Hadassah. — This is evidently formed from the Hebrew hadas, the myrtle: Esther is generally assumed to be a Persian name, meaning a star. Unless we assume that this latter name was given afterwards, and is here used by anticipation, we have here an early case of the common Jewish practice of using two names, a Hebrew and a Gentile one — e.g., Saul, Paul; John, Mark; Joses, Justus, &c.
Uncle. — Abihail (see Esther 2:15).