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ESTHER, Additions to
Six passages of about 105 verses added to the Hebrew text of Esther. The Additions to Esther was apparently the work of a Jewish writer eager to supply a spiritual and universal note that was thought to be lacking in the book. Some scholars assert that the additions were originally written in Greek, while others maintain they were translated from Hebrew or possibly Aramaic. The date cannot be determined with certainty, although 100 BC is generally suggested, which would place them considerably later than the canonical Esther.
A summary of the additions is as follows:
1. 11:2–12:6: Mordecai’s dream, including the plot against the king’s life. This passage preceded Esther 1:1.
2. 13:1-7: The edict of Artaxerxes. This addition follows Esther 3:13, where the king is called Ahasuerus.
3. 13:8–14:19: The prayers of Mordecai and Esther. This passage was to be inserted after Esther 4:17.
4. 15:1-16: The king’s anger at Esther’s appearance, and his subsequent change of attitude. This was to be inserted before Esther 5:3, since it is an expansion of Esther 5:1-2.
5. 16:1-24: The edict of Ahasuerus relating to the Jews. This section was to follow 8:12.
6. 10:4–11:1: The interpretation of Mordecai’s dream. This addition follows 10:3.
The additions contain discrepancies that make it clear they were never part of the original Esther. These can be seen as follows:
2:21-23 and 6:3-4 compare 12:5
The Septuagint (Greek translation of the OT) and Old Latin texts contained the additions in the text of Esther at the places indicated. Jerome, a fourth-century Christian scholar, put the additions as an appendix in the Vulgate, his Latin translation of the Bible.