Esther was taken (2:8)
Against her will, and despite her attempts to hide.
(Targum; Targum Sheini)
For Mordechai had instructed her not to tell (2:10)
Mordechai hoped that from Esther's refusal to divulge her origin they would assume she was of lowly descent and release her (Rashi). Or, as long as her Jewishness was unknown, she would be free to observe the Torah in secret (Ibn Ezra).
[All the while] Esther did not divulge her race or ancestry, for Mordechai had instructed her not to tell.
And when the virgins were gathered a second time... (2:19)
With the great honors bestowed upon her on the one hand, and by threatening her position by gathering maidens for a second time on the other, the king hoped to persuade Esther to reveal her origin. But with the help of Mordechai who "was sitting at the king's gate" to encourage her, she did not give in.
(Rashi; Talmud, Megillah 13a)
20 Esther would [still] not divulge her ancestry or race, as Mordechai had instructed her. Indeed, Esther followed Mordechai's instructions just as she had done while under his care.
4 Esther's maids and chamberlains came and told her about it and the queen was terrified. She sent garments with which to dress Mordechai so that he would remove his sackcloth from upon him, but he did not accept them.
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דוַ֠תָּב֠וֹאנָה (וַ֠תָּב֠וֹאינָה כתיב) נַֽעֲר֨וֹת אֶסְתֵּ֤ר וְסָֽרִיסֶ֨יהָ֙ וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לָ֔הּ וַתִּתְחַלְחַ֥ל הַמַּלְכָּ֖ה מְאֹ֑ד וַתִּשְׁלַ֨ח בְּגָדִ֜ים לְהַלְבִּ֣ישׁ אֶת־מָרְדֳּכַ֗י וּלְהָסִ֥יר שַׂקּ֛וֹ מֵֽעָלָ֖יו וְלֹ֥א קִבֵּֽל: |
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5Then Esther summoned Hathach, [one] of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed before her, and she commanded him concerning Mordecai, to know what this was and why this was. |
הוַתִּקְרָא֩ אֶסְתֵּ֨ר לַֽהֲתָ֜ךְ מִסָּֽרִיסֵ֤י הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶֽעֱמִ֣יד לְפָנֶ֔יהָ וַתְּצַוֵּ֖הוּ עַֽל־מָרְדֳּכָ֑י לָדַ֥עַת מַה־זֶּ֖ה וְעַל־מַה־זֶּֽה: |
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יוַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לַֽהֲתָ֑ךְ וַתְּצַוֵּ֖הוּ אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי: |
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11"All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that any man or woman who comes to the king, into the inner court, who is not summoned, there is but one law for him, to be put to death, except the one to whom the king extends the golden scepter, that he may live, but I have not been summoned to come to the king these thirty days." |
יאכָּל־עַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ וְעַם֩ מְדִינ֨וֹת הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ יֹֽדְעִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּל־אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשָּׁ֡ה אֲשֶׁר יָב֣וֹא־אֶל־הַמֶּ֩לֶךְ֩ אֶל־הֶֽחָצֵ֨ר הַפְּנִימִ֜ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־יִקָּרֵ֗א אַחַ֤ת דָּתוֹ֙ לְהָמִ֔ית לְ֠בַ֠ד מֵֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר יוֹשִֽׁיט־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־שַׁרְבִ֥יט הַזָּהָ֖ב וְחָיָ֑ה וַֽאֲנִ֗י לֹ֤א נִקְרֵ֨אתִי֙ לָב֣וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֶ֖ה שְׁלוֹשִׁ֥ים יֽוֹם: |
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12And they told Esther's words to Mordecai. |
יבוַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ לְמָרְדֳּכָ֔י אֵ֖ת דִּבְרֵ֥י אֶסְתֵּֽר: |
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13And Mordecai ordered to reply to Esther, "Do not imagine to yourself that you will escape in the king's house from among all the Jews. |
יגוַיֹּ֥אמֶר מָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְהָשִׁ֣יב אֶל־אֶסְתֵּ֑ר אַל־תְּדַמִּ֣י בְנַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ לְהִמָּלֵ֥ט בֵּֽית־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מִכָּל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים: |
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14For if you remain silent at this time, relief and rescue will arise for the Jews from elsewhere, and you and your father's household will perish; and who knows whether at a time like this you will attain the kingdom?" |
ידכִּ֣י אִם־הַֽחֲרֵ֣שׁ תַּֽחֲרִ֘ישִׁי֘ בָּעֵ֣ת הַזֹּאת֒ רֶ֣וַח וְהַצָּלָ֞ה יַֽעֲמ֤וֹד לַיְּהוּדִים֙ מִמָּק֣וֹם אַחֵ֔ר וְאַ֥תְּ וּבֵֽית־אָבִ֖יךְ תֹּאבֵ֑דוּ וּמִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ אִם־לְעֵ֣ת כָּזֹ֔את הִגַּ֖עַתְּ לַמַּלְכֽוּת: |
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15Then Esther ordered to reply to Mordecai: |
טווַתֹּ֥אמֶר אֶסְתֵּ֖ר לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶֽל־מָרְדֳּכָֽי: |
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16"Go, assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan and fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, day and night; also I and my maidens will fast in a like manner; then I will go to the king contrary to the law, and if I perish, I perish." |
טזלֵךְ֩ כְּנ֨וֹס אֶת־כָּל־הַיְּהוּדִ֜ים הַנִּמְצְאִ֣ים בְּשׁוּשָׁ֗ן וְצ֣וּמוּ עָ֠לַ֠י וְאַל־תֹּֽאכְל֨וּ וְאַל־תִּשְׁתּ֜וּ שְׁל֤שֶׁת יָמִים֙ לַ֣יְלָה וָי֔וֹם גַּם־אֲנִ֥י וְנַֽעֲרֹתַ֖י אָצ֣וּם כֵּ֑ן וּבְכֵ֞ן אָב֤וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹֽא־כַדָּ֔ת וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָבַ֖דְתִּי אָבָֽדְתִּי: |
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17So Mordecai passed and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. |
יזוַֽיַּֽעֲבֹ֖ר מָרְדָּכָ֑י וַיַּ֕עַשׂ כְּכֹ֛ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוְּתָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו אֶסְתֵּֽר: |
32 And the word of Esther confirmed the observances of these Purim days, and [the story] was included in Scripture.