Esther 2:5-11
New American Standard Bible
5 There was a Jew at the citadel in Susa whose name was (A)Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 (B)who had been taken from Jerusalem with the exiles who had been deported with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had deported. 7 He was the guardian to Hadassah, that is (C)Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young woman was beautiful of form and [a]face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.
Esther Finds Favor
8 So it came about, when the command and decree of the king were heard and (D)many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the [b]custody of (E)Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king’s [c]palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women. 9 Now the young lady pleased him and found favor with him. So he quickly provided her with her (F)cosmetics and [d]food, gave her seven choice female attendants from the king’s palace, and transferred her and her attendants to the best place in the harem. 10 (G)Esther did not reveal her people or her kindred, because Mordecai had instructed her that she was not to reveal them. 11 And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Esther 2:7 Lit good of appearance
- Esther 2:8 Lit hand
- Esther 2:8 Lit house
- Esther 2:9 Lit portions
Esther 2:5-11
Revised Standard Version
5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the capital whose name was Mor′decai, the son of Ja′ir, son of Shim′e-i, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconi′ah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnez′zar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 He had brought up Hadas′sah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother; the maiden was beautiful and lovely, and when her father and her mother died, Mor′decai adopted her as his own daughter. 8 So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many maidens were gathered in Susa the capital in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai who had charge of the women. 9 And the maiden pleased him and won his favor; and he quickly provided her with her ointments and her portion of food, and with seven chosen maids from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her maids to the best place in the harem. 10 Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mor′decai had charged her not to make it known. 11 And every day Mor′decai walked in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was and how she fared.
Read full chapterNew American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.