Judaising in the Versions of Esther

Abstract

Abstract Esther is unique in the degree to which its early translations differ from one another. Although this poses difficulties for traditional text critical goals, it also provides unique opportunities for the study of the literature and society of the Second Temple Period. Because the versions differ so much, each ‘translation’ represents an essentially original retelling of the same story. These versions developed over the course of the Second Temple period, and so offer a series of perspectives on the same story, from different times and places. One example of this is how these versions treat Esth 8:17. In Masoretic Esth 8:17, the inhabitants of the empire ‘Judaise’ (‮מתיהדים‬‎). However, as the text was received in translation throughout the second temple period, multiple different views arose among the different versions as to what the nature of this event was. The different ways that the highly divergent versions of Esther handle this part of the narrative reflect transformations in Jewish–gentile relationships throughout this period.