“And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.”
Mordecai's adoption and care of Hadassah (Esther), his cousin who has lost both parents, establishes a familial bond and suggests Mordecai's devotion to his family's welfare and obligations, while her changing name to Esther marks her adaptation to Persian culture. The concealment of her Jewish identity shows both the precariousness of Jewish existence in the diaspora and a strategic consideration that allows her to rise in the Persian court without the prejudice that might otherwise prevent her advancement. This verse demonstrates how God sometimes requires His covenant people to operate with wisdom and discretion, concealing their identity when necessary to preserve themselves and ultimately to accomplish His purposes.
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