Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Esther 2:10

Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show [it].

10. Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred ] We must suppose that it would easily be discovered that she, like many of her companions (see Est 2:3), was not Persian by nation. Thus what she desired to conceal was not simply that she was a foreigner, but that she was a Jewess. Nevertheless we have no knowledge from any other source that there was a special antipathy to her people on the part of the Persians. The concealment of her nationality must, one would think, have involved her in various acts both connected with food (cp. Dan 1:8 etc.) and otherwise, which were inconsistent with Judaism. According to the Targum Shn the king on one occasion said to her, “Pray, tell me, who are thy people, and what is thy family?” She replied, “I am ignorant both concerning my people and concerning my family, because, when I was quite a child, my father and mother died and left me.” (Cassel, Comm. p. 302.)

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The Persians had no special contempt for the Jews; but, of course, they despised more or less all the subject races. Esther, with her Aryan name, may have passed for a native Persian.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 10. Esther had not showed her people] This might have prejudiced her with the king; for it was certainly no credit at the Persian court to be a Jew; and we shall find from the sequel that those who were in the Persian dominions were far from being reputable, or in a safe state. Besides, had her lineage been known, envy might have prevented her from ever having access to the king.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Lest the knowledge hereof should either make her contemptible or odious, or bring some inconvenience to the whole nation, as things might happen. But there was also a hand of God in causing this to be concealed, for the better accomplishment of that which he designed, though Mordecai was ignorant of it.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred,…. What nation or family she was of; it not being asked, she was under no obligation to declare it; and being born in Shushan, as very probable, she was taken to be a Persian:

for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show it; lest she should be despised and ill treated on that account; fearing, if the king knew it, he would not marry her, as Aben Ezra; or rather, as the same writer thinks, that she might keep the law of God privately, observe the sabbath, &c.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Est 2:10 contains a supplementary remark. This kind and respectful treatment was shown to Esther, because, in obedience to Mordochai’s command, she had not shown her people nor her kindred, i.e., her Jewish extraction; for a Jewish maiden would hardly have experienced such friendly usage. Est 2:11 also contains an additional notice, prefixed here to enable what follows to be rightly understood, and repeated in another connection Est 2:19, and on several other occasions: Mordochai walked every day before the court or enclosure of the women’s house, to know the welfare ( ) of Esther and what became of her ( , properly, what was done to her). Hence Mordochai was in constant communication with Esther. How this communication was effected is not more particularly stated; probably by means of the maids appointed to wait on her. Jewish expositors are of opinion, that Mordochai held high office, and that having consequently free access to the royal palace, he could easily find the means of communicating with his relative.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(10) Esther had not shewed . . .From the hope on Mordecais part that she might pass for a native Persian, and that her Jewish birth should be no hindrance to her advancement. The king does not learn his wifes nation till some time afterwards (Est. 7:4).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

10. Not showed her people She was directed to this course by her cousin and foster-father as a matter of politic prudence, lest her attachment to her race and religion should prejudice her interests with the officers of the harem.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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

Ver. 10. Esther had not shewed her people ] Because the Jews were slighted as captives and forlorn (how dear to the gods that nation is, saith Cicero, it appeareth, quod est victa, quod elocata, quod servata, in that they are conquered, captivated, and not utterly destroyed by us), they were also generally hated, as different in religion, and would not so much as drink with heathens, lest they should drink things sacrificed to idols. They held it meritorious in later times to kill an idolater, as Tacitus testifieth; and at this day they say, Optimus inter gentes, &c., The very best among the Gentiles is worthy to have his head bruised as a serpent. A nasty people they are still, and blood thirsty, odious, and sordid. A historian telleth us of an emperor, travelling into Egypt, and there meeting with certain Jews, he was so annoyed with the stench of them, that he cried out, O Marcomanni, O Quadi, O Sarmatae, tandem alios vobis deteriores inveni (Ammian. lib. 2), This is the basest and most contemptible people that ever I lighted upon. The Romans would not own them, when they had conquered them, as they did other nations, though they complied never so much, and were their servants (Aug. in Psa 58:1-11 ). The Turks so hate them for crucifying Christ, that they use to say, in detestation of a thing, I would I might die a Jew, then; as when they would assure anything, in execrationibus dicunt Iudaeus sim, si fallo, they curse themselves, and say, Let me be held a Jew if I deceive thee (Sanctius in Zec 8:13 ). This lieth upon them as a punishment for their unexpiable guilt in putting to death the Lord of life. But in Esther’s time they were hated chiefly for their religion. In prudence, therefore, she concealeth her kindred, as being not called to give an account of her faith; and, living private, might well perform her devotions, and yet not thrust herself into observation.

For Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it ] Lest she should be cashiered the court for a Jewess, which was then held crime enough, as afterwards it was, in Nero’s days, to be a Christian; and this haud perinde in crimine, quam odio humani generis, as Tacitus hath it, not for any great fault so much, as by the hatred of mankind, incensed and set on work by the devil, doubtless, to root out the true religion, and to set up himself in the hearts of men as god of this present world. Hence those complaints of Tertullian and Justin Martyr, in their Apologies for Christians, that their name, and not their crimes, was hated and hissed out of all companies. Odio publico est confessio nominis, non examinatio criminis. Solius hominis crimea est, &c. (Tert. Apol. c. 1-3; Just. Rev 2 ). Wisely, therefore, did Mordecai charge Esther to conceal herself for present; so long as it might be done without prejudice to the truth, and scandal to her profession. Worthily also did holy Esther, in obeying Mordecai, her faithful foster father, in ruling her tongue, that unruly member; and in that, although she had changed her keeper, yet she had not let go her integrity, but held with that good woman, in Jerome, who cried out, Non ideo fateri volo, ne peream: sed ideo mentiri nolo, ne peccem.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)