The textual criticism of the book of Esther is a fairly uncomplicated matter. The Heb. version of the MT will be most familiar to most readers, since it is the version that underlies the translation found in all Protestant Bibles. Manuscripts of this Heb. book abound: as observed by Paton (5), more manuscripts exist of the book of Esther than any other biblical book. Not only is it found in every synagogue and in many collections, but many private homes possessed
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