Esther 2:5-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
5 Now there was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite,(A) 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with King Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away.(B) 7 He had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother; the young woman was fair and beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.(C) 8 When the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed and when many young women were gathered in the citadel of Susa in custody of Hegai, Esther was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women.(D) 9 The young woman pleased him and won his favor, and he quickly provided her with her cosmetic treatments and her portion of food and with seven chosen maids from the king’s palace, and he advanced her and her maids to the best place in the harem.(E) 10 Esther did not reveal her people or kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell.(F) 11 Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.
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Esther 2:5-11
International Standard Version
Esther’s Background
5 In Susa the capital there was a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin, Jair’s son Mordecai, who was a descendant of Kish’s son Shimei the descendant of Benjamin. 6 He had been taken into captivity from Jerusalem along with the exiles who had been deported with Jeconiah, king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon had taken into exile.[a] 7 Mordecai[b] had raised his cousin[c] Hadassah, or Esther,[d] because she had no father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was very attractive. After her mother and father died, Mordecai had taken her as his daughter.
8 The king’s order and edict was proclaimed, and many young women were brought to Susa the capital under the care of Hegai. Esther was taken to the palace into the care of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. 9 The young woman pleased him and gained his favor. He quickly provided her beauty treatments and gave her portions of food to her. He also assigned her seven suitable young women from the palace and transferred her and her young women to the best place in the harem. 10 Esther did not make known her people or heritage[e] because Mordecai had instructed her not to make it known. 11 Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to find out about Esther’s well-being and what was happening to her.
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- Esther 2:6 This deportation took place in 597 B.C.
- Esther 2:7 Lit. He
- Esther 2:7 Lit. his uncle’s daughter
- Esther 2:7 The Heb. name Hadassah means Myrtle; The Persian name Esther means Star
- Esther 2:10 Or her ancestry
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