Original Word: מָרְדְּכַי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Mordkay
Pronunciation: mor-deh-KAI
Phonetic Spelling: (mor-dek-ah'-ee)
KJV: Mordecai
NASB: Mordecai, Mordecai's
Word Origin: [of foreign derivation]

1. Mordecai, an Israelite

Mordecai

Of foreign derivation; Mordecai, an Israelite -- Mordecai.

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a companion of Zerubbabel, also a cousin of Esther
NASB Translation
Mordecai (56), Mordecai's (3).

מָרְּדֳּכַי (van d. H. מָרְדְּכַי) proper name, masculine Mordecai (perhaps from n.div. Marduk (מְרֹרַךְ), Zim^{ZAW xi.161 ff.}; compare further Wild (citing Jensen)^{Comm. Est. 173 f.}); — ׳מ Ezra 2:2; Esther 2:5 +; מָרְדֳּכָ֑י Esther 2:22 +; —

1 companion of Zerubbabel, according to Ezra 2:2 = Nehemiah 7:7. ᵐ5 Μαραθχαιος, Μαρδοχαιος, etc:

2 cousin and adoptive father of Esther Esther 2:5,7,10 55t. Esther. ᵐ5 Μαρδοχαιος.

מֻרְדָּף see רדף, רדה.

Identity and Lineage

Mordecai is introduced as “the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite” (Esther 2:5). The ancestry recalls King Saul’s line and explains later tensions with the Agagite Haman (Esther 3:1). Orphaned cousin Hadassah (Esther) was taken in and raised by Mordecai as his own daughter (Esther 2:7).

Historical Setting

All events in Esther occur during the reign of Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) of Persia, ca. 486-465 BC. The Jewish community had been dispersed by the Babylonian exile; many, including Mordecai’s family, lived in Susa, one of the empire’s capitals. Though living outside the promised land, Mordecai remained loyal to the covenant people and their God.

Biblical Narrative Overview

1. Service at the gate – “Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate” (Esther 2:19). Gate-service implies an official post in the royal court.
2. Exposing treason – He uncovered a plot by Bigthan and Teresh to assassinate the king (Esther 2:21-23). The deed was recorded but at first unrewarded.
3. Refusal to bow – When the king promoted Haman, “the royal officials… knelt down and paid honor… but Mordecai would not” (Esther 3:2). The act was understood as religious fidelity rather than civil rebellion.
4. The edict of annihilation – Mordecai mourned publicly when Haman gained authority to destroy all Jews (Esther 4:1-3).
5. Intercession with Esther – His message to the queen is pivotal: “Who knows if you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).
6. Reversal of fortune – A sleepless king had the chronicles read and discovered Mordecai’s earlier loyalty, leading to the ironic scene where Haman must honor Mordecai (Esther 6:10-11).
7. Salvation and victory – Through Esther’s petitions, Haman falls, the genocidal decree is countered, and Mordecai issues new edicts granting Jewish self-defense (Esther 8:8-12).
8. Establishing Purim – “Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters… to establish among them that they should celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar” (Esther 9:20-21).
9. Exaltation – “King Ahasuerus promoted Mordecai… and he was second in rank to King Ahasuerus” (Esther 10:3).

Key Events Involving Mordecai

• Guardianship (Esther 2:7) – A model of covenantal family responsibility.
• Civil loyalty (Esther 2:21-23) – Honors the king yet fears God supremely.
• Prophetic courage (Esther 4:13-14) – Calls Esther to action, recognizing divine providence.
• Strategic leadership (Esther 8-9) – Crafts legislation that saves the Jewish people while respecting Persian legal forms.
• Administrative excellence (Esther 10:3) – “Great among the Jews and held in high esteem by the multitude of his brothers, working for the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen.”

Occurrences Outside Esther

Ezra 2:2 and Nehemiah 7:7 list a “Mordecai” among leaders who returned from exile with Zerubbabel. The majority view holds this is a different individual sharing the same name; if identical, he would have traveled to Jerusalem and later held office in Susa, a possibility but chronologically strained. Either way, the references underscore the name’s prominence in the post-exilic period.

Character and Faith

• Faithful – refuses idolatrous homage.
• Discerning – detects political plots.
• Self-sacrificing – risks welfare for Esther and the nation.
• Humble – serves before he is honored.
• Peace-seeking – “speaking peace to all his countrymen” (Esther 10:3).

Theological Themes

Providence – God’s unseen hand orchestrates timing (“the very night” the king could not sleep, Esther 6:1).

Covenant Preservation – Despite exile, the Abrahamic promise of national survival is upheld.

Reversal – The gallows built for Mordecai become Haman’s demise (Esther 7:10).

Mediatory Advocacy – Mordecai’s intercession through Esther foreshadows Christ’s mediation on behalf of His people.

Liturgical Legacy: Purim

Purim commemorates the deliverance wrought through Mordecai and Esther. The twin days signify “sorrow turned to joy and mourning into a holiday” (Esther 9:22). Mordecai’s written directives give the festival enduring authority among Jews worldwide.

Prophetic and Typological Significance

• Mordecai as type of the faithful remnant preserved under Gentile dominion.
• His elevation anticipates the eschatological vindication of God’s people (cf. Daniel 7:27).
• The clash with Haman, a descendant of Agag, echoes the perpetual struggle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

Ministry Lessons for Today

1. Courage to stand alone when conscience is at stake.
2. God’s providence can use ordinary vocational faithfulness for extraordinary deliverance.
3. Spiritual leadership involves both prayerful dependence and strategic action.
4. Remembering past deliverances (Purim) fuels present trust and gratitude.
5. Advocacy for the vulnerable is a biblical mandate regardless of personal risk.

Annotated Reference List

Esther 2:5-7 – Lineage and guardianship

Esther 2:21-23 – Loyalty recorded in royal chronicles

Esther 3:2-6 – Refusal to bow and resulting hostility

Esther 4:1-17 – Mourning, fasting, and call to Esther

Esther 6:1-13 – Honored on Haman’s procession

Esther 8:1-17 – Royal signet ring entrusted to Mordecai

Esther 9:20-32 – Institution of Purim

Esther 10:1-3 – Final commendation

Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7 – Possible earlier bearer of the name during the first return

Mordecai’s life, woven through roughly sixty Old Testament occurrences, showcases God’s sovereign care, the power of principled conviction, and the blessing that flows when leaders “work for the good of their people” (Esther 10:3).

בְּמָרְדֳּכַ֣י במרדכי וּֽלְמָרְדֳּכַ֖י וּמָ֨רְדֳּכַ֔י וּמָרְדֳּכַ֖י וּמָרְדֳּכַ֗י וּמָרְדֳּכַ֞י וּמָרְדֳּכַ֥י ולמרדכי ומרדכי לְֽמָרְדֳּכַ֞י לְמָרְדֳּכַ֔י לְמָרְדֳּכַ֖י לְמָרְדֳּכַ֣י לְמָרְדֳּכָ֑י לְמָרְדֳּכָ֔י למרדכי מָרְדֳּכַ֔י מָרְדֳּכַ֖י מָרְדֳּכַ֗י מָרְדֳּכַ֛י מָרְדֳּכַ֜י מָרְדֳּכַ֞י מָרְדֳּכַ֡י מָרְדֳּכַ֣י מָרְדֳּכַ֤י מָרְדֳּכַ֥י מָרְדֳּכַי֙ מָרְדֳּכָ֑י מָרְדֳּכָֽי׃ מרדכי מרדכי׃ bə·mā·rə·do·ḵay bemaredoChai bəmārədoḵay lə·mā·rə·do·ḵay lə·mā·rə·do·ḵāy lemaredoChai ləmārədoḵay ləmārədoḵāy mā·rə·do·ḵay mā·rə·do·ḵāy maredoChai mārədoḵay mārədoḵāy ū·lə·mā·rə·do·ḵay ū·mā·rə·do·ḵay ulemaredoChai ūləmārədoḵay umaredoChai ūmārədoḵayInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts