Esther 2:20
New International Version
But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

New Living Translation
Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.

English Standard Version
Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him.

Berean Standard Bible
Esther 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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Now Esther had not revealed her family and her people, just as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther obeyed the command of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.

New American Standard Bible
Esther still had not revealed her relatives or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her just as she had when under his care.

NASB 1995
Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.

NASB 1977
Esther had not yet made known her kindred or her people, even as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther did what Mordecai told her as she had done when under his care.

Legacy Standard Bible
Esther had not yet told anyone about her kinsmen or her people, just as Mordecai had commanded her; indeed Esther was doing what Mordecai declared that she do, just as she had done when she was being brought up by him.

Amplified Bible
Esther had not revealed her family or her people [that is, her Jewish background], just as Mordecai had instructed her; for Esther did what Mordecai told her just as when she was under his care.

Christian Standard Bible
Esther still did not reveal her family background or her ethnicity, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Esther still had not revealed her birthplace or her ethnic background, as Mordecai had directed. She obeyed Mordecai’s orders, as she always had while he raised her.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
He had told Esther never to tell anyone that she was a Jew, and she obeyed him, just as she had always done.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Esther still had not revealed her family background or nationality, as Mordecai had ordered her. Esther always did whatever Mordecai told her, as she did when she was a child.

Good News Translation
As for Esther, she had still not let it be known that she was Jewish. Mordecai had told her not to tell anyone, and she obeyed him in this, just as she had obeyed him when she was a little girl under his care.

International Standard Version
Now Esther had not declared her heritage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her, for Esther did what Mordecai told her just as she had done when she was raised by him.

Majority Standard Bible
Esther 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.

NET Bible
Esther was still not divulging her lineage or her people, just as Mordecai had instructed her. Esther continued to do whatever Mordecai said, just as she had done when he was raising her.

New Heart English Bible
Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Esther had not yet showed her kindred, nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther performed the commandment of Mordecai, as when she was brought up with him.

World English Bible
Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Esther is not declaring her family and her people, as Mordecai has laid a charge on her, and the saying of Mordecai Esther is doing as when she was truly with him.

Young's Literal Translation
Esther is not declaring her kindred and her people, as Mordecai hath laid a charge upon her, and the saying of Mordecai Esther is doing as when she was truly with him.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Esther not announcing her kindred and her people, as Mordecai commanded to her: and Esther did the saying of Mordecai as when she was in bringing up with him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Neither had Esther as yet declared her country and people, according to his commandment. For whatsoever he commanded, Esther observed: and she did all things in the same manner as she was wont at that time when he brought her up a little one.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Esther had not yet declared her native land and her people, according to his command. For whatever he instructed, Esther observed. And so she did all things as she had become accustomed in the time when he raised her from early childhood.

New American Bible
Esther had not revealed her family or nationality, because Mordecai had told her not to; and Esther continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions, just as she had when she was being brought up by him.

New Revised Standard Version
Now Esther had not revealed her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther obeyed the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was faith fully brought up with him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Esthir did not reveal her tribe and her people according to what Murdacai commanded her, and Esthir was obeying the command of Murdacai, as she was in the faith with him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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--

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Now Esther had not discovered her kindred; for so Mardochaeus commanded her, to fear God, and perform his commandments, as when she was with him: and Esther changed not her manner of life.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Esther Becomes Queen
19When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20Esther 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.

Cross References
Esther 3:2-4
All the royal servants at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, because the king had commanded that this be done for him. But Mordecai would not bow down or pay homage. / Then the royal servants at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the command of the king?” / Day after day they warned him, but he would not comply. So they reported it to Haman to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.

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. / For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 8:6
For how could I bear to see the disaster that would befall my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?”

Esther 9:29-32
So Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim. / And Mordecai sent letters with words of peace and truth to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Xerxes, / in order to confirm these days of Purim at their appointed time, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established them and had committed themselves and their descendants to the times of fasting and lamentation. ...

Daniel 1:8-16
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself. / Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, / but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!” ...

Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. / If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. / But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.”

Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Nehemiah 2:1-5
Now in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence, / so the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? This could only be sadness of the heart.” I was overwhelmed with fear / and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” ...

Nehemiah 4:14
After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

Nehemiah 6:10-13
Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you!” / But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!” / I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ...

Genesis 24:3-4
and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, / but will go to my country and my kindred to take a wife for my son Isaac.”

Genesis 41:16
“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.”

Exodus 2:10
When the child had grown older, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses and explained, “I drew him out of the water.”

Exodus 3:11-12
But Moses asked God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” / “I will surely be with you,” God said, “and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship God on this mountain.”

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”


Treasury of Scripture

Esther had not yet showed 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.

had not yet shewed.

Esther 2:10
Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.

for Esther.

Ephesians 6:1-3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right…

Jump to Previous
Background Care Charge Charged Commanded Commandment Continued Declaring Esther Family Follow Instructions Kept Kindred Laid Mordecai Mor'decai Mordecai's Obeyed Orders Performed Relatives Secret Shewed Showed
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Background Care Charge Charged Commanded Commandment Continued Declaring Esther Family Follow Instructions Kept Kindred Laid Mordecai Mor'decai Mordecai's Obeyed Orders Performed Relatives Secret Shewed Showed
Esther 2
1. Out of the choice of virgins a queen is to be chosen.
5. Mordecai the nursing father of Esther.
8. Esther preferred before the rest.
12. The manner of purification, and going in to the king.
15. Esther, best pleasing the king, is made queen.
21. Mordecai, discovering a treason, is recorded in the chronicles.














Esther still had not revealed her lineage or her people
This phrase highlights Esther's continued discretion and obedience. The Hebrew word for "revealed" is "נָגַד" (nagad), which means to make known or declare. Esther's silence about her Jewish identity is significant in the context of the Persian Empire, where Jews were a minority and often faced prejudice. Her restraint reflects wisdom and strategic patience, qualities that are crucial for her future role in God's plan for the deliverance of her people. Historically, this secrecy underscores the precarious position of Jews in exile, emphasizing the need for discernment and divine timing.

just as Mordecai had instructed
The phrase underscores the influence and authority Mordecai held in Esther's life. The Hebrew root for "instructed" is "צָוָה" (tsavah), meaning to command or charge. Mordecai's guidance is pivotal, reflecting a deep trust and respect between him and Esther. This relationship is a model of godly mentorship and familial responsibility, where Mordecai acts not only as a guardian but as a spiritual guide. His instructions are not arbitrary but are rooted in a protective wisdom that anticipates future challenges.

She obeyed Mordecai's command
The word "obeyed" comes from the Hebrew "שָׁמַע" (shama), which means to hear, listen, or give heed. Esther's obedience is not passive but an active, willing submission to Mordecai's wisdom. This obedience is a testament to her character and her understanding of the importance of following godly counsel. In a broader scriptural context, obedience is a recurring theme, often linked to blessings and divine favor. Esther's compliance is a reflection of her humility and her recognition of Mordecai's God-given authority in her life.

as she had done under his care
This phrase indicates a continuity of behavior and character. The Hebrew for "care" is "אָמַן" (aman), which can mean to support or nurture. It suggests a nurturing relationship where Mordecai's care was not just physical but also spiritual and emotional. Esther's consistent obedience under Mordecai's care highlights the importance of godly upbringing and the impact of a stable, faith-filled environment. It also points to the formative influence of Mordecai's guidance, which prepared Esther for her future role as queen and deliverer of her people.

(20) Esther had not yet . . .--Perhaps this verse is added to meet the supposition that the king wished to replace Esther through finding out her nation.

Verse 20. - Esther had not yet showed, etc. This is inserted to account for the humble position still occupied by Mordecai. In the East a person's relations usually rise with him; and the reader would naturally expect that when Esther was once queen, Mordecai would have become rich and great. Esther's silence accounts for Mordecai's low estate; Mordecai's command (see ver. 10) accounts for Esther's silence. For Esther did the commandment of Mordecai. The royal dignity did not change Esther's heart. She was still the dutiful child she had been so many years. Mordecai had forbidden her to tell her kindred; he had not removed his prohibition, so she had kept silence.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Esther
אֶסְתֵּ֗ר (’es·têr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 635: Esther -- 'star', Ahasuerus' queen who delivered Israel

still had not
אֵ֣ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

revealed
מַגֶּ֤דֶת (mag·ge·ḏeṯ)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

her lineage
מֽוֹלַדְתָּהּ֙ (mō·w·laḏ·tāh)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4138: Nativity, lineage, native country, offspring, family

or her people,
עַמָּ֔הּ (‘am·māh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

just as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

Mordecai
מָרְדֳּכָ֑י (mā·rə·do·ḵāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4782: Mordecai -- a companion of Zerubbabel, also a cousin of Esther

had instructed.
צִוָּ֥ה (ṣiw·wāh)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6680: To lay charge (upon), give charge (to), command, order

She
אֶסְתֵּ֣ר (’es·têr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 635: Esther -- 'star', Ahasuerus' queen who delivered Israel

obeyed
עֹשָׂ֔ה (‘ō·śāh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

Mordecai’s
מָרְדֳּכַי֙ (mā·rə·do·ḵay)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4782: Mordecai -- a companion of Zerubbabel, also a cousin of Esther

command,
מַאֲמַ֤ר (ma·’ă·mar)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3982: Something, said, an edict

as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

she had done
הָיְתָ֥ה (hā·yə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

under his care.
בְאָמְנָ֖ה (ḇə·’ā·mə·nāh)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 545: Bringing up, nourishment


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OT History: Esther 2:20 Esther had not yet made known her (Est Esth. Es)
Esther 2:19
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