אֶסְתֵּר

Esther 2:7 אֶסְתֵּר֙ [is] Esther

And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter.

Esther 2:8 אֶסְתֵּר֙ Esther

When the king’s command and edict had been proclaimed, many young women gathered at the citadel of Susa under the care of Hegai. Esther was also taken to the palace and placed under the care of Hegai, the custodian of the women.

Esther 2:10 אֶסְתֵּ֔ר Esther

Esther did not reveal her people or her lineage, because Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.

Esther 2:11 אֶסְתֵּ֔ר Esther

And every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn about Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her.

Esther 2:15 אֶסְתֵּ֣ר אֶסְתֵּר֙ Esther

Now Esther was the daughter of Abihail, the uncle from whom Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter. And when it was her turn to go to the king, she did not ask for anything except what Hegai, the king’s trusted official in charge of the harem, had advised. And Esther found favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her.

Here: Her Persian or court name, probably related to Persian 'star' or to the goddess name Ishtar. Her Hebrew name, given in 2:7, is Hadassah ('myrtle').

Esther 2:16 אֶסְתֵּ֜ר Esther

She was taken to King Xerxes in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

Here: Her Persian-style name. Most connect it with Persian *stāra* 'star' or with the goddess Ishtar. Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, 'myrtle' (2:7). The narrator uses her court name as she enters the court.

Esther 2:17 אֶסְתֵּר֙ Esther

And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

Here: Her Persian-court name, probably related to Persian 'star' or to the goddess name Ishtar. Her Hebrew name, Hadassah ('myrtle', 2:7), is never used here. The Jewish orphan is crowned under the name that hides who she is (2:10, 20).

Esther 2:18 אֶסְתֵּ֑ר Esther

Then the king held a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his officials and servants. He proclaimed a tax holiday in the provinces and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

Esther 2:20 אֶסְתֵּ֗ר אֶסְתֵּ֣ר Esther

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.

Esther 2:22 לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר אֶסְתֵּ֛ר to Esther, Esther

When Mordecai learned of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and she informed the king on Mordecai’s behalf.

Esther 4:4 אֶסְתֵּ֤ר Esther

When Esther’s maidens and eunuchs came and told her about Mordecai, the queen was overcome with distress. She sent clothes for Mordecai to wear instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.

Esther 4:5 אֶסְתֵּ֨ר Esther

Then Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs appointed to her, and she dispatched him to Mordecai to learn what was troubling him and why.

Esther 4:8 אֶסְתֵּ֖ר Esther

Mordecai also gave Hathach a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for the destruction of the Jews, to show and explain to Esther, urging her to approach the king, implore his favor, and plead before him for her people.

Esther 4:9 לְאֶסְתֵּ֔ר to Esther

So Hathach went back and relayed Mordecai’s response to Esther.

Esther 4:10 אֶסְתֵּר֙ Esther

Then Esther spoke to Hathach and instructed him to tell Mordecai,

Esther 4:12 אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ פ Esther

When Esther’s words were relayed to Mordecai,

Esther 4:13 אֶסְתֵּ֑ר Esther

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.

Esther 4:15 אֶסְתֵּ֖ר Esther

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:

Esther 4:17 אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ ס Esther

So Mordecai went and did all that Esther had instructed him.

Esther 5:1 אֶסְתֵּר֙ Esther

On the third day, Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace across from the king’s quarters. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing the entrance.

Here: Her Persian-court name, probably linked to the word for 'star' or to the goddess Ishtar. Her Hebrew name is Hadassah (2:7). Here she acts as the queen, not as the hidden Jewish orphan.

Esther 5:2 אֶסְתֵּ֣ר לְאֶסְתֵּ֗ר אֶסְתֵּ֔ר Esther, to Esther

As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she found favor in his sight. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

Esther 5:3 אֶסְתֵּ֣ר O Esther

“What is it, Queen Esther?” the king inquired. “What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given to you.”

Here: Her Persian-court name (her Hebrew name is Hadassah, 2:7). He calls her by name, which is personal and warm.

Esther 5:4 אֶסְתֵּ֔ר Esther

“If it pleases the king,” Esther replied, “may the king and Haman come today to the banquet I have prepared for the king.”

Esther 5:5 אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ Esther

“Hurry,” commanded the king, “and bring Haman, so we can do as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Esther 5:6 לְאֶסְתֵּר֙ to Esther

And as they drank their wine, the king said to Esther, “What is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

Esther 5:7 אֶסְתֵּ֖ר Esther

Esther replied, “This is my petition and my request:

Esther 5:12 אֶסְתֵּ֨ר Esther

“What is more,” Haman added, “Queen Esther invited no one but me to join the king at the banquet she prepared, and I am invited back tomorrow along with the king.

Esther 6:14 אֶסְתֵּֽר׃ Esther

While they were still speaking with Haman, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed him to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Esther 7:1 אֶסְתֵּ֥ר Esther

So the king and Haman went to dine with Esther the queen,

Esther 7:2 לְאֶסְתֵּ֜ר אֶסְתֵּ֥ר to Esther, O Esther

and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”

Here: Esther's Persian-style name (her Hebrew name is Hadassah, 2:7). The king's words are addressed to her alone, though Haman sits at the same table.

Esther 7:3 אֶסְתֵּ֤ר Esther

Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, grant me my life as my petition, and the lives of my people as my request.

Esther 7:5 לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר to Esther

Then King Xerxes spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?”

Esther 7:6 אֶסְתֵּ֔ר Esther

Esther replied, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked man—Haman!” And Haman stood in terror before the king and queen.

Here: The queen's Persian-court name. In 7:5 the narrator calls her "Queen Esther"; here she speaks simply as Esther, the woman who has just revealed that her own people are the ones condemned.

Esther 7:7 מֵֽאֶסְתֵּ֣ר from Esther

In his fury, the king arose from drinking his wine and went to the palace garden, while Haman stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life, for he realized that the king was planning a terrible fate for him.

Esther 7:8 אֶסְתֵּ֣ר Esther

Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually assault the queen while I am in the palace?” As soon as the words had left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.

Esther 8:1 לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר to Esther, Esther

That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her.

Here: The recipient. Haman's wealth now goes to the Jewish woman whose people he planned to destroy and plunder.

Esther 8:2 אֶסְתֵּ֛ר Esther

The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.

Esther 8:3 אֶסְתֵּ֗ר Esther

And once again, Esther addressed the king. She fell at his feet weeping and begged him to revoke the evil scheme of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.

Esther 8:4 לְאֶסְתֵּ֔ר אֶסְתֵּ֔ר to Esther, Esther

The king extended the gold scepter toward Esther, and she arose and stood before the king.

Esther 8:7 לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר לְאֶסְתֵּ֗ר to Esther

So King Xerxes said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Haman’s estate to Esther, and he was hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews.

Here: He speaks to Esther first. She is the one who made the plea and the one who risked her life by coming before him.

Esther 9:12 לְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר to Esther

who said to Queen Esther, “In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed and destroyed five hundred men, including Haman’s ten sons. What have they done in the rest of the royal provinces? Now what is your petition? It will be given to you. And what further do you request? It will be fulfilled.”

Esther 9:13 אֶסְתֵּר֙ Esther

Esther replied, “If it pleases the king, may the Jews in Susa also have tomorrow to carry out today’s edict, and may the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be hanged on the gallows.”

Esther 9:29 אֶסְתֵּ֨ר Esther

So Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.

Esther 9:31 וְאֶסְתֵּ֣ר and Esther

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.

Esther 9:32 אֶסְתֵּ֔ר Esther

So Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, which were written into the record.