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Thursday, June 19th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Read the Bible

The NET Bible®

Esther 2:11

And day after day Mordecai used to walk back and forth in front of the court of the harem in order to learn how Esther was doing and what might happen to her.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Chamberlain;   Marriage;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Care;   Children;   Family;   Home;   Parental;   Solicitude;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Woman;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Shushan;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Esther;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Mithradates;   Mithredath;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for July 15;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Every day Mordecai took a walk in front of the harem’s courtyard to learn how Esther was doing and to see what was happening to her.
Hebrew Names Version
Mordekhai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Ester did, and what would become of her.
King James Version
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
English Standard Version
And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
New Century Version
Every day Mordecai walked back and forth near the courtyard where the king's women lived to find out how Esther was and what was happening to her.
Amplified Bible
Every day Mordecai [who was an attendant in the king's court] walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn how Esther was getting along and what was happening to her.
New American Standard Bible
And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.
World English Bible
Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Aud Mordecai walked euery day before the court of the womens house, to knowe if Ester did well, and what should be done with her.
Legacy Standard Bible
And every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to know the well-being of Esther and how she fared.
Berean Standard Bible
Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn about Esther's welfare and what was happening to her.
Contemporary English Version
He was anxious to see how Esther was getting along and to learn what had happened to her. So each day he would walk back and forth in front of the court where the women lived.
Complete Jewish Bible
Every day Mordekhai would walk around in front of the courtyard of the harem's house in order to know how Ester was doing and what was happening to her.
Darby Translation
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
Easy-to-Read Version
Every day Mordecai walked back and forth near the area where the king's women lived. He did this because he wanted to find out how Esther was, and what was happening to her.
George Lamsa Translation
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the womens house to learn how Esther did and what should become of her.
Good News Translation
Every day Mordecai would walk back and forth in front of the courtyard of the harem, in order to find out how she was getting along and what was going to happen to her.
Lexham English Bible
And every day Modecai would walk up and down in front of the courtyard of the harem to learn how Esther was doing.
Literal Translation
And Mordecai walked to and fro every day in front of the court of the women's house in order to know Esther's welfare, and what would be done with her.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Mardocheus walked euery daye before ye courte of ye Womes buyldinge, yt he might knowe how Hester dyd, and what shulde become of her.
American Standard Version
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.
Bible in Basic English
And every day Mordecai took his walk before the square of the women's house, to see how Esther was and what would be done to her.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Mardocheus walked euery day before the court of the womens house, that he might knowe howe Esther did, and what shoulde become of her.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.
King James Version (1611)
And Mordecai walked euery day before the court of the womens house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But Mardochaeus used to walk every day by the women’s court, to see what would become of Esther.
English Revised Version
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he walkide ech dai bifor the porche of the dore, in which the chosun virgyns weren kept, and he dide the cure of the helthe of Hester, and wolde wite, what bifelde to hyr.
Update Bible Version
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what would become of her.
New King James Version
And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women's quarters, to learn of Esther's welfare and what was happening to her.
New Living Translation
Every day Mordecai would take a walk near the courtyard of the harem to find out about Esther and what was happening to her.
New Life Bible
And every day Mordecai walked in front of the open space of the house of the king's women to learn how Esther was and how she was getting along.
New Revised Standard
Every day Mordecai would walk around in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was and how she fared.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, throughout every day, Mordecai, used to walk to and fro, before the court of the house of the women, - to get to know the welfare of Esther, and what would be done with her.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he walked every day before the court of the house, in which the chosen virgins were kept, having a care for Esther’s welfare, and desiring to know what would befall her.
Revised Standard Version
And every day Mor'decai walked in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was and how she fared.
Young's Literal Translation
and during every day Mordecai is walking up and down before the court of the house of the women to know the welfare of Esther, and what is done with her.
THE MESSAGE
Every day Mordecai strolled beside the court of the harem to find out how Esther was and get news of what she was doing.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Every day Mordecai walked back and forth in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

Contextual Overview

1 When these things had been accomplished and the rage of King Ahasuerus had diminished, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decided against her. 2 The king's servants who attended him said, "Let a search be conducted in the king's behalf for attractive young women. 3 And let the king appoint officers throughout all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the attractive young women to Susa the citadel, to the harem under the authority of Hegai, the king's eunuch who oversees the women, and let him provide whatever cosmetics they desire. 4 Let the young woman whom the king finds most attractive become queen in place of Vashti." This seemed like a good idea to the king, so he acted accordingly. 5 Now there happened to be a Jewish man in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai. He was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile. 7 Now he was acting as the guardian of Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, for neither her father nor her mother was alive. This young woman was very attractive and had a beautiful figure. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had raised her as if she were his own daughter. 8 It so happened that when the king's edict and his law became known many young women were taken to Susa the citadel to be placed under the authority of Hegai. Esther also was taken to the royal palace to be under the authority of Hegai, who was overseeing the women. 9 This young woman pleased him, and she found favor with him. He quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her rations; he also provided her with the seven specially chosen young women who were from the palace. He then transferred her and her young women to the best quarters in the harem. 10 Now Esther had not disclosed her people or her lineage, for Mordecai had instructed her not to do so.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Mordecai: The apartments of the women are accounted so inviolable, that it is even a crime to enquire what passes within their walls. A man, says Chardin, may walk a hundred days, one after the other, by the house where the women are, and yet know no more what is done there than at the farther end of Tartary. This sufficiently explains the conduct of Mordecai.

walked: Esther 2:13, Esther 2:14

how Esther did: Heb. the peace of Esther, Genesis 37:14, 1 Samuel 17:18, Acts 15:36

Cross-References

Genesis 10:7
The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
Genesis 10:29
Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
Genesis 25:18
His descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next to Egypt all the way to Asshur. They settled away from all their relatives.
1 Samuel 15:7
Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is next to Egypt.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house,.... Being one of the court, and in an high post, as Aben Ezra thinks, he might walk there without being examined, and called to an account for it:

to know how Esther did; to inquire of her health and prosperity, or peace, the word here used signifies, even all sorts of it:

and what should become of her; or was done to her, whether she was well used, or as yet introduced to the king, how it fared with her, and what befell her.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Mordecai occupied, apparently, a humble place in the royal household. He was probably one of the porters or doorkeepers at the main entrance to the palace Esther 2:21.


 
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