Discovery BoxEsther 2:3 
Context2:3 And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem 1 under the authority of Hegai, the king’s eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. 2
Esther 2:8
Context2:8 It so happened that when the king’s edict and his law became known 3 many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace 4 to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women.
Esther 2:14-15
Context2:14 In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to a separate part 5 of the harem, to the authority of Shaashgaz the king’s eunuch who was overseeing the concubines. She would not go back to the king unless the king was pleased with her 6 and she was requested by name.
2:15 When it became the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (who had raised her as if she were his own daughter 7 ) to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her.
Esther 2:18
Context2:18 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. 8
Esther 3:8
Context3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people 9 that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants 10 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. 11
Esther 3:13
Context3:13 Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that 12 they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, 13 on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day 14 of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions.
Esther 5:1
Context5:1 It so happened that on the third day Esther put on her royal attire and stood in the inner court of the palace, 15 opposite the king’s quarters. 16 The king was sitting on his royal throne in the palace, opposite the entrance. 17
Esther 5:8
Context5:8 If I have found favor in the king’s sight and if the king is inclined 18 to grant my request and perform my petition, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them. At that time 19 I will do as the king wishes. 20
Esther 6:9-10
Context6:9 Then let this clothing and this horse be given to one of the king’s noble officials. Let him 21 then clothe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him lead him about through the plaza of the city on the horse, calling 22 before him, ‘So shall it be done to the man whom the king wishes to honor!’”
6:10 The king then said to Haman, “Go quickly! Take the clothing and the horse, just as you have described, and do as you just indicated to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king’s gate. Don’t neglect 23 a single thing of all that you have said.”
Esther 7:8
Context7:8 When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet of wine, Haman was throwing himself down 24 on the couch where Esther was lying. 25 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 8:17
Context8:17 Throughout every province and throughout every city where the king’s edict and his law arrived, the Jews experienced happiness and joy, banquets and holidays. Many of the resident peoples 26 pretended 27 to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had overcome them. 28
Esther 9:12
Context9:12 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.”
Esther 9:25
Context9:25 But when the matter came to the king’s attention, the king 29 gave written orders that Haman’s 30 evil intentions that he had devised against the Jews should fall on his own head. He and his sons were hanged on the gallows.
Esther 10:2
Context10:2 Now all the actions carried out under his authority and his great achievements, along with an exact statement concerning the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king promoted, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Media and Persia?
1 tn Heb “the house of the women” (so KJV, ASV). So also in vv. 9, 11, 13, and 14.
2 tn Heb “their ointments”; cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “beauty treatments.”
3 tn Heb “were heard” (so NASB); NRSV “were (had been NIV) proclaimed.”
4 tn Heb “the house of the king.” So also in vv. 9, 13. Cf. NLT “the king’s harem.”
5 tn Heb “second.” The numerical adjective שֵׁנִי (sheniy, “second”) is difficult here. As a modifier for “house” in v. 14 the word would presumably refer to a second part of the harem, one which was under the supervision of a separate official. But in this case the definite article would be expected before “second” (cf. LXX τὸν δεύτερον, ton deuteron). Some scholars emend the text to שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”), but this does not completely resolve the difficulty since the meaning remains unclear. The translation adopted above follows the LXX and understands the word to refer to a separate group of women in the king’s harem, a group housed apparently in a distinct part of the residence complex.
6 tc The LXX does not include the words “was pleased with her.”
7 tn Heb “who had taken her to him as a daughter”; NRSV “who had adopted her as his own daughter.”
8 tc The LXX does not include the words “and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense.”
9 tn Heb “one people.” Note the subtle absence at this point of a specific mention of the Jewish people by name.
10 tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “nations”
11 tn Heb “to cause them to rest”; NASB “to let them remain”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “to tolerate them.”
12 tn The words “stating that” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Heb “children and women.” The translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.
14 tc The LXX does not include the words “on the thirteenth day.”
15 tn Heb “of the house of the king”; NASB, NRSV “of the king’s palace.”
16 tn Heb “the house of the king”; NASB “the king’s rooms”; NIV, NLT “the king’s hall.” This expression is used twice in this verse. In the first instance, it is apparently the larger palace complex that is in view, whereas in the second instance the expression seems to refer specifically to the quarters from which the king governed.
17 tn Heb “the entrance of the house” (so ASV).
18 tn Heb “if upon the king it is good.” Cf. the similar expression in v. 4, which also occurs in 7:3; 8:5; 9:13.
19 tn Heb “and tomorrow” (so NASB); NAB, NRSV “and then.”
20 tn Heb “I will do according to the word of the king,” i.e., answer the question that he has posed. Cf. NCV “Then I will answer your question about what I want.”
21 tc The present translation reads with the LXX וְהִלְבִּישׁוֹ (vÿhilbisho, “and he will clothe him”) rather than the reading of the MT וְהִלְבִּישׁוּ (vÿhilbishu, “and they will clothe”). The reading of the LXX is also followed by NAB, NRSV, TEV, CEV, and NLT. Likewise, the later verbs in this verse (“cause him to ride” and “call”) are better taken as singulars rather than plurals.
22 tn Heb “and let them call” (see the previous note).
23 tn Heb “do not let fall”; NASB “do not fall short.”
24 tn Heb “falling”; NAB, NRSV “had (+ just TEV) thrown himself (+ down TEV).”
25 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.”
26 tn Heb “peoples of the land” (so NASB); NIV “people of other nationalities”; NRSV “peoples of the country.”
27 tn Heb “were becoming Jews”; NAB “embraced Judaism.” However, the Hitpael stem of the verb is sometimes used of a feigning action rather than a genuine one (see, e.g., 2 Sam 13:5, 6), which is the way the present translation understands the use of the word here (cf. NEB “professed themselves Jews”; NRSV “professed to be Jews”). This is the only occurrence of this verb in the Hebrew Bible, so there are no exact parallels. However, in the context of v. 17 the motivation of their conversion (Heb “the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them”) should not be overlooked. The LXX apparently understood the conversion described here to be genuine, since it adds the words “they were being circumcised and” before “they became Jews.”
28 tn Heb “had fallen upon them” (so NRSV); NIV “had seized them.”
29 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
30 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Haman) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
