Esther 2:20
in Esther 2Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed. She obeyed Mordecai’s command, as she had done under his care.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
KJV
Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
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This verse in Esther 2
Commentary
5 notes on this verseVirgins are being sought for the king a second time and gathered together, because it was not enough for our Lord Jesus Christ to associate himself exclusively with the Jewish members of the early Church; rather he also acquired through his preachers copious numbers of …
This site's exposition
When the virgins were assembled
on Esther 2:19-20
The virgins are assembled "a second time," and "Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate," where officials of the court sat. Esther still keeps "her lineage or her people" hidden. The narrator repeats her obedience so the reader knows the crown has left it unchanged.
This site's exposition
Esther still had not revealed her
The Septuagint adds that Mordecai had charged Esther to fear God and keep his commandments. Clarke notes that the Hebrew text of Esther never names God, and he saw the Greek addition as an answer to that reproach. Henry made Esther's obedience to Mordecai an example to orphans.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This is an example to orphans; if they fall into the hands of those who love them and take care of them, let them make suitable returns of duty and affection. The less obliged their guardians were in duty to provide for them the more obliged they are in gratitude to honour and obey their guardians.
Esther had not showed her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her,....
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵ֣ין | ʾein | not | H369 → | 789 times |
| אֶסְתֵּ֗ר | ʾester | Esther | H635 → | 55 times |
| מַגֶּ֤דֶת | magedet | [was] telling | H5046 → | 370 times |
| מֽוֹלַדְתָּהּ֙ | moladtah | kindred her | H4138 → | 22 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַמָּ֔הּ | ʾamah | people her | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוָּ֥ה | tzivah | he had commanded | H6680 → | 494 times |
| עָלֶ֖יהָ | ʾaleiha | to her | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| מָרְדֳּכָ֑י | maredokhai | Mordecai | H4782 → | 60 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מַאֲמַ֤ר | maamar | [the] command of | H3982 → | 3 times |
| מָרְדֳּכַי֙ | maredokhai | Mordecai | H4782 → | 60 times |
| אֶסְתֵּ֣ר | ʾester | Esther | H635 → | 55 times |
| עֹשָׂ֔ה | ʾosah | [was] doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיְתָ֥ה | hayetah | she had done | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְאָמְנָ֖ה | veamenah | in guardianship | H545 → | |
| אִתּֽוֹ׃ ס | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
אֵ֣יןnot
ʾeinH369 →789 times
אֶסְתֵּ֗רEsther
ʾesterH635 →55 times
מַגֶּ֤דֶת[was] telling
magedetH5046 →370 times
מֽוֹלַדְתָּהּ֙kindred her
moladtahH4138 →22 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
עַמָּ֔הּpeople her
ʾamahH5971 →1873 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
צִוָּ֥הhe had commanded
tzivahH6680 →494 times
עָלֶ֖יהָto her
ʾaleihaH5921 →5755 times
מָרְדֳּכָ֑יMordecai
maredokhaiH4782 →60 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
מַאֲמַ֤ר[the] command of
maamarH3982 →3 times
מָרְדֳּכַי֙Mordecai
maredokhaiH4782 →60 times
אֶסְתֵּ֣רEsther
ʾesterH635 →55 times
עֹשָׂ֔ה[was] doing
ʾosahH6213 →2628 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
הָיְתָ֥הshe had done
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
בְאָמְנָ֖הin guardianship
veamenahH545 →
אִתּֽוֹ׃ סwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Esther 2:10Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.
it leads to
- Matthew 10:16
Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
- Ephesians 6:1
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
- Esther 3:8
Then Haman informed King Xerxes, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples of every province of your kingdom. Their laws are different from everyone else’s, and they do not obey…
- Esther 4:13–14
he sent back to her this reply: “Do not imagine that because you are in the king’s palace you alone will escape the fate of all the Jews.
- Esther 7:4
For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would…
- Matthew 10:16
Through
Esther 2:7And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when…
it leads to
- Esther 2:15
Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask…
- Esther 1:11
to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.
- 2 Corinthians 6:18
And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
- Esther 2:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Esther
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPersian periodEstherHadassah, the orphan exile who became queen of Persia and, at the risk of "if I perish, I perish," stood between her people and Ha…
- PersonPersian periodMordecaiEsther's cousin and guardian at the gate of Susa, who refused to bow to Haman, uncovered the plot against the king, and was raised…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Esther.