In the Old Testament, this is a standard way of beginning a historical story. Many languages have similar story-opening formulas, and if your language has one, you can use it. But do not use it if it would suggest that the story is not real, only made up. Alternate translation: [this account happened]

The term day is used here to refer to a longer period of time. You could just say “during the reign of Ahasuerus,” as UST does. But as an alternative, you could say, “in the time of Ahasuerus”

This is a man’s name. It occurs many times in the story. Be sure to translate it consistently.

This is background information to help the reader identify Ahasuerus.

Alternate translation: [This king named Ahasuerus ruled]

In case your audience might not know where these places are, you could say, “extending from India in the east to Ethiopia in the west.”

The number is given to show what a large empire this was. You could say that explicitly by saying, “Ahasuerus ruled a very large empire that had 127 provinces.”

Alternate translation: [one hundred twenty-seven provinces]

Here, the action of sitting on a throne is used to mean ruling over a kingdom. You could just say “ruled,” as UST does. But as an alternative, you could say, “ruled his empire from his royal throne”

Royalty is an abstract noun that refers to the royal authority that the king exercised. You can translate this idea with a verb by saying, “the throne he ruled from,” or use an adjective, “his royal throne.”

This was the name of a royal city of the Persian kings. It occurs many times in the story. Be sure to translate it consistently.

This means a castle or palace where a king would live. But since the city of Susa itself is being called a citadel here, it’s likely that the term means royal city or capital city. The person telling this story is identifying Susa as the capital by calling it by the name of something closely associated with it, the royal palace within it. A good translation might be “the capital city of Persia.”

This means that Ahasuerus had already ruled for two full years and that these events took place in the year that followed them. Alternate translation: [during the third year that Ahasuerus ruled his empire] or [after he had ruled for two years]

Reign is an abstract noun that refers to the royal authority that the king exercised. You can translate it with a verb by saying, “during the third year that Ahasuerus ruled.”

Alternate translation: [he hosted a feast]

This likely refers to the leaders of the army. It is describing a part of the army by referring to the whole army. Alternate translation: [the officers of the army]

This probably means something like “the wealthy landowners.”

Face stands for the presence of a person, so this phrase means “in his presence.” The invitation was to come to the royal capital to attend a banquet where the king would be present in person. You could say, as UST does, that the king was present in person to host the feast. Or you could say as an alternative, “all of them came to Susa for the feast”

You can translate the abstract noun with an emphasized adjective. Alternate translation: [Ahasuerus … wanted to demonstrate … the great wealth of his kingdom]

He refers to the king. The implication is that he held this banquet to show all of his officials how wealthy and powerful he was. The invited officials would then go back to all the different parts of the empire and tell everyone this. Alternate translation: [Ahasuerus wanted to demonstrate to his guests]

The words wealth and glory have similar meanings and they are used together to emphasize how great his kingdom was. Alternate translation: [the great wealth of his kingdom]

You can translate the abstract nouns splendor, beauty, and greatness as adjectives. Alternate translation: [Ahasuerus … wanted to demonstrate … that he was a very powerful king]

The words splendor and beauty have similar meaning and emphasize how great he was. Alternate translation: [the splendor of his greatness]

This was a very long time for a royal feast to last. The earlier part of the verse provides the reason for this. To make the connection explicit, you could add some explanatory words to the verse like this: “Ahasuerus entertained his guests fabulously because he wanted to demonstrate that his empire was extremely wealthy and that he was a very powerful king. He did so many things for them that the festivities lasted for six months.”

Six months is about 180 days or about half a year. You can use whatever expression will best express this time period in your language.

This implies “at the end of that feast.” You could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: [after those 180 days were over] or [at the end of those six months]

This was a second feast that the king hosted. He likely did this to thank the people who had worked so hard in hosting the first feast. You could say that explicitly.

The expression in this case seems to refer specifically to the royal citadel from which the city got its name. This second feast would not have been for everyone in the entire city. It was specifically for the people who served the king in the citadel and who had worked so hard over the previous six months hosting the first feast. Alternate translation: [for every man who worked for him in the palace at Susa]

Here, found is an idiom that means could be found or were there.

You can say this with an active form. Alternate translation: [who worked for him in]

The person telling this story is referring to the staff of the palace by speaking of two extreme parts of it, the most important and the least important people who worked there, in order to include everyone in between. You could just explain this meaning, as UST does. Alternate translation: [from the most important official to the least important servant]

The story does not suggest that this was an unusually long time by saying, “for many days.” But you could also say something like “a whole week” to show that this was a generous gesture of thanks on the part of the king. Alternate translation: [another feast that lasted seven days]

These linens were curtains that were hung in the courtyard. Cotton refers to the white color of some of them. So this means white and blue curtains.

You can specify at the beginning of this verse that the location being described is the same as in the previous verse: “In the courtyard, white and blue curtains.”

Byssus means “white linen” and it is used to describe the white color of some of these cords. So this means white and purple cords.

You can specify that these couches were there for the guests to recline on while they ate.

This word probably refers to a mosaic floor made of inlaid pieces of colorful precious stones.

This is a kind of red and purple stone that contains pieces of crystal. You could call it “feldspar” or something descriptive like “red marble.”

This is a white precious stone. You could identify it as “alabaster.” Alternatively, while it is not exactly the same thing as marble, your readers would get the right idea if you called it “white marble.”

This word probably refers to a black marble that was used to create borders around mosaics. You could call this “black marble,” or you could just say that the floor contained “another precious stone.”

The abstract noun serving refers to how the drinks were served at the banquet. You can translate it with a verb by saying, “The attendants served wine.”

This could mean that “no two of them were alike.” But you could also just say that the wine was served in “various kinds of golden cups.”

This means that King Ahasuerus himself paid for all the wine that the guests drank at his seven-day feast in Susa, and the wine came from his personal supply. Alternate translation: [the king was very generous with the royal wine] or [the king showed a great willingness to give] or [the king provided all of it]

This probably means special fine wine that only the king could acquire and afford. You can translate the abstract noun royalty with an adjective. Alternate translation: [royal wine]

Here, hand refers to the king himself, viewed through his action of giving.

The abstract noun drinking refers here not to the action of drinking, but to the guidelines for serving drinks that the king had established for the banquet. Alternate translation: [Ahasuerus had established this rule for all his household attendants who served the wine]

This could mean one of two things: (1) No one would be stopped from drinking even if the attendants thought they had already had enough. Alternate translation: [there was to be no restriction on drinking]; (2) There would be no requirement to drink. Alternate translation: [no one must be forced to drink] Either way, this was another sign of the generosity that the king showed as he hosted this banquet to thank the people who worked for him. Either he was: (1) allowing them to drink as much as they wanted to, or (2) not requiring them to eat and drink everything that was served at a banquet as guests of the king would usually be expected to do. You could say explicitly at the beginning of the verse that the king was giving his guests a special privilege.

This explains why no one had to drink if they did not want to. If it would be helpful in your language, you could give this explanation (the reason) before the result that it accounts for, using a connecting word like “so.” You could say, “The king had established for every overseer of his house to do according to the desire of man by man, so the drinking was according to the law, ‘There is no compulsion.’” Alternate translation: [the king made the attendants who served the wine follow this rule]

Alternate translation: [the king wanted every guest to be able to drink as much as he wanted] or [all the guests could drink as little or as much as they wanted]

This is an idiom that means “everyone.”

This introduces something else that was happening at the same time. You can indicate this by saying something like “during this time.”

You can explain that she was the wife of Ahasuerus by saying, “Queen Vashti**,** the king’s wife” or “his wife.”

This is a woman’s name. It occurs several times in this chapter and the next one. Be sure to translate it consistently.

This could mean the women who served in the palace, the wives of the men who were officers and servants, or both. You could say, “a feast for the wives of the men who attended” or “for the women who worked in the palace.”

Alternate translation: [the royal palace where King Ahasuerus lived]

You can translate the abstract noun royalty with the adjective royal. Alternate translation: [royal palace]

Alternate translation: [after six days]

Here, heart means the action of thinking or feeling. Alternate translation: [when King Ahasuerus was in a good mood from drinking wine] or [when the king was drunk with wine]

These are names of seven men.

This term occurs a dozen times in the story. It describes male royal officials who served as guardians for the women who lived in the palace. They were both guardians of the door, to keep unwanted people out of the women’s quarters, and guardians of the women inside, to take care of them and look after their needs. (As we learn in 2:21, some of these officials also protected the king’s private quarters.) As we see here, and as will also be seen in 2:14 and 2:16, their duties included escorting women from place to place. The term likely indicates that, in keeping with the practices of the time, these men were castrated because their work brought them into such close contact with the king’s wives and concubines. If your language has a term for such an official and you think your readers would recognize it, you could use it. Otherwise, you could use a term that describes the role that these officials played in the royal court. Alternate translation: [guardians] or [officials] or [castrated servants]

This is background information to explain who these men were. Alternate translation: [who attended him personally]

Here, face means the presence of a person. The phrase means that these seven men served King Ahasuerus personally.

This is the beginning of the instructions that King Ahasuerus gave to the seven eunuchs he summoned in verse 10. You can make this explicit by saying, “He told them to bring.”

Here, face means the presence of a person. The phrase means that King Ahasuerus wanted Queen Vashti to come personally into his presence.

You can translate the abstract noun royalty with an adjective by saying, “wearing her royal crown.”

Ahasuerus likely wanted Vashti to wear her queen’s crown so that everyone would know that she was his wife. You could say that explicitly. (For the possible reasons why he wanted them to know this, see the next note.)

Everything Ahasuerus did at his banquets was to show how rich and powerful he was. He seems to have believed that having a very beautiful wife was one more thing that proved he was a great man. So he wanted everyone to see how beautiful Vashti was. You can put this second in the verse, after explaining that Vashti was a very beautiful woman, because it accounts for what happens afterwards, when the king sends his seven personal servants to bring her in to his banquet.

This might mean “his guests, especially the officials.”

If it would be helpful in your language, you could place this first in the verse because it is the reason that explains everything else that happens afterward in the verse.

The author is using pleasing of appearance as a common expression of his culture to mean “very beautiful.” If this phrase does not have that meaning in your language, you could use a comparable expression from your language that does have that meaning, or you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [for she was very beautiful]

You can put the events in chronological order and say first that the eunuchs told Vashti what the king had commanded and then say that she refused to come**.**

If your language needs to give a reason why she refused, it is most likely because she did not want a group of drunken men staring at her lustfully.

Alternate translation: [at the king’s command] or [what the king wanted]

Here, hand refers to the eunuchs themselves, viewed through their action of telling Vashti what the king had commanded. Alternation translation: “when those servants told Queen Vashti what the king wanted”

See how you translated this term in 1:10.

These two phrases mean similar things. The repetition is used to emphasize the idea that they are expressing. You could combine them as UST does by saying, “The king became so angry that he could barely contain himself.”

Here the story uses a metaphor that pictures the king’s anger as a fire that burned inside of him. If your language has a different word picture that it uses to describe extreme anger, you can use that here. If not, you can translate plainly, “his anger continued to increase.”

This means the king’s advisors. You could call them “his advisors” or “the royal advisors.”

This means something like “who knew the right way to do things” or “who understood the culture.”

This means that it was the king’s habit to consult his advisors on important questions. This is background information that explains why the king called upon these men.

If it would be helpful in your language, you could place this first in the verse to put the reason before the result because it explains what happens next.

Here, face refers to the presence of a person. The phrase means that King Ahasuerus would personally ask his wise men for advice in matters like these. Alternate translation: [to consult personally with]

This means that these advisors knew the law and knew how to make good decisions in light of it.

Here the author is speaking of the king’s most trusted advisors as if they were near to him. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and the ones whom he trusted the most were]

These are the names of seven men.

To see the face of is an idiom that means to be in the presence of a person. The phrase means that King Ahasuerus would regularly and personally consult with these seven advisors.

Here, sat first represents having most authority to rule, by association with the fact that rulers sat to give their rulings. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your language or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the ones who had most authority]

This verse presents the question that the king asked the wise men. It may be helpful to indicate this by saying something like “The king asked them.”

Alternate translation: [What does the law say we should do … because … ?]

To present the events in chronological order, you can begin with the information that these men brought the command. Alternate translation: [Queen Vashti did not do what I told my servants to command her to do]

Here, hand represents the action of doing or giving. The phrase means that the eunuchs were the ones who told Queen Vashti what King Ahasuerus had commanded her.

See how you translated this term in 1:10.

Here, face represents the presence of a person. The phrase means that Memukan was speaking in the presence of the king and of the other officials. Alternate translation: [then Memukan spoke so that both the king and the officials could hear]

This means all the different people groups that were living in the empire. You could say, “all the people groups in all the provinces that King Ahasuerus rules” or more generally, “every person who lives in the entire empire of King Ahasuerus.”

See how you translated this man’s name in 1:14.

Memukan speaks of the king in third person as a form of respect. If you want to portray him as speaking primarily to the king because he is answering the king’s question, you could have him say, “in all the provinces that you rule” or “every person who lives in your entire empire.”

This introduces the reason why Memukan says that Queen Vashti has done wrong against all the men in the kingdom and not only against King Ahasuerus. To show that, you can begin with “This is what will happen.”

To emphasize his point, Memukan exaggerates and says that every single woman in the empire will hear about Queen Vashti refusing to obey King Ahasuerus. You could say, as UST does, that “women all over the empire” will hear about what the queen did. Or you could preserve Memukan’s manner of speaking by saying, “every woman” will hear.

Here, eyes stand for seeing, and seeing means knowledge, notice, attention, or judgment. The phrase means that the women will treat their husbands with disrespect and not obey them. Alternate translation: [women will despise their husbands]

The implication is that they will go on to say, “So if even the queen can disobey the king, why should I have to obey my husband?” If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly.

The women will stop respecting their husbands after they hear about this. You can put this report about what Queen Vashti did first, before “women will stop respecting their husbands,” because it is the reason that explains that result.

Here, face means the presence of a person. The phrase means the Queen Vashti refused to come into the presence of King Ahasuerus when he summoned her during the feast. See how you translated this in verse 11.

Alternate translation: [even today] or [even this very day]

It becomes clear later in the verse that Memukan is speaking of the wives of the king’s officials, and you could communicate that here by saying, “the wives of the officials who govern Persia and Media.” But the term “noblewomen” indicates that they also had high status of their own, so you could also call them “the leading women of Persia and Media.”

Alternate translation: [what the queen has done]

This means that they will “talk back” or “disobey.” Alternate translation: [refuse to obey]

This means the husbands of the noblewomen. The implication may be, “They will disobey their husbands even though they are officials of the king.” You could say that explicitly, as UST does.

This could mean either that they will treat their husbands with disrespect, and this will make their “husbands angry with them” or that “they will be angry with their husbands and treat them with contempt.”

This could mean that the husbands will be as furious “as much as they can bear.” But you could also say, “That will be bad enough by itself, even if the news does not spread any farther.” If you think that is the meaning, you can say that explicitly, as UST does.

This is an idiom that means “if the king thinks this is a good idea” or “if this advice is pleasing to the king.”

Memukan speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. Alternate translation: [If it pleases you]

Here, face represents the presence of a person. The phrase means that the decree will come from the king himself. Alternate translation: [let a decree go out in your name] or [let a decree go out with your authority]

You can translate the abstract noun royalty with the adjective “royal.” Alternate translation: [royal decree]

Memukan speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. Alternate translation: [personally]

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who will do the action. Alternate translation: [you should write a decree yourself] or [command your scribes to write a decree]

Alternate translation: [these laws never become invalid] or [can never be changed]

Memukan speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. Alternate translation: [never come into your presence again]

Here, face represents the presence of a person. The phrase means that Queen Vashti will never again come into the king’s presence. Alternate translation: [never again come before King Ahasuerus]

Memukan speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. You can show the same meaning with a verb that addresses a singular “you” and indicates that Memukan is offering advice, not giving a command when he say, “choose another woman to be queen.” Alternate translation: [the king can give her position as queen to some other woman]

You can translate the abstract noun royalty with an expression such as “her royal position” or “her position as queen.”

Memukan means that the next queen should be “better than” Vashti by obeying all of the king’s commands. You could say this explicitly, as UST does.

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who will do the action. Alternate translation: [when everyone … hears]

Memukan speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. You could express the same meaning in the second person: “When they hear what you have commanded.” Alternate translation: [when they hear the king’s decree]

Even though the decree of Ahasuerus applied only to Vashti directly, it was published throughout the empire so that everyone would know about it. Thus, what happened to the queen would discourage women from imitating her. If you need to clarify this in your language, you can explain it in a note: “The women will honor their husbands because they will know that if a woman despises her husband, she can be punished like Vashti.”

Memukan speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. Alternate translation: [for all your kingdom]

Alternate translation: [even though your empire is very large]

Alternate translation: [women will respect and obey their husbands]

This expression refers to all of the husbands in the empire. By naming both extremes, it includes everyone in between. You could just give the meaning, as UST does: “every husband in the empire.” Alternate translation: [this will be true for both the most important man and the least important man in the empire, and everyone in between]

Like “if it is good to the king” in verse 19, this is an idiom that means the king thought this was a good idea or this advice pleased the king.

Here, eyes stand for seeing, and seeing is a metaphor for knowledge, notice, attention, or judgment. The phrase means that King Ahasuerus and all the officials who heard Memukan’s advice thought that his suggestion was a good idea.

This means that King Ahasuerus wrote a law proclaiming what Memukan had suggested.

Translate his name as in 1:14.

He means King Ahasuerus. This is saying that the king sent letters to every province in his empire.

This is an idiom that means “every province” or every single province.

Alternate translation: [using its own alphabet] or [written in its own script]

This is an idiom that means “every people group” or every single people group.

Here, tongue means the language spoken by a person or a group of people. Alternate translation: [in its own language]

This meant that all men should have complete authority over their wives and their children.

Here, tongue means the language spoken by a person or a group of people.

The implication is that the husband ought to be able to give orders to his wife in his own native language and that she should understand and obey him, even if she had to learn his language to do so. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly.

This introduces a new event that happened some time later, but we do not know how much later. You can show this with a phrase like “After some time had passed.”

Alternate translation: [when King Ahasuerus was not angry any more] or [when King Ahasuerus became less angry]

This means that he started to think about Vashti. He probably thought about the things that he liked about her, meaning that he missed her.

This refers to Vashti’s refusal to obey Ahasuerus, and to the decision he made in 1:21 that she could never come into his presence again. This could actually mean that when he thought about Vashti and what she had done, he regretted the decision that he had made about her. But there was nothing he could do to bring her back because the laws of the empire could not be changed. You could explain all or some of this in your translation, as in the UST.

You can say this with an active form, and you can say that the king performed the action. Alternate translation: [what he had decided]

These were not the older, wiser royal advisors whom Ahasuerus consulted in 1:13, but younger men who stood nearby the king ready to help with any practical needs. You could call them his personal servants.

Implicit in this suggestion is the idea, “You should get a new wife for yourself.” You can say that explicitly at the beginning of the advice that the young men gave to the king.

Them refers to the servants that the king would send to do this. If this is unclear, you could say “servants” or “your servants.” Be sure to express this in a form that shows that it is a not a command but a respectful suggestion such as “You could send some men.” Alternate translation: [to look for]

The young men speak to the king in the third person as a sign of respect. Alternatively, you could have them say “for yourself” or “on your behalf” if that would be clear but also respectful in your language

As in 1:11, this is an idiom that means very beautiful.

The young men speak to the king in third person as a sign of respect. Alternatively, you could have them say “you could appoint” in a respectful way

See how you translated “pleasing of appearance” in 1:11. Alternate translation: [and is very beautiful]

In this context, this expression probably means “to the palace here in Susa.”

This means the harem for virgins, the place where the young women would live and receive beauty treatments before they were taken to the king (See: verses 13 and 14).

Here, hand is a metaphor meaning power, control, or authority. As the overseer of the women, Hegai was responsible for the young women who lived in the harem for virgins. Alternate translation: [under the custody of Hegai]

This is a man’s name. It occurs several times in this chapter. Be sure to translate it consistently.

The servants spoke to the king in third person as a sign of respect. Alternate translation: [your eunuch]

See how you translated this term in 1:10. Alternate translation: [the official of] or [the administrator of]

Alternate translation: [who is in charge of the women who live there.]

This term seems to refer to a specific substance that women would put on their face or other parts of their body to make themselves more beautiful. From verse 12, it appears to mean lotions that were used along with oils and perfumes. But here, this one aspect of a woman’s beauty treatment seems to be used to refer to all of it, so you could call these “beauty treatments.”

The servants spoke to the king in third person as a sign of respect. You could express the same meaning in the second person by saying something such as “the young woman you like the best.”

Here, eyes represent seeing, and seeing is a metaphor for knowledge, notice, attention, or judgment. The phrase means that King Ahasuerus could decide which young woman he liked the best and make her queen.

Here, eyes have the same figurative meaning. The phrase indicates that King Ahasuerus thought that this suggestion was a good idea. Alternate translation: [The king found their suggestion appealing]

Alternate translation: [so he followed the suggestion]

This introduces Mordecai as a new character in the story. Use your language’s way of introducing a new character. This expression means a Jewish man.

Here the phrase likely indicates the city rather than the palace, that is, the capital city of Susa.

This is a man’s name. It occurs many times throughout the story. Be sure to translate it consistently.

These are men’s names. Jair, Shimei, and Kish are Mordecai’s male ancestors. You could say, “Mordecai was the son of Jair, who was the son of Shimei, who was the son of Kish,” or see the UST.

While this likely refers to Kish, it is necessarily also true of Mordecai, and you could put it second in the verse. That way Mordecai’s nationality would come first, then his tribe, and then his family and clan. Alternate translation: [from the tribe of Benjamin]

The story now tells about something that happened many years before. This is background information that explains how this Jewish family came to live in Susa. You can introduce this by saying something like, “Many years earlier.”

If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this with an active form, and you could say who did the action. Alternate translation: [King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken Kish away from Jerusalem along with some other captives]

You can bring this information forward from later in the verse because it provides background information that helps identify Mordecai.

If it would be helpful in your language, you could say where King Nebuchadnezzar brought the people that he took away from Jerusalem. Alternate translation: [had taken Kish away from Jerusalem … and brought him to Babylon.]

This means that the two things happened at the same time. You can indicate this with a phrase like “at the same time that he took.”

In the historical passage where this event is described (2 Kings 24:8–17), this king is called Jehoiachin. That was another name by which he was known. You can call him Jehoiachin here in Esther if you think that would help your readers recognize him better.

You can say where King Nebuchadnezzar brought this king when he took him away from Jerusalem. For example, you can say, “Nebuchadnezzar … took King Jehoiachin of Judah away from Jerusalem and brought him to Babylon.”

The story now returns to talking about Mordecai. If it is helpful for your readers, you can specify his name, saying, “Now, Mordecai.”

If your language has a specific term for this relationship, you can use it. For example, you can say, “his cousin.” Alternate translation: [his uncle’s daughter]

Here the story is indicating that this woman’s Hebrew name was Hadassah and her Persian name was Esther. You could say that explicitly.

This is a woman’s name. It occurs many times throughout the story. Be sure to translate it consistently.

You could say simply that “she was an orphan,” as UST does. Alternate translation: [both her father and mother had died]

These two phrases mean something similar. Separately, they could be saying that Esther was both sexually mature and very attractive. But taken together, they mean that, overall, she was very pleasant to look at. You could combine them, as UST does, and say that she was “exceptionally attractive” Alternate translation: [she had a lovely body and a beautiful face]

This is background information explaining the relationship between Mordecai and Esther. You can move it to right after the place where Esther is introduced by name because it describes what happened in the past, before Esther became a beautiful young woman. Alternate translation: [after her father and her mother had died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter]

After providing this background information about Mordecai and Esther in verses 5–7, the story now tells what happened as a result of these facts, when the provincial officers described in verse 3 began sending young women to the harem. That is, the story tells what happened to Esther because her family was living in the Persian empire and she was very attractive. Use your language’s way of showing that the events are now moving forward after giving background information. Alternate translation: [and so this is what happened]

This indicates that two actions took place at the same time. You should indicate this with a phrase like “at the same time.”

The expressions were heard and were gathered are passive verbal forms. If your language would not use that form, you could express the ideas in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [when the messengers proclaimed the king’s decree and his law, and his servants had gathered many young women]

This refers to the new decree of King Ahasuerus to gather young women to Susa.

You could also say where they did this action. Alternate translation: [Messengers went throughout the empire and proclaimed]

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. See the UST.

Here again, this likely means “the capital city of Susa.”

Here, hand is a metaphor meaning power, control, or authority. As the overseer of the women, Hegai was responsible for the women in the harem for virgins. You could say that the officers “put them under the custody of Hegai” or that “Hegai began to take care of them.”

This means that Esther was brought to the harem of King Ahasuerus at the same time as other young women were also being brought to the harem. You can say, “they brought Esther at the same time” or “they also brought Esther.”

You can say this with an active form. Alternate translation: [they brought Esther]

You can explain why this happened. For example, you can say, “Because Esther was exceptionally attractive, the officers also brought her”

Alternate translation: [the king’s palace]

As earlier in this verse, this means under the custody of Hegai or that Hegai also began to take care of her.

This means that Hegai took care of the young women who lived in the harem for virgins. If it would be helpful in your language, you could move this information to earlier in the verse when Hegai is first mentioned because it explains why the young women were brought to him.

This means that Hegai found Esther attractive, and she obtained kindness from him or that Hegai was very impressed with Esther, and she won his favor. In other words, because he was so impressed with her, this made him want to do everything he could to help her. This is background information that explains why Hegai took the actions that are listed next.

Here, eyes represent seeing, and seeing is a metaphor for knowledge, notice, attention, or judgment. In this context, the phrase probably means that Hegai thought that Esther was either an attractive woman or a pleasant person, or both.

This means Esther. You should make sure that this is clear in your translation.

Here, his refers to Hegai. You should make sure that this clear in your translation.

Here, face represents the presence of a person. To say that she “lifted kindness before his face” is a rare expression in Hebrew, and the exact meaning is uncertain. In this context, it could even suggest that Esther and Hegai became friends. Alternate translation: [she won his favor]

Here, his refers to Hegai. You should make sure that this clear in your translation.

Alternate translation: [her beauty treatments,] as in 2:3.

In context, this likely means that Hegai made sure that Esther was served good food that would keep her healthy.

This means that Hegai chose seven female servants from the king’s palace and assigned them to take care of Esther.

Her means Esther, and her young women means the female attendants Hegai assigned to her.

This means that Esther had not told anyone this information about herself.

These two short phrases mean almost the same thing. They are used together to emphasize that Esther followed Mordecai’s instructions exactly. You could combine them, as UST does, and say something like “what people group she was from.” Alternate translation: [Esther did not tell anyone that she was a Jew, and she did not tell anyone who her relatives were]

This is background information that explains why Esther did not tell anyone about her family or nationality. It might be helpful to your readers to state this at the beginning of the verse.

This means that Mordecai had gotten her to promise not to do it.

Alternate translation: [every single day]

Express this in the way your language describes an action that someone repeats over and over. For example, you can say, “Mordecai would walk around.”

Here, face means the front of a place. So you could say, “in front of the courtyard.”

Alternate translation: [the harem for virgins]

This is background information that explains why Mordecai would walk around in front of the courtyard. It was so that he could ask people who were going into or coming out of the courtyard how Esther was doing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could place this first in the verse because it explains the rest of what is said.

Alternate translation: [how Esther was doing] or [about Esther’s well-being]

These two phrases mean similar things. The story is using the repetition to emphasize how concerned Mordecai was for Esther. You could combine them and say, “how Esther was doing” or “if Esther was all right.”

Verses 12 to 14 are background information about how the virgins who were gathered for the king became his concubines. These verses are not specifically about Esther, but about the women in general. Use your language’s way of letting your readers know that this is background information by using a connecting word or a phrase such as, “This is how virgins became concubines for the king.”

Alternate translation: [each one of the young women]

Each of these young women was going to have sexual relations with the king and, as a result, legally become one of his concubines, that is, one of his secondary wives. As the story has already explained, he would then choose one of them to become his queen and primary wife. But the king would still provide for each of the concubines for the rest of her life; they would not be free to marry anyone else. This is something that the story’s original audience would have understood implicitly. you could say it explicitly if your readers need this information to understand the story: “Each young woman in the harem, one at a time, was going to have sexual relations with King Ahasuerus and become one of his concubines” or “one of his secondary wives.”

Here, law probably does not mean a legal decree, but rather a standard regimen that had been developed.

This phrase indicates that the story is now going to provide background information on how these treatments were done. It means, “This is how these women would spend the time preparing to go to the king.”

This means that a woman’s attendants would rub her body with olive oil mixed with myrrh every day for six months. you could explain this in more detail if your readers need this information to understand the story.

This likely means “olive oil mixed with myrrh.”

This means lotions designed for women. In 2:3 and 2:9, this one specific part of the program seems to be used to mean all of it, and so in those verses it can be translated as “beauty treatments.” But it should be translated with a specific term or phrase here, such as “women’s lotions” or “feminine ointments” because it is named along with oils and perfumes as one component of the treatment.

Alternate translation: [after a woman’s year of beauty treatments was completed]

This means that the young woman would go and have sexual relations with the king and thereby become one of his concubines. If your readers need this information to understand the story, you could explain that here, if you did not do so in verse 12.

Anything most likely refers to clothing and jewelry. This phrase probably means that a woman could take any of those that she wanted from the harem for virgins and wear them when she went to the king’s palace. You could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: [A young woman could take whatever clothing and jewelry she wanted from the harem for virgins]

The expression would be given to her is a passive form. If your language would not use that form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [She could take whatever she wanted]

Alternate translation: [the king’s rooms]

She would not walk over on her own. Rather, the king’s servants would come and bring her to the king’s private quarters, in the way that they were told to bring Vashti to the banquet in 1:11. you could say this explicitly if it would help your readers to understand the story.

It is implied that this is the following morning. This information can be made clear. Once again, she would not go on her own. Alternate translation: [the next morning the king’s servants would bring her to]

Alternate translation: [a different house for women] or [the harem for concubines]

Alternate translation: [where Shaashgaz, the king’s servant in charge of the concubines, would take care of her]

Here, hand is a metaphor meaning power, control, or authority. Just as Hegai was the overseer of the virgins, Shaashgaz was the overseer of the concubines, so he would be the one responsible for Esther while she was in the harem for concubines. Alternate translation: [under the custody of Shaashgaz]

This is a man’s name.

See how you translated this term, eunuch, in 1:10. You could say “royal” rather than “of the king.”

This means that Shaashgaz was the official who took care of the concubines or who was responsible for the concubines.

As a concubine, the young woman was one of the king’s secondary wives. She would live in this harem for the rest of her life. She was not free to return to her family or to marry anybody else. If it would help your readers to understand the story, you could explain all or part of this to your readers here, if you did not do so in 2:12 or 2:13.

In verse 12, the Note mentioned that “go to the king” meant “have sexual relations with the king.” But for this occurrence of the expression, it is appropriate to use a more general phrase such as “visit the king” because there could be other, more social reasons for a further visit. The woman would now be a secondary wife, and the king would only send for her if he decided that he enjoyed being with her. Alternate translation: [She would not go and see the king again]

This means that he “had enjoyed being with her” or that she “had pleased the king very much.”

You can say this with an active form. For example, you can say, “and the king asked for her by name” or “and called for her by name.”

The story resumes here after the background information that was provided in verses 12–14 about what the women in the harem did when they became concubines of the king. A contrast is being drawn. A young woman could take any clothing and jewelry she wanted from the harem. But Esther only asked for what Hegai recommended. So it would be good to introduce this episode with a word such as “but,” which draws a contrast.

This background information reminds the reader who Esther was by describing her relationship to Mordecai. You could make this a separate sentence and move it later in the verse to keep from breaking up the flow of the first sentence about what Esther did.

This man was Esther’s father and Mordecai’s uncle.

You can state this in a positive form by saying, “she asked only for.” Alternate translation: [she did not ask for anything else to wear except]

Alternate translation: [what Hegai recommended] or [what Hegai suggested]

As the king’s personal servant, Hegai would have known what kind of clothing and jewelry Ahasuerus found attractive on a woman. By following his advice, Esther showed that she trusted Hegai. This is implicit information that you could make explicit if it would help the reader to understand the story. You might say, for example, “Hegai knew the king’s preferences because he was his personal servant. Esther had come to trust Hegai and so she followed his advice.” This could go at the end of the verse or in a footnote.

This is saying that Hegai was the royal official responsible for the women in the harem for virgins. This is background information that reminds the reader who Hegai was by describing his responsibilities. You could also move this to the end of the verse and put it in parentheses.

See how you decided to translate the term eunuch in 1:10. You could say “royal” for “of the king.”

This is a rare expression in Hebrew, and the exact meaning is uncertain. In this context, the expression probably means that everyone who saw Esther dressed in the clothes she would wear for her visit to the king was very impressed with the way she looked. Alternate translation: [pleased all who saw her]

Here, eyes is a metonym for seeing, and seeing is a metaphor for knowledge, notice, attention, or judgment. In this context, the phrase probably means that everyone who saw Esther thought that she was either an attractive woman or a pleasant person, or both. Alternate translation: [in the judgment of]

This phrase can mean either every man or every person who saw her. Alternate translation: [every man who saw her]

You can say this with an active form by saying, for example, “The king’s servants brought Esther.”

You can use an adjective to translate the abstract noun royalty. For example, you can say, “in his royal palace”

Alternate translation: [in month ten]

Tebeth is the name of the tenth month of the Hebrew calendar. Alternate translation: [that is, the month of Tebeth]

The story is being recorded from the perspective of the Persian court. But for the benefit of its intended Jewish audience, the Hebrew name of the month is given.

You could convert the Hebrew days and months into approximate dates on the calendar that your culture uses. However, the Jews used a lunar calendar, so if you use a solar calendar, the dates will be different every year and the translation will not be quite accurate. So you may just want to provide the Hebrew days and months.

Alternate translation: [during the seventh year of the reign of Ahasuerus as king of Persia]

These two phrases mean almost the same thing. The information is given twice, in slightly different ways, to emphasize that Ahasuerus was completely convinced that Esther was the one he should make his queen**.** “More than all the virgins” basically duplicates the meaning of “more than all the women,” so, if this duplication would be confusing in your language, you do not need to include both phrases, or you could say, “more than all of them” for the second phrase.

This means all the other women who had been brought to the king and who became his concubines.

This is a rare expression in Hebrew, and the exact meaning is uncertain. See how you translated similar phrases in 2:9 and 2:15. Review the explanation there if that would be helpful. In this context, it probably means that King Ahasuerus was very impressed with both Esther’s appearance and her personality.

Favor and kindness mean similar things and are probably used together here to strengthen a single idea. Alternate translation: [he was very pleased with her]

Here, face represents the presence of a person.

Ahasuerus did this to show that he was making Esther his queen.

To translate the abstract noun royalty, you can use an adjective such as a “royal” crown.

The king did this to celebrate Esther becoming the queen. You can say this explicitly. For example, you can say, “Then, to celebrate her becoming the queen, the king hosted a great feast.”

You could indicate to your readers this is the name that Ahasuerus gave to the feast, for example, “He called it ‘Esther’s Feast.’”

This was probably a “tax holiday,” that is, a temporary elimination of taxes. For a time, the provinces did not have to send in the usual taxes to the king. You could say something like “he proclaimed a temporary reprieve from taxes for all the provinces of his empire.”

Here, hand represents the action of doing or giving. The phrase means that King Ahasuerus personally gave lavish gifts to the guests at this feast. You could say something like “with royal generosity” or “with great willingness to give” or “with generosity that only a king can give.”

Since this happened some time after Esther’s Feast, you can show this by using a connecting phrase such as “some time later.”

The most likely explanation for this is that Ahasuerus decided he would like to have more concubines. you could say this explicitly if it will help the readers to understand the story. He probably believed that having a large number of concubines was another thing that would show he was a great king. To do so, you could add: “because Ahasuerus decided that he would like to have more concubines.”

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. For example, you can say, “at the time when the king’s officers were gathering virgins for a second time.”

This indicates that the information about Mordecai explains what he was doing at this same time. You can use a phrase such as “during this time” to indicate this.

Possible meanings are: (1) Sitting at the king’s gate is an idiom meaning that Mordecai worked for the king in some capacity and was stationed at the gate. (2) Mordecai sat there so he could hear about how Esther was doing from the many people who passed through the gate.

Alternate translation: [the gate to the king’s house] or [the gate to the king’s palace]

These two short phrases mean almost the same thing. They are used together to emphasize that Esther followed Mordecai’s instructions exactly. You could combine them, as UST does. Alternate translation: [who her relatives were or that she was a Jew]

Alternate translation: [just as Mordecai had instructed her] or [as Mordecai had made her promise] or [because Mordecai had warned her not to tell anyone]

This resumes the story after the background information that is provided in verse 20. Indicate this in the way that your language resumes a story after giving background information, such as with a connecting phrase like “during that time.”

It is implicit in the story that Mordecai heard the two men talking who are named right afterwards. You can say this explicitly if it helps the readers to understand this part of the story. To do so, add: “he heard two men talking.”

As in verse 19, this is likely an idiom that means that Mordecai worked for the king in some capacity and was stationed at the gate where officials met to make important decisions.

These are the names of men.

See how you translated this term in 1:10. For the phrase of the king, you can say “royal.”

In this case the men were not guardians of one of the harems but guardians of the king’s private rooms. You could say, “they guarded the doorway to the king’s private rooms” or “they protected the doorway to the king’s private quarters.”

Here, seeking means actively trying to do something. Alternate translation: [they were plotting] or [they wanted to find a way]

Here the expression to stretch out a hand against means to cause someone physical harm with the intention of killing him. Alternate translation: [they were planning to assassinate him]

You can say this with an active form, for example by saying, “Mordecai found out what they were planning.”

This means that he told Queen Esther about it somehow.

This expression means that Esther passed the information along to King Ahasuerus on Mordecai’s behalf or that she told the king the information had come from Mordecai.

This verse tells what happened next after Esther gave the information to the king. You can use a word such as “then” to indicate this.

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. For example, you can say, “Then the king’s servants investigated Mordecai’s report and found out that it was true.”

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: [the king ordered his servants to impale those two men on wooden poles] or [the king ordered his servants to hang those two men on a gallows]

This seems to refer specifically to a pole or wooden structure that would be used to suspend a person above the ground and that could be used as a means of killing him or to display his body after he was dead. This might mean: (1) by hanging him from it with a rope tied around his neck, or (2) by impaling him on it, that is, by sticking a sharp point on one end of a pole through his body. Alternate translation: [wooden structure] or [wooden pole] or [gallows]

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. You can say, for example, “The king’s scribes recorded an account of this.”

This is an idiom that describes a record or chronicle of the events in a king’s reign. Alternate translation: [in the record book]

Here, face refers to the presence of a person. The phrase means that the scribes wrote this account while King Ahasuerus was personally present. You could say that they did this in the king’s presence. Alternate translation: [the king watched a scribe write this down]

This introduces a new event in the story. Use a connecting phrase that introduces a new event in your language.

This event happened some time after Esther became queen, and you can show this by using a connecting phrase such as “some time later.”

This is a man’s name. It occurs many times in the story. Be sure to translate it consistently.

These are the names of Haman’s father and Haman’s people group.

This means that Ahasuerus promoted Haman. It’s implied in the story that Haman was already one of Ahasuerus’s officials, but that he was now being promoted to a higher position. You could say that explicitly.

These two phrases mean the same thing. They are used together to emphasize that the king was making Haman very powerful. You could combine them and say something like, “the king gave Haman a very high position that was over all of his other officials.”

Here, lifting is a metaphor meaning to advance or promote a person to a higher, more important position than they held previously. Alternate translation: [he gave him a more important position]

Here, seat of authority means Haman’s position or status in the Persian government.

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind the word authority, you can express the same idea with a concrete noun for this whole phrase. For example, you can say, “his position.”

Him in this phrase may refer to the king. You could say that “the king promoted him above his other officials” or “gave him more authority than all of his other officials” or that “Haman became more important than all of his other officials.”

This is probably a reference to the specific group of officials who were stationed at the gate, as Mordecai was. Alternate translation: [And the royal officials who were stationed at the palace gate]

The servants were required to do this as a way of honoring him whenever Haman walked by. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly, as in the UST.

This means that the other officials humbled themselves and lay flat on the ground before Haman. These actions represented recognition and respect for the very high position that the king had given him in the Persian government.

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The repetition is used to emphasize that the officials knew how important it was to obey the king’s command and honor Haman in this way. If it would be clearer for your readers, you could express the emphasis with a single phrase. Alternate translation: [bowing down on the ground]

This means bowing down all the way to the ground.

If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this information first in the verse because it explains the reason why all the other officials were bowing to Haman. See the UST.

The king did this as a sign of Haman’s new position. You can state this here or in a separate sentence, as in the UST. Alternate translation: [the king had commanded them to do this in order to show that he had given Haman such a high position]

See how you translated the similar phrases earlier in this verse. Alternate translation: [Mordecai would not bow down to the ground]

It appears that as a Jew, Mordecai considered it wrong to worship anyone other than Yahweh, and that he believed he would be worshiping Haman if he bowed down low to the ground to honor him. So, on religious grounds, Mordecai refused to bow down. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly.

See how you translated this expression at the beginning of 3:2.

They spoke to Mordecai because they saw that he did not bow down. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. You could say, for example, “The other officials saw that, and they asked Mordecai.”

Alternate translation: [why are you disobeying the king’s command] or [why are you not obeying what the king commanded]

This means that they spoke to him about not bowing down. Specifically, they warned him that he would be severely punished if he kept disobeying the king and not honoring his highest official. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly.

This expression means “every day.”

Here, he did not listen means he did not heed their warning or he did not do what they said. Mordecai heard them, but he did not do what they advised him to do. This means that even though the other officials questioned him and probably warned him, he still refused to bow down.

In this context, standing means to survive a challenge, and words means the reasons that Mordecai gave for his actions. This phrase means that the other officials told Haman about it to see if he would tolerate it.

This is the answer that Mordecai gave the other officials when they asked him why he refused to bow down to Haman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could put it first in the verse because it explains everything that happens afterwards. Alternate translation: [Mordecai told them that he was a Jew, and that Jews would bow down only to God]

Mordecai’s explanation would have included the fact that Jews would only worship Yahweh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly.

Here, seeing means knowledge, notice, attention, or judgment. This phrase means that Haman learned about this.

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. The repetition is used to emphasize how serious an offense this was. You could combine them as UST does and say, “Mordecai was refusing to bow down to him.” Alternate translation: [Mordecai would not bow down or lie on the ground]

Here, Haman’s rage is spoken of as something that could fill him up. You could say that he was furious or extremely angry.

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: [Haman considered that it was not enough]

Haman probably decided to go to such extremes because he was so angry. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly.

Despise in this context means not to hate but to think little of or think something is too small. This expression means that Haman decided it would not be enough just to kill Mordecai alone.

Here, eyes stand for “seeing,” and in this case “seeing” means judgment. This phrase means in Haman’s judgment. Alternate translation: [as he saw it]

Alternate translation: [he rejected the idea of killing only Mordecai] or [he decided to kill more than just Mordecai] or [he decided that it would not be enough to get rid of only Mordecai]

As in 2:21, the expression to stretch out a hand against means to cause someone physical harm with the intention of killing them.

The pronoun they refers to the other “servants of the king” from verse 3, and him refers to Haman. The phrase the people of Mordecai is referring to the Jews. Mordecai had told these servants that he would not bow down to Haman because Jews worshiped only God. So this means that the other servants had told Haman that Mordecai was not bowing down to him because he was a Jew.

Here, seeking means trying to do something. In this context, it means that Haman decided that he would try to kill all the Jews.

This means in the entire empire that King Ahasuerus ruled.

These two phrases refer to the same group of people. The repetition emphasizes how great the threat was to their existence. You could combine them as UST does and say something like “all of the Jews.” Alternate translation: [Mordecai’s people, the Jews]

Alternate translation: [In month one]

Nisan is the name of the first month of the Hebrew calendar.

As in 2:16, you could convert the Hebrew month into an approximate time on the calendar that your culture uses. However, the Jews used a lunar calendar, so if you use a solar calendar, the dates will be different every year and the translation will not be quite accurate. So you may just want to give the Hebrew month.

Alternate translation: [during the twelfth year of the reign of Ahasuerus as king of Persia] or [when King Ahasuerus had reigned for about twelve years]

The storyteller is giving both the Persian and the Hebrew name because this is the story behind the Festival of Purim, which takes its name from “Pur.” So this is not repetition for emphasis. You can put in the Persian name and the word for “lot” in your own language to show that the storyteller is doing this.

A lot was an object with different markings on various sides that was used, most likely by dropping it on the ground, to select a specific time for doing something. The belief was that God or the gods would control which way the object fell, thus guiding the selection process and granting favor to the action if it were done on the date chosen.

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. You can say, for example, “Haman had his servants cast a Pur.”

If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this information first because it explains the rest of what happens in this verse.

Here, face represents the presence of a person. In this context, the phrase means that Haman was physically present when the lot was cast. Alternate translation: [as Haman watched]

This expression means that the lot was cast to select a particular day of the month and a particular month of the year.

Haman was casting the lot to determine the best day and the best month to kill the Jews. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: [to determine the best day and the best month to kill the Jews]

Adar is the name of the twelfth and last month of the Hebrew calendar. This name occurs several times in the story. Be sure to translate it consistently.

See how you decided in 2:16 and the first part of this verse to represent the dates that are given in the Hebrew calendar in the book of Esther. Be consistent.

This means that the lot indicated the twelfth month of that year as the time for Haman to carry out his plan. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. (The day that was chosen is reported in verse 13.) Alternate translation: [the lot indicated the twelfth month, the month of Adar, as the best month to kill the Jews]

Alternate translation: [month twelve] or [the twelfth month]

The implication is that Haman then went to see the king so that he could speak with him. You could say that explicitly. Do not give your readers the impression that the king was present with Haman while he was casting the lot.

He refers to the king, and one people refers to the Jews as a people group. So this means there is a people group or a group of people.

These two words mean almost the same thing. Haman uses the repetition to emphasize that the Jews are everywhere throughout the empire and so their influence, which he says is bad, will affect everyone. You could combine these words as UST does.

Haman is saying that the Jews are mixed in with all the other peoples, and they live in every province.

Haman is saying that the Jews have their own set of laws, and he is accusing them of not obeying the king’s laws as a result.

Haman speaks to the king in the third person as a sign of respect. You could have him say, “your laws.” Or you could indicate this respect another way by having Haman begin by saying, “Your Majesty.”

Haman is saying, “It is not good for you to allow them to live in your empire.” This can also be stated without the negative. Alternate translation: [the king should remove them] or [you should remove them]

Haman speaks to the king in the third person as a sign of respect. You could express the same meaning in the second person by saying, “not good for you.”

Haman speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect.

See how you decided to translate this idiom in 1:19. Alternate translation: [if it seems like a good idea to you, O king] or [if the king thinks this is a good idea] or [if this advice is pleasing to the king]

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who would do the action. For example, you could say, “the king could write a decree” or “you could write a decree.”

This means that the decree would say that all the Jews should be killed.

This could mean either of two possibilities: (1) Haman could mean that the king’s men will be able to collect a huge amount of money from the plunder that they would get from the Jews. Referring to the weight would be a way of saying, “I guarantee that it will be at least that much.” This reasoning agrees with 3:13, where the king’s letter specifies that those who kill the Jews can take their plunder. Alternate translation: [we will get so much plunder that the officers you send will be able to bring back] (Also see UST) (2) “Weigh out into the hands” could be an idiom that means Haman himself will pay the officers who will put the plan into effect. Haman will not do this personally, but it means that he will take responsibility for paying them from his own resources. Alternate translation: [From my own resources I will pay … to the men who do the work]

This would be worth over $300 million at current prices today. But since prices vary over time, if you expressed the value in modern measurements, that could cause your Bible translation to become outdated and inaccurate. Instead you could express the amount using the ancient measurement, the talent, and explain in a note that a talent was equivalent to about 30 kilograms. Alternatively, you could specify the weight of the silver in the text, as UST does in metric tons.

The talent was the largest unit of money and 10,000 was the largest number in the counting system of the time. It is possible that Haman used these terms to represent a very large, but not precise, amount. Alternate translation: [a huge amount of silver] or [enormous amounts of silver]

This could mean: (1) those who work for the king in general (administrators) or (2) more specifically the officers whom Ahasuerus would send around the empire to organize the killing of the Jews.

Haman speaks to the king in third person as a form of respect. You could also have him speak of “your royal treasuries.”

The implication is that Ahasuerus thought that Haman’s suggestion was a good idea and he agreed to it. You could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: [the king agreed that this was a good idea, so]

Giving the ring to Haman showed that Haman could act on the king’s own authority. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: [the king gave Haman the power to act on his authority to carry out the plan. To show that, he gave Haman the ring he wore that had his official seal on it]

This was a special ring that could be used to imprint the king’s official seal on a law or decree. This ring had the king’s name or mark on it. When he put a wax seal on important papers, he would press the mark onto the seal. If a paper had this mark on its seal, people would know that what was written on the paper was written with the king’s authority and had to be obeyed. You could describe this as “the ring he wore that had his official seal on it.”

This information about Haman’s identity is repeated to stress that the king giving him the signet ring was an official legal act that transferred power to him. (In the same way, legal documents today often use a person’s full name and other identifying information.) If you repeat this information in your own translation, your readers should see this significance.

This phrase gives clarifying information about Haman. It means that he had become “the enemy of the Jews.”

You can say this with an active form. This could mean one of the following things: (1) “You can keep the money from plundering the Jews for yourself.” (2) “I give you permission to take the money from the Jews and to give it to the men just as you have said.” (3) “You do not need to pay for the expenses of the plan yourself.” (4) This statement by the king may also be a formal and cultural way of expressing gratitude for the promised money without actually releasing Haman from paying the money into the treasury.

Here, eyes represent seeing, and seeing is a metaphor for knowledge, notice, attention, or judgment. The king is telling Haman that he can do whatever he wants to the Jews. Alternate translation: [you can do to the Jews as you see fit]

You can say this with an active form. You can also say who did the action. It was most likely Haman, since the king had given him authority to act on his behalf. So you could say, “Haman called in the royal scribes.” Alternate translation: [the king summoned his scribes]

You can add “of that same year” to show that Haman did this right after Ahasuerus agreed to his plan. Alternate translation: [on the thirteenth day of the first month]

You can put this information first because it places the event within the timeline of the story.

You can say this with an active form. You can also say who did the action. Alternate translation: [and Haman dictated a letter to them] or [they wrote a decree containing all that Haman had commanded]

The satraps of the king were the provincial governors of the empire, distinct from the governors over smaller districts and the leaders of local peoples.

This expression means every province**.** See how you translated this in 1:22.

Alternate translation: [the leaders of each people group]

This expression means every people group**.** See how you translated this in 1:22.

See how you translated this in 1:22. Alternate translation: [to each province using its own alphabet] or [written in its own script]

The implication is that the scribes translated the letter and sent it to each province using its own alphabet. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say that explicitly.

See how you translated this expression in 1:22. Alternate translation: [and to each people group in its own language]

Here, tongue is a metonym meaning the language spoken by a person or a group of people. Alternate translation: [according to its language]

There are two This could mean: (1) Here, name could mean the authority of the king. This would be saying that Haman’s letter had the same authority as it would have had if the king had sent it himself. Alternate translation: [Haman sent the letter under the king’s own authority]; (2) However, this could also mean that Haman actually had the scribes sign the king’s name to the letter. Alternate translation: [they signed the king’s name at the end of the letters]

You can say this with an active form, and you can say who did the action. Alternate translation: [to show that he was sending the letter under the king’s own authority, Haman sealed each copy of the letter with the ring that had the king’s official seal on it,] or [the scribes signed the king’s name at the end of the letters. Then they sealed the letters with wax, and stamped the wax by using the king’s ring]