Mordecai

How Nave’s arranged it

• A Jewish captive in PersiaEsther 2:5Esther 2:6
• Foster father of EstherEsther 2:7
• Informs Ahasuerus of a conspiracy against his life and is rewardedEsther 2:21–23Esther 6:1–11
• Promoted in Haman's placeEsther 8:1Esther 8:2Esther 8:15Esther 10:1–3
• Intercedes with Ahasuerus for the Jews; establishes the festival of Purim in commemoration of their deliveranceEsther 8Esther 9

The passages, in Bible order (10)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 10 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Esther 2:5

   Now there was at the citadel of Susa a Jewish man from the tribe of Benjamin named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish.

   ›Commentary on Esther 2:52 voices

   “Mordecai, the eunuch Est 2:7, Est 2:11, has been conjectured to be the same as Matacas, who, according to Ctesias, was the most powerful of the eunuchs during the latter portion of the reign of Xerxes. Mordecai’s line of descent is traced from a certain Kish, carried off by Nebuchadnezzar in 598 B.C. - the year of Jeconiah’s captivity - who was his great-grandfather.

   “Her sweet and amiable appearance made her a favorite with all who looked upon her (Es 2:15, last clause). Her Hebrew name (Es 2:7) was Hadassah, that is, "myrtle," which, on her introduction into the royal harem, was changed to Esther, that is, the star Venus, indicating beauty and good fortune [GESENIUS].

   Everything gathered on Esther 2:5→

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2. Esther 2:6

   He had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon among those taken captive with Jeconiah king of Judah.

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3. Esther 2:7

   And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah (that is, Esther), the daughter of his uncle, because she did not have a father or mother. The young woman was lovely in form and appearance, and when her father and mother had died, Mordecai had taken her in as his own daughter.

   ›Commentary on Esther 2:72 voices

   “Her wisdom and virtue were her greatest beauty, but it is an advantage to be a diamond to be well set. (4.) Mordecai, her cousin-german, was her guardian, brought her up, and took her for his own daughter. The LXX. says that he designed to make her his wife; if that were so, he was to be praised that he opposed not her better preferment.

   “And he brought up Hadassah (that is Esther) his uncle's daughter,.... Her Hebrew name was Hadassah, which signifies a myrtle, to which the Israelites, and good men among them, are sometimes compared, Zec 1:

   Everything gathered on Esther 2:7→

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4. Esther 2:21–23

   In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, grew angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.

   ›Commentary on Esther 2:21–232 voices

   “Mordecai got notice of their treason, and, by Esther's means, discovered it to the king, hereby confirming her in and recommending himself to the king's favour. How he came to the knowledge of it does not appear. Whether he overheard their discourse, or whether they offered to draw him in with them, so it was that the thing was known to him.

   “Conspiracies inside the palace were ordinary occurrences in Persia. Xerxes was ultimately murdered by Artabanus, the captain of the guard, and Aspamitras, a chamberlain and eunuch.

   Everything gathered on Esther 2:21–23→

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5. Esther 6:1–11

   That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.

   ›Commentary on Esther 6:1–112 voices

   “Sleep was removed from the eyes of Ahasuerus, whom the Seventy call Artaxerxes, that he might turn over the memoirs of his faithful ministers and come on Mordecai, by whose evidence he was delivered from a conspiracy; and that thus Esther might be more acceptable and the whole people of the Jews escape imminent death.

   “Commentary on Chapter VI 1. Sleep - How vain are all the contrivances of foolish man against the wise and omnipotent God, who hath the hearts and hands of kings and all men perfectly at his disposal, and can by such trivial accidents (as they are accounted) change their minds, and produce such terrible effects.

   Everything gathered on Esther 6:1–11→

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6. Esther 8:1

   That same day King Xerxes awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king’s presence because Esther had revealed his relation to her.

   ›Commentary on Esther 8:12 voices

   “On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman . . . unto Esther--His property was confiscated, and everything belonging to him, as some compensation for the peril to which she had been exposed. Mordecai came before the king--that is, was introduced at court and appointed one of the seven counsellors.

   “The king - give the house of Haman - As Haman was found guilty of treasonable practices against the peace and prosperity of the king and his empire, his life was forfeited and his goods confiscated. And as Mordecai had been the means of preserving the king’s life, and was the principal object of Haman’s malice, it was but just to confer his property upon him, as well as his dignity and office, as Mordecai was found deserving of the former, and fit to discharge the duties of the latter.

   Everything gathered on Esther 8:1→

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7. Esther 8:2

   The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.

   ›Commentary on Esther 8:22 voices

   “Ring - That ring which he had formerly given to Haman he now gives to Mordecai, and with it that power whereof this ring was a sign, making him, as Haman had been, the keeper of his signet.

   “And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai,.... which, with the Persians, was a token of the strongest affection and strictest friendship (z); the Targum calls it his signatory ring, that with which he signed laws, edicts, letters, patents, &c. and so hereby made him keeper of the seals: and Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman; appointed him her steward of the estate of Haman, the king had given her. (z) Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 26. & l. 2. c. 19.

   Everything gathered on Esther 8:2→

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8. Esther 8:15

   Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

   ›Commentary on Esther 8:152 voices

   “Mordecai went out . . . in royal apparel--He was invested with the khelaat of official honor. A dress of blue and white was held in great estimation among the Persians; so that Mordecai, whom the king delighted to honor, was in fact arrayed in the royal dress and insignia.

   “Haman was hanged; and, when the wicked perish, there is shouting, Prov. xi. Mordecai was preferred; and, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.

   Everything gathered on Esther 8:15→

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9. Esther 9:1

   On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the king’s command and edict were to be executed. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but their plan was overturned and the Jews overpowered those who hated them.

   ›Commentary on Esther 9:12 voices

   “YOU are probably aware that some persons have denied the Inspiration of the Book of Esther because the name of God does not occur in it. They might, with equal justice, deny the Inspiration of a great number of chapters in the Bible, and of a far greater number of verses. Although the name of God does not occur in the Book of Esther, the Lord Himself is there most conspicuously in every incident which it relates.

   “Now in the twelfth month - What a number of providences, and none of them apparently of an extraordinary nature, concurred to preserve a people so signally, and to all human appearance so inevitably, doomed to destruction! None are ever too low for God to lift up, or too high for God to cast down. Must not these heathens have observed that the uncontrollable hand of an Almighty Being had worked in behalf of the Jews? And must not this have had a powerful tendency to discredit the idolatry of the country?

   Everything gathered on Esther 9:1→

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10. Esther 10:1–3

    Now King Xerxes imposed tribute throughout the land, even to its farthest shores.

    ›Commentary on Esther 10:1–32 voices

    “And the King Ahasuerus laid a tribute on the land, and upon the isles of the sea. Which include all his dominions, both on the continent, and on the sea, the Aegean sea; though Aben Ezra thinks it regards such as were not under his government, but stood in fear of him, of whom he demanded tribute. If Ahasuerus was Xerxes, perhaps his exchequer might be drained by his wars with the Grecians, which put him upon this; though some understand this of his renewing the taxes and tribute, which he remitted upon his marriage with Esther, Est 2:18.

    “A tribute - Perhaps an allusion to some fresh arrangement of the tribute likely to have followed on the return of Xerxes from Greece. Upon the isles of the sea - Cyprus, Aradus, the island of Tyre, Platea, etc., remained in the hands of the Persians after the victories of the Greeks, and may be the “isles” here intended.

    Everything gathered on Esther 10:1–3→

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