Discovery BoxEsther 4:4 
Context4:4 When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, 1 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 4:16
Context4:16 “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I 2 will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. 3 If I perish, I perish!”
Esther 7:4
Context7:4 For we have been sold 4 – both I and my people – to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation! If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king.”
1 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.”
2 tn Heb “I and my female attendants.” The translation reverses the order for stylistic reasons.
3 tn Heb “which is not according to the law” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “contrary to the law.”
4 sn The passive verb (“have been sold”) is noncommittal and nonaccusatory with regard to the king’s role in the decision to annihilate the Jews.
