Esther 2:5

5 There was in Shushan the capital a man who was a Jew, whose name was Mordekhai the son of Ya'ir, the son of Shim'i, the son of Kish, a Binyamini.

Esther 2:5 Meaning and Commentary

Esther 2:5

Now in Shushan the palace was a certain Jew
Not one of the tribe of Judah, for he was afterwards called a Benjaminite; but was so called, because he was of the kingdom of Judah, which consisted of both tribes. Jarchi says, all that were carried captive with the kings of Judah were called Jews among the nations, though of another tribe: whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of
Kish, a Benjamite;
who was among those that came with Zerubbabel from Babylon to Jerusalem, and returned to Persia again, ( Ezra 2:2 ) ( Nehemiah 7:7 ) , though some think this was another Mordecai; (See Gill on Ezra 2:2), who descended not from Kish, the father of Saul, but a later and more obscure person.

Esther 2:5 In-Context

3 The king should appoint officials in all the provinces of the kingdom to gather all the young, good-looking virgins to the house for the harem, in Shushan the capital. They should be put under the care of Hegai the king's officer in charge of the women, and he should give them the cosmetics they require.

4 Then, the girl who seems best to the king should become queen instead of Vashti."This proposal pleased the king, so he acted accordingly.

5 There was in Shushan the capital a man who was a Jew, whose name was Mordekhai the son of Ya'ir, the son of Shim'i, the son of Kish, a Binyamini.

6 He had been exiled from Yerushalayim with the captives exiled with Y'khanyah king of Y'hudah, whom N'vukhadnetzar king of Bavel had carried off.

7 He had raised Hadassah, that is, Ester, his uncle's daughter; because she had neither father nor mother. The girl was shapely and good-looking; after her father's and mother's death, Mordekhai had adopted her as his own daughter.