Then: see comment on 2.2.

The king’s secretaries were summoned: though the verb “to call” is passive, it is possible that Haman is the implicit agent. Good News Translation makes this explicit: “Haman called the king’s secretaries.” The secretaries were probably scribes who were responsible for writing official correspondence. Here they wrote under Haman’s authority or according to his instructions. For secretaries it may be necessary to say “writers” or “writers of letters.”

On the first month see 3.7.

Edict: this is the first of three official edicts recorded in the book (see also 8.9; 9.14), but the text says simply that “it was written all as Haman commanded [or, ordered].” In verse 14 below, what was written will be specifically identified as a dat “law, edict” (see also 9.14).

The satraps, governors, and princes of all the peoples are mentioned in order of rank (see 1.1). The satraps were responsible for the large administrative units called “satrapies,” the governors ruled over the provinces, and the princes were ethnarchs or tribal chieftains.

In its own script … in its own language: see comments on 1.22. Script is the “symbols [marks]” used in writing or the “way” of writing of each people.

On the expression in the name of, see comments on 2.22.

On sealed with the king’s ring, see the comments on verse 10 above.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on Esther (The Hebrew Text). (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .