translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EST

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “Mordecai.” The pronoun (“he”) was used in the translation for stylistic reasons. A repetition of the proper name here is redundant in terms of contemporary English style.


text: Heb “great.”


text: Heb “reached” (so NAB, NLT); KJV, NASB, NIV “came”; TEV “wherever the king’s proclamation was made known.”


text: Heb “great” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “the Jews went into deep mourning.”


text: Heb “were spread to many”; KJV, NIV “many (+ people NLT) lay in sackcloth and ashes.”


text: 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.”


text: Heb “whom he caused to stand before her”; NASB “whom the king had appointed to attend her.”


text: Heb “concerning Mordecai, to know what this was, and why this was.”


text: Heb “given” (so KJV); NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT “issued”; NIV “published”; NAB “promulgated.”


text: Heb “the words of Mordecai” (so KJV); NIV, NRSV, CEV “what Mordecai had said”; NLT “with Mordecai’s message.”


text: Heb “one is his law”; NASB “he (the king NIV) has but one law”


text: Heb “and he will live”; KJV, ASV “that he may live”; NIV “and spare his life.”


text: Heb “the words of Esther”; TEV, NLT “Esther’s message.”


text: Heb “from all the Jews”; KJV “more than all the Jews”; NIV “you alone of all the Jews.”


text: Heb “stand”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT “arise.”


text: Heb “place” (so KJV, NIV, NLT); NRSV “from another quarter.” This is probably an oblique reference to help coming from God. D. J. A. Clines disagrees; in his view a contrast between deliverance by Esther and deliverance by God is inappropriate ( Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther [NCBC], 302). But Clines’ suggestion that perhaps the reference is to deliverance by Jewish officials or by armed Jewish revolt is less attractive than seeing this veiled reference as part of the literary strategy of the book, which deliberately keeps God’s providential dealings entirely in the background.


text: Heb “And who knows whether” (so NASB). The question is one of hope, but free of presumption. Cf. Jonah 3:9 .


text: Heb “I and my female attendants.” The translation reverses the order for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “which is not according to the law” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “contrary to the law.”