Hathach, a Persian name, occurs only in this chapter of Esther.

On the king’s eunuchs see 1.10.

To attend her: “to serve her” (New Jerusalem Bible) or “to help her.” Good News Translation restates this to identify Hathach’s job as being that of a “servant.”

To learn what this was and why it was: Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation both reflect the elliptical nature of the Hebrew text in expressing what Esther wanted to know. Most translations express the implied Hebrew questions in the form of indirect quotation (Chouraqui is an exception). In translation it may be necessary to specify what the implied questions refer to. Esther did not yet know about Haman’s decree, so she sent Hathach “to find out what this action of Mordecai meant and the reason for it” (New American Bible). One ancient Jewish interpretation understands the words what this was to refer to Mordecai’s loud wailing, and the words why it was to refer to the fact that he had not accepted the clothes that Esther had sent to him. Such an interpretation fits the context well, though it may be more precise than the author intended.

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 .