Esther 2:5

5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was ¹Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite,

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 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the capital, under custody of Hegai, the king's eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them.

4 And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti." This pleased the king, and he did so.

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

6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away.

7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

Cross References

• 1. [Ezra 2:2]