go to the king to implore him and petition him on behalf of her people.
1 sn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.” Deferential language was common in ancient Near Eastern court language addressing a despot; it occurs often in Esther.
2 sn Laws…that cannot be repealed. On the permanence of the laws of Media and Persia see also Esth 8:8 and Dan 6:8, 12, 15.
3 sn Previously in this chapter the word “queen” accompanies Vashti’s name (cf. vv. 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17). But here, in anticipation of her demotion, the title is dropped.
4 tn Heb “her neighbor”; NIV “someone else.”
5 tn Heb “who is better than she.” The reference is apparently to worthiness of the royal position as demonstrated by compliance with the king’s wishes, although the word טוֹב (tob, “good”) can also be used of physical beauty. Cf. NAB, NASB, NLT “more worthy than she.”
6 tn According to HALOT 64 s.v. II אמן the term אֹמֵן (’omen) means: (1) “attendant” of children (Num 11:12; Isa 49:23); (2) “guardian” (2 Kgs 10:1, 5; Esth 2:7); (3) “nurse-maid” (2 Sam 4:4; Ruth 4:16); and (4) “to look after” (Isa 60:4; Lam 4:5). Older lexicons did not distinguish this root from the homonym I אָמַן (’aman, “to support; to confirm”; cf. BDB 52 s.v. אָמַן). This is reflected in a number of translations by use of a phrase like “brought up” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NIV) or “bringing up” (NASB).
7 sn Hadassah is a Jewish name that probably means “myrtle”; the name Esther probably derives from the Persian word for “star,” although some scholars derive it from the name of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. Esther is not the only biblical character for whom two different names were used. Daniel (renamed Belteshazzar) and his three friends Hananiah (renamed Shadrach), Mishael (renamed Meshach), and Azariah (renamed Abednego) were also given different names by their captors.
8 tn Heb “for there was not to her father or mother.” This is universally understood to mean Esther’s father and mother were no longer alive.
9 tn Heb “beautiful of form.” The Hebrew noun תֹּאַר (to’ar, “form; shape”) is used elsewhere to describe the physical bodily shape of a beautiful woman (Gen 29:17; Deut 21:11; 1 Sam 25:3); see BDB 1061 s.v. Cf. TEV “had a good figure.”
10 tn Heb “had taken her to him.” The Hebrew verb לָקַח (laqakh, “to take”) describes Mordecai adopting Esther and treating her like his own daughter: “to take as one’s own property” as a daughter (HALOT 534 s.v. I לקח 6).
11 tn Heb “was good in his eyes”; NLT “Hegai was very impressed with Esther.”
12 tn Heb “being looked at (with favor).”
13 tn Heb “of the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 11, 13, 14.
14 tn Heb “grace and loyal love.” The expression is probably a hendiadys.
15 tc The LXX does not include the words “more than all the other young women.”
16 tn Heb “caused her to rule.”
17 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.”
18 tn Heb “given” (so KJV); NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT “issued”; NIV “published”; NAB “promulgated.”
