And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.
He raised Hadassah (also called Esther), who was his uncle's daughter. She had no father or mother, and she was lovely and beautiful. When her parents died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter.
This verse tells us that Mordecai lovingly adopted his orphaned cousin Esther and raised her as his own daughter.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the Jewish exile in Persia (around 5th century BC), when many Jews lived far from their homeland under foreign rule. Jewish families often took care of orphaned relatives, as Mordecai did with Esther, maintaining strong family bonds even in difficult circumstances. The fact that Esther had both a Hebrew name (Hadassah) and a Persian name (Esther) reflects how Jews adapted to living in foreign cultures while preserving their identity.
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