Esther 2:5-11
Holman Christian Standard Bible
5 In the fortress of Susa, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai(A) son of Jair, son of Shimei,(B) son of Kish,(C) a Benjaminite. 6 He had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the other captives when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took King Jeconiah[a] of Judah into exile.(D) 7 Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin[b] Hadassah (that is, Esther), because she didn’t have a father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.(E)
8 When the king’s command and edict became public knowledge, many young women gathered at the fortress of Susa under Hegai’s care. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. 9 The young woman pleased him and gained his favor[c] so that he accelerated the process of the beauty treatments and the special diet that she received. He assigned seven hand-picked female servants to her from the palace and transferred her and her servants to the harem’s best quarters.
10 Esther did not reveal her ethnic background or her birthplace, because Mordecai had ordered her not to. 11 Every day Mordecai took a walk in front of the harem’s courtyard to learn how Esther was doing and to see what was happening to her.
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- Esther 2:6 = Jehoiachin in 2Kg 24; 25:27; 1Ch 3:16-17
- Esther 2:7 Lit uncle’s daughter
- Esther 2:9 Lit and carried faithful love before him
Esther 2:5-11
Lexham English Bible
5 There was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who was deported[a] from Jerusalem with the exiles[b] who were deported[c] with Jeconiah[d] the king of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had deported.[e] 7 He[f] was raising Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter,[g] for she did not have a father or a mother; the young woman had a beautiful figure and was very attractive. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had taken her as his daughter. 8 And it happened, at the proclaiming of the edict of the king and his law, when many young women were being gathered to the citadel of Susa under Hegai’s care,[h] Esther was taken to the king’s palace[i] under the care of[j] Hegai who was in charge of the women. 9 The young woman pleased him[k] and she won favor in his presence, and he quickly provided for her beauty treatment and her portion of food, with seven chosen maids to give to her from the king’s palace,[l] and he advanced her and her maids to the best part of the harem.[m] 10 Esther did not disclose her people and her family because Modecai had charged her that she must not tell. 11 And every day Modecai would walk up and down in front of the courtyard of the harem[n] to learn how Esther was doing.[o]
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- Esther 2:6 Or “exiled”
- Esther 2:6 Hebrew “exile”
- Esther 2:6 Or “exiled”
- Esther 2:6 A variant spelling of “Jehoiachin”
- Esther 2:6 Or “exiled”
- Esther 2:7 That is, Mordecai
- Esther 2:7 That is, his cousin
- Esther 2:8 Literally “to the hand of Hegai”
- Esther 2:8 Literally “house of the king”
- Esther 2:8 Literally “to the hand of”
- Esther 2:9 Literally “the young woman was good in his eyes”
- Esther 2:9 Literally “house of the king”
- Esther 2:9 Literally “house of the women”
- Esther 2:11 Literally “house of the women”
- Esther 2:11 Literally “the peace of Esther and how it does/does with her”
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