He had a foster child, daughter of Aminadab his father’s brother. Her name was Esther. When her parents died, he brought her up to womanhood as his own. This lady was beautiful.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 7. Brothers. Josephus, (xi. 6.) the old Latin version of the Syr. Abenezra, and so forth suppose that Mardochai was uncle to Esther. But the Hebrew Syr. Greek and Chal. assert that he was only her cousin. Septuagint “daughter of Aminadab, (or rather Abihail, verse 15) his father‘s brother, and her name was Esther; and after her parents were dead, he educated her for a wife;” εις γυναικα, as some Rabbins also maintain, believing she was an heiress. Yet other Greek copies, Hebrew and so forth read, “he educated her as a daughter, θυγατερα: for the damsel was very beautiful.” He had probably adopted her. Calmet.—Edissa. Hebrew hadassa, ( Bible.) or hadassah, signified “of myrtle.” Menochius.—Esther, “a sheep.” Calmet.