Texts in Conversation
Esther 2:7 echoes Genesis 39:6 by describing Esther’s appearance with the same double expression used for Joseph, describing them as exceptionally attractive Hebrews who rise to power in a foreign court, suggesting a deliberate literary connection between their narratives.
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Genesis 39:6
Hebrew Bible
5 From the time Potiphar appointed him over his household and over all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s household for Joseph’s sake. The blessing of the Lord was on everything that he had, both in his house and in his fields. 6 So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; he gave no thought to anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well built and good-looking. 7 Soon after these things, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me.”
Date: 5th Century B.C.E. (Final composition) (based on scholarly estimates)
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Esther 2:7
Hebrew Bible
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.
Date: 2nd Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... This doubling of the epithet for beauty may suggest that she is lovelier than all the other assembled virgins. The same double epithet is applied to Joseph (Genesis 39:6), and its use here probably signals the general allusion to the Joseph story: in both cases, we have an extraordinarily beautiful Hebrew who ends up in a position of grandeur and power in the royal court ..."
Alter, Robert
The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary
(p. 5550) W. W. Norton & Company, 2018
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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