Biblical Person · Old · Return & Second Temple
Mordecai
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Mordecai was a Jewish exile in Persia who played a key role in the events of the Book of Esther, helping to thwart Haman's plot to destroy the Jews.
AI-assisted summary — may contain inaccuracies.
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Where Mordecai appears
52 verses across 3 books.
Verses mentioning Mordecai
- Esth 2:5 — Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;
- Esth 2:7 — And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took
- Esth 2:10 — Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not shew it.
- Esth 2:11 — And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women’s house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.
- Esth 2:15 — Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king’s chamberl
- Esth 2:19 — And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat in the king’s gate.
- Esth 2:20 — Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought up with him.
- Esth 2:21 — In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door, were wroth, and sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
- Esth 2:22 — And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.
- Esth 3:2 — And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
- Esth 3:3 — Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?
- Esth 3:4 — Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
- Esth 3:5 — And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
- Esth 3:6 — And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus,
- Esth 4:1 — When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
- Esth 4:4 — So Esther’s maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received i
- Esth 4:5 — Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
- Esth 4:6 — So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king’s gate.
- Esth 4:7 — And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
- Esth 4:9 — And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.
- Esth 4:10 — Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto Mordecai;
- Esth 4:12 — And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words.
- Esth 4:13 — Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.
- Esth 4:15 — Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
- Esth 4:17 — So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
- Esth 5:9 — Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
- Esth 5:13 — Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.
- Esth 5:14 — Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily
- Esth 6:2 — And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
- Esth 6:3 — And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.
- Esth 6:4 — And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
- Esth 6:10 — Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that thou h
- Esth 6:11 — Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the kin
- Esth 6:12 — And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
- Esth 6:13 — And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast
- Esth 7:9 — And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of H
- Esth 7:10 — So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
- Esth 8:1 — On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what he was unto her.
- Esth 8:2 — And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
- Esth 8:7 — Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew, Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the
- Esth 8:9 — Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto
- Esth 8:15 — And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced an
- Esth 9:3 — And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.
- Esth 9:4 — For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame went out throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and greater.
- Esth 9:20 — And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh and far,
- Esth 9:23 — And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them;
- Esth 9:29 — Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.
- Esth 9:31 — To confirm these days of Purim in their times appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their seed, the matters of
- Esth 10:2 — And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Me
- Esth 10:3 — For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed.
- Ezra 2:2 — Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
- Neh 7:7 — Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;
The Church Fathers on Mordecai
Patristic commentary on the Scriptures that name Mordecai.
Mordecai was also persecuted as Jesus was persecuted. Mordecai was persecuted by the wicked Haman; and Jesus was persecuted by the rebellious people. Mordecai by his prayer delivered his people from the hands of Haman; and Jesus by his prayer delivered his people from the hands of Satan. Mordecai was delivered from the hands of his…
When Mordecai heard about the destruction of the Jews which had been sanctioned with an imperial decree, he put on clothes for mourning and proceeded to the gates of the palace with bitterness in his soul and grief in his voice. In the same way, after the teachers of the church hear of the persecution which the princes of this world…
It is written in Proverbs: "He who digs a pit will fall into it; and when one starts a stone rolling it will roll back upon him" (Proverbs 26). So too Haman was forced to suffer the cross he had prepared for Mordecai. We might, however, ask what it means that, as we have read, the cross itself was made fifty cubits high. For the Law…
Historic voices touch this life
44 passages from 7 historic works cite verses that mention Mordecai.
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible · 11 passages
- John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · 10 passages
- Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary · 9 passages
- Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament · 6 passages
- Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary · 6 passages
- Antiquities of the Jews · 1 passage
- Catechism of the Catholic Church · 1 passage