Esther 2:20

Hebrew Bible

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. 19 Now when the young women were being gathered again, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her. Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her. 21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, became angry and plotted to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

LXX Esther 2:20

Septuagint

18 And the king made a banquet for all his friends and great men for seven days, and he highly celebrated the marriage of Esther; and he made a release to those who were under his dominion. 19 But Mardochæus served in the palace. 20 Now Esther had not discovered her kindred; for so Mardochæus commanded her, to fear God, and perform his commandments, as when she was with him: and Esther changed not her manner of life. 21 And two chamberlains of the king, the chiefs of the body-guard, were grieved, because Mardochæus was promoted; and they sought to kill king Artaxerxes.

 Notes and References

"... The LXX translation of 2:20 includes the following short addition to the Masoretic text in Mordecai’s instructions to Esther, ‘to fear God and to keep his commands ... So Esther did not change her way of life’. This instruction runs parallel to Esther’s prayer in C 14–30 ..."

Tov, Emanuel The LXX translation of Esther: A Paraphrastic Translation of MT or a Free Translation of a Rewritten Version? (pp. 507-526) Brill, 2008

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