OET interlinear EST 2:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-time-simultaneous

בַּ⁠יָּמִ֣ים הָ⁠הֵ֔ם

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=days the=those and,Mordecai was_sitting at,the_gate_of the=king became_angry Bigthan and,Teresh two_of eunuchs_of the=king of,the_keepers_of of,the_threshold and,they_sought to,stretch_out hands on,king ʼAḩashvērōsh )

This resumes the story after the background information that is provided in [verse 20](../02/20.md). Indicate this in the way that your language resumes a story after giving background information, such as with a connecting phrase like “during that time.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וּ⁠מָרְדֳּכַ֖י יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּ⁠שַֽׁעַר־הַ⁠מֶּ֑לֶךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=days the=those and,Mordecai was_sitting at,the_gate_of the=king became_angry Bigthan and,Teresh two_of eunuchs_of the=king of,the_keepers_of of,the_threshold and,they_sought to,stretch_out hands on,king ʼAḩashvērōsh )

It is implicit in the story that Mordecai heard the two men talking who are named right afterwards. You can say this explicitly if it helps the readers to understand this part of the story. To do so, add: “he heard two men talking.”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּ⁠שַֽׁעַר־הַ⁠מֶּ֑לֶךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=days the=those and,Mordecai was_sitting at,the_gate_of the=king became_angry Bigthan and,Teresh two_of eunuchs_of the=king of,the_keepers_of of,the_threshold and,they_sought to,stretch_out hands on,king ʼAḩashvērōsh )

As in [verse 19](../02/19.md), this is likely an idiom that means that Mordecai worked for the king in some capacity and was stationed at the gate where officials met to make important decisions.

Note 4 topic: translate-names

בִּגְתָ֨ן וָ⁠תֶ֜רֶשׁ

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=days the=those and,Mordecai was_sitting at,the_gate_of the=king became_angry Bigthan and,Teresh two_of eunuchs_of the=king of,the_keepers_of of,the_threshold and,they_sought to,stretch_out hands on,king ʼAḩashvērōsh )

These are the names of men.

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

שְׁנֵֽי־סָרִיסֵ֤י הַ⁠מֶּ֨לֶךְ֙

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=days the=those and,Mordecai was_sitting at,the_gate_of the=king became_angry Bigthan and,Teresh two_of eunuchs_of the=king of,the_keepers_of of,the_threshold and,they_sought to,stretch_out hands on,king ʼAḩashvērōsh )

See how you translated this term in [1:10](../01/10.md). For the phrase of the king, you can say “royal.”

מִ⁠שֹּׁמְרֵ֣י הַ⁠סַּ֔ף

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=days the=those and,Mordecai was_sitting at,the_gate_of the=king became_angry Bigthan and,Teresh two_of eunuchs_of the=king of,the_keepers_of of,the_threshold and,they_sought to,stretch_out hands on,king ʼAḩashvērōsh )

In this case the men were not guardians of one of the harems but guardians of the king’s private rooms. You could say, “they guarded the doorway to the king’s private rooms” or “they protected the doorway to the king’s private quarters.”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַ⁠יְבַקְשׁוּ֙

and,they_sought

Here, seeking means actively trying to do something. Alternate translation: [they were plotting] or [they wanted to find a way]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

לִ⁠שְׁלֹ֣חַ יָ֔ד

(Some words not found in UHB: in_the=days the=those and,Mordecai was_sitting at,the_gate_of the=king became_angry Bigthan and,Teresh two_of eunuchs_of the=king of,the_keepers_of of,the_threshold and,they_sought to,stretch_out hands on,king ʼAḩashvērōsh )

Here the expression to stretch out a hand against means to cause someone physical harm with the intention of killing him. Alternate translation: [they were planning to assassinate him]