Add parallel Print Page Options

There was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 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] 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. 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. 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]

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Esther 2:6 Or “exiled”
  2. Esther 2:6 Hebrew “exile”
  3. Esther 2:6 Or “exiled”
  4. Esther 2:6 A variant spelling of “Jehoiachin”
  5. Esther 2:6 Or “exiled”
  6. Esther 2:7 That is, Mordecai
  7. Esther 2:7 That is, his cousin
  8. Esther 2:8 Literally “to the hand of Hegai”
  9. Esther 2:8 Literally “house of the king”
  10. Esther 2:8 Literally “to the hand of”
  11. Esther 2:9 Literally “the young woman was good in his eyes”
  12. Esther 2:9 Literally “house of the king”
  13. Esther 2:9 Literally “house of the women”
  14. Esther 2:11 Literally “house of the women”
  15. Esther 2:11 Literally “the peace of Esther and how it does/does with her”

In [a]Shushan the [b]citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of (A)Kish, a Benjamite. (B)Kish[c] had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with [d]Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, (C)his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

So it was, when the king’s command and decree were heard, and when many young women were (D)gathered at [e]Shushan the [f]citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave (E)beauty preparations to her, besides [g]her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women.

10 (F)Esther had not [h]revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. 11 And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Esther 2:5 Or Susa
  2. Esther 2:5 palace
  3. Esther 2:6 Lit. Who
  4. Esther 2:6 Jehoiachin, 2 Kin. 24:6
  5. Esther 2:8 Or Susa
  6. Esther 2:8 palace
  7. Esther 2:9 Lit. her portions
  8. Esther 2:10 Revealed the identity of