Esther 2:5 nasb — Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish…

NASB

"Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,"

— Esther 2:5, NASB

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Esther 2:5 in Other Translations

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Esther 2 — Context

2

Then the king's attendants, who served him, said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king.

3

"Let the king appoint overseers in all the provinces of his kingdom that they may gather every beautiful young virgin to the citadel of Susa, to the harem, into the custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let their cosmetics be given them.

4

"Then let the young lady who pleases the king be queen in place of Vashti." And the matter pleased the king, and he did accordingly.

5

Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,

6

who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled.

7

He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle's daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

8

So it came about when the command and decree of the king were heard and many young ladies were gathered to the citadel of Susa into the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken to the king's palace into the custody of Hegai, who was in charge of the women.

Esther 2:5 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Esther 2:5 say?
Esther 2:5 in the NASB reads: “Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,”
Where is Esther 2:5 in the Bible?
Esther 2:5 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Esther, chapter 2, verse 5.
Who wrote Esther?
Esther is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Mordecai). It was written c. 460–400 BC.
What is the book of Esther about?
Esther tells how a Jewish orphan becomes queen of Persia and risks her life to save her people from genocide. Though God's name is never mentioned, his unseen providence is woven through every reversal — and the Jewish festival of Purim still celebrates the deliverance.
What are the major themes of Esther?
Esther explores themes including Providence, Courage, Deliverance, Identity, Reversal. These themes shape the meaning and context of Esther 2:5.
What translation should I read Esther 2:5 in?
Esther 2:5 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Esther 2:5?
Esther 2:5 reads (NASB): “Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite,” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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