complete verse (Esther 3:6)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Esther 3:6:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then Haman wanted to kill Mordecai. But he considered that it was not good/fitting for only Mordecai to die, because he had discovered that he was a Jew. So, he looked for a way of killing all the Jews in the whole of that empire which king Ahasuerus was ruling.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Since Haman knew that Mordecai was a Jew, he looked for a plan not just to punish him, [but rather] to kill [both] Mordecai and all the Jews living in Ahasuerus’ country.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “And when he indeed knew that Mordecai was a Jew, he plotted that not just Mordecai the ones- he -will-caused-to-be-killed but including also all the Jews in the kingdom of King Ahasuerus.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Eastern Bru: “And when he knew that Mordecai was a Jew, he was angry not only with Mordecai, but he was angry with all the Jewish people. And he looked for a way to kill all of the Jews who were in every place in the country of Persia.” (Source: Bru Back Translation)
  • English: “After he found out that Mordecai was a Jew, he decided that it would not be enough to get rid of only Mordecai. He decided to kill all the Jews in all the area that Xerxes ruled.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Esther 3:6   

Disdained: the Hebrew verb expresses strong negative connotations, “to scorn, despise.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “he thought it beneath him merely to get rid of Mordecai.”

On to lay hands on someone, see 2.21.

They had made known: they here refers to the same persons who were identified as the king’s servants in verse 3 and who told Haman about Mordecai in verse 4. Revised Standard Version translates the Hebrew verb as a pluperfect, had made known, because it is obvious that Haman’s decision to destroy the Jews was taken after learning Mordecai’s identity. Although most languages can express previous action, some translators may wish to restructure the verse to show clearly the order of events, as Good News Translation has done.

In the second half of this verse, some interpreters change one vowel so that the people of Mordecai becomes “with Mordecai.” The translation will then be “Haman sought to destroy all the Jews with Mordecai,” but such a change really does not alter the meaning of the entire verse, nor is it necessary.

The Hebrew says the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. This kingdom was “the whole Persian Empire” (Good News Translation).

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Esther 3:6

3:6a

the identity of Mordecai’s people: That is, that they were Jews. You may need to state this information explicitly here.

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