Ester 2:15-18

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 ¹ ) 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. 2:16 Then Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus at his royal residence in the tenth ²  month (that is, the month of Tebeth) in the seventh ³  year of his reign. 2:17 And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she met with his loving approval ⁴  more than all the other young women. ⁵  So he placed the royal high turban on her head and appointed her queen ⁶  in place of Vashti. 2:18 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. ⁷ 

[2:15]  ¹ tn Heb “who had taken her to him as a daughter”; NRSV “who had adopted her as his own daughter.”

[2:16]  ² tc The Greek MSS Codex Alexandrinus (A) and Codex Vaticanus (B) read “twelfth” here.

[2:16]  ³ tc The Syriac Peshitta reads “fourth” here.

[2:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “grace and loyal love.” The expression is probably a hendiadys.

[2:17]  ⁵ tc The LXX does not include the words “more than all the other young women.”

[2:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “caused her to rule.”

[2:18]  ⁷ tc The LXX does not include the words “and he provided for offerings at the king’s expense.”