Who was Mordecai in the Bible?

A Benjamite, first cousin of Esther, queen of Ahasuerus, who, being an orphan, had been brought up by him. All that is known of his history is contained in the book of Esther. Though a captive he had liberty to sit at the gate of the palace, and when Haman was promoted, the faith of Mordecai shines out in that he refused to bow to Haman an Agagite, even at the command of the king. His reason is not given, but it was doubtless because Haman was an Amalekite, upon whom the curse of God rested. Saul was told to utterly destroy them, even to the asses. Ex. 17:14, 16; Deut. 25:19; 1 Sam. 15:3. Mordecai, by this action, put his life in danger because of the position of Haman; but, though warned, he was staunch in his refusal.

This led to Haman's plotting in his pride, the destruction, not of Mordecai only, but of the Jews generally. God, however, was watching over His people, and when the right moment came, He wrought deliverance. He caused that the king should not sleep, and that the records should be read to him, which brought Mordecai's unrequited service to remembrance. The proud Agagite had to lead him, seated on the king's horse, through the city, and proclaim him as one whom the king delighted to honour. The fall of Haman rapidly followed, and the raising of Mordecai into power. Thus did God honour the faith of one of His people, though they were in captivity. The plot against the Jews was nullified and they became the victors, as it will be in a future day when God's set time has arrived. Mordecai was promoted to high honour and was next to the king; he sought the wealth of his people, 'speaking peace to all his seed.'

Verses 5-7. These verses introduce us now to the leading actors in this book. Mordecai, the Jew, was the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives which had been carried away with Jechoniah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

Here we face one of the inconsistencies charged by higher criticism. But their mistake is quite apparent. They claim that Mordecai belonged to the captives carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. Then they say, that being the case Mordecai must have been over 130 years old and Esther at least 70 years. But does it say that Mordecai was carried away at the time of King Jechoniah? It was not Mordecai who was carried away but his great-grandfather Kish. "The clear and instructive intentions of the historian in this genealogical passage are evident. He points out, through the enumeration of the four generations from Kish to Mordecai, the time which elapsed since the banishment of Jechoniah, which took place before the destruction of the temple. The period of about 120 or more years which since then elapsed to the sixth year of Xerxes are exactly expressed by the four generations. We have also some intimation concerning the period of the narrative, which is assigned to the reign of Xerxes I. That Kish was a Benjamite, is only told for the purpose of distinguishing him from other men with the same name who belonged to the tribe of Levi. One might have thought it impossible that Biblical expositors should commit the mistake of making the information concerning the exile of Jechoniah refer to Mordecai himself--an idea for which there is neither textual nor historical foundation, but rather both against it" (Professor Cassel). Mordecai had brought up Hadassah. She was an orphan, fair of form and good of countenance, his uncle's daughter. Mordecai had adopted her. Hadassah means "myrtle" and Esther "star." Critics have identified the name Esther with Babylonian goddess Isthar (similar to Ashtoreth), and they also claim that Hadassah was the Babylonian title for the same goddess. But such statements are mere inventions.

Mordecai was the great-grandson of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who had been taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon, under Jehoiakim (Jeconiah). This Kish was no doubt of Saul's race, as his name indicates, for in 1 Chr. 9:36 we already met a Kish, the uncle of Kish, Saul's father. It is true that this name is also mentioned as belonging to the members of the Levitical family, but who were probably established in the territory of Benjamin. However that may be, the name of Kish was celebrated on account of it's connection with the royalty, formerly established by God in Israel, but rejected by Him on account of it's unfaithfulness; and it is possible for us to think that Mordecai's great-grandfather belonged to this dethroned royal race. Whereas, at the time of the decree given by Cyrus, Zerubbabel, who was the last representative of the family of David, had returned to Jerusalem with the faithful portion of the tribe of Judah, a representative of the family of Saul had remained with the ruined, rejected people, just as the unfaithful king from this family had formerly done. Mordecai himself was in servitude. He had not taken advantage of the decree of Cyrus in order to return to Jerusalem*, not out of indifference, but because, like Daniel and Nehemiah, he had a responsibility to fulfill at the king's court, and could not leave without special authorization which he was probably forbidden to request on account of the position which he occupied. He "sat in the king's gate." (Esther 2:19, 21; Esther 6:12) We see Daniel himself occupy this place (Dan. 2:49), at the moment when he was raised up in dignity, as governor of the province of Babylon and as the chief administrator of all the wise men of Babylon. No doubt it was a subordinate position, but a position of confidence, implying, as we see in the rest of our account, particular watchfulness over the person of the sovereign ruler. Such was this man and his function. Later we shall become acquainted with his character.

Mordecai brought up his cousin Esther*, the daughter of his uncle who had been orphaned of both her father and mother, in his home as though she were his own daughter. Between these two, the adoptive father and his adoptive daughter, there was a very close and affectionate relationship. Esther was characterized above all else by her obedience to Mordecai's orders, whether or not she understood their bearing. He had forbidden her to declare her people or her birth: Esther obeyed, for "did what Mordecai told her, like as when she was brought up with him." (v. 20) The time had not yet come to declare her origin.

Now we are introduced to a certain Jew, Mordecai, who lived in the city of Shushan. We may wonder why, if he loved his nation, he had not returned to Jerusalem when the Persian king had given his permission for any Jews to return. But evidently there was a very large number of Jews who preferred to remain in Persia. Mordecai's grandfather had been carried captive by the Babylonians, but since that was over 70 years previously, Mordecai was no doubt born in Persia, as were the great majority of Jews who lived during that captivity.

Mordecai had brought up his cousin Hadasseh, or Esther, since she was an orphan. Since neither of her parents were living, it was not hard to conceal the fact that she was Jewish, though she had been adopted by Mordecai, a Jew. If people generally were aware of the fact that she was Jewish, there would have been strong objection to her being allowed to be an applicant for the the place of Queen in Persia. We are told that the young woman was "lovely and beautiful" (v. 7).

Now I return to expound a little the facts that are traced in it as the grand development of secret providence when God's name cannot be named. God can work where He cannot proclaim Himself, and this is remarkably illustrated in the fact that when the command went forth for the young maidens to be sought for the king for him to take his choice, amongst others "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; who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had carried away. 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 for his own daughter. So it came to pass when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also to the king's house to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him" (Esther 2:5-9).

How did this affect the poor people of God? It soon appears in the germ. For was it chance that gave an orphan of Israel a beauty beyond all in those wide provinces?

"There was in Shushan the palace [or, fortress] a certain Jew, whose name [was] Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite; who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And he brought up Hadassah, that [is], Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maiden [was] fair and beautiful; and when her father and mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daughter. So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was heard, and when many maidens were gathered together to Shushan the palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was taken into the king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women. And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with her portions, and the seven maidens, which [were] meet to be given her, out of the king's house: and he removed her and her maidens to the best [place] of the house of the women. Esther had not showed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai had charged her that she should not show [it]. And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her. Now when the turn of every maiden was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that it had been done to her according to the law for the women, twelve months, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with the things for the purifying of the women,) then in this wise came a maiden to the king, whatsoever she desired was given her to go with her out of the house of the women to the king's house. In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's chamberlain, who kept the concubines: she came in to the king no more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by name. 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 to the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. So Esther was taken to king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast to all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the bounty of the king" (vers. 5-18).

In this chapter, the beautiful character of this man of God begins to reveal itself. He substitutes himself for the parents which Esther had lost, and he welcomes her into his home. In a sense, this is a divine role: "For had my father and my mother forsaken me, then had Jehovah taken me up." (Ps. 27:10) He brings her up with care and watches over her with the loving concern of a mother; then, in his relations with the royal court, he openly watches out for the king's welfare, seated at his gate, so as to avert any danger from his person. Since Esther's fortune was connected to Ahasuerus' existence, Mordecai becomes the king's savior, and then silently withdrew, asking nothing for himself, and allowing Providence (all that remained to his oppressed nation) to direct him. It was Providence which had led those two chamberlains to expose their projects in Mordecai's presence. Providence had prepared Esther's ear to receive this communication; Providence had arranged that these matters be recorded in the book of the chronicles in the kings very presence. More and more, the hidden current follows its course to lead us to final deliverance under a reign of peace and righteousness.

Mordecai’s actions

Mordecai, from the beginning, shows kindness, love and concern for Esther. He has not only adopted her in her dire need (Esther having neither father nor mother) but he instructs her (2:10, 20) and watches from the background so as to know all that happens to her (2:11). So Christ was keenly interested in the faithful remnant of Israel during His time on earth, and will be so when the future remnant will be formed.

Mordecai does not bow to Haman, the wicked (7:6). As we will see, Christ refused to bow to Satan.

In the day of this Amalekite, Esther appears in the scene. She had been a poor captive from the land of Israel, and was now in the land of the Persian; not only, however, in the common sorrow and degradation of her people, but with a grief and affliction that were peculiarly her own. She was an orphan, and in every sense a destitute one, save in the kindness and care of her godly kinsman, Mordecai.

We have already sought to describe the character of Ahasuerus and the character of Esther. We will develop and summarize of the character of Mordecai in the course of this account. But first of all we may draw the portrait of the enemy who reappears here in such a sudden way. He is marked by unmanageable pride, the desire to exalt and deify himself, terrible hatred directed against the people of God and against the one who represents them. In order to revenge himself of him, the enemy sacrifices the entire nation. Finally, he is characterized by deceit and infernal craftiness to obtain his murderous purposes. In a word, he is the spirit of wickedness incarnated. Is he not the same one who says: "Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, and let the name of Israel be mentioned no more"? (Ps. 83:4) Can Mordecai, the "poor man" who is defenseless, resist him? Will the wonderful deliverance of the people be renewed now that Israel is no longer the people of God? Now that there is no more Moses or Aaron to intercede for them, and no more Joshua to lead them? Now that a simple decree from the king is enough to wipe them out entirely? Will Amalek triumph here, when Israel has no weapons and no resources? But did he triumph over Christ at Bethlehem, in the wilderness, or on the cross? On all these occasions, the victory of Christ was complete, and His victory was won on behalf of the people: on the cross by giving Himself and in the wilderness by simple dependence on the word of God. But, for Mordecai, the word of God is silent. Nowhere do we find it in this account, and there is a reason for this (although in fact it existed in the midst of the people). Does Mordecai then have any resource to avoid death? Nothing could be easier, some will say. Let him accept the king's decree and reverence Haman. But no: Mordecai remembers that there will always be war against Amalek. He will not bow down before the Agagite any more than Daniel would bow down before Darius. The only difference is that Daniel was forbidden to bow down before God, whereas Mordecai was ordered to bow down and reverence Haman. A true figure of Christ in anticipation, Mordecai refuses to do this. Like his Master, he can say: "Get away behind me, Satan!" There is perpetual war against Amalek. There is no other reason for his resistance to give those around him, but the fact that he is a Jew. (v. 4) He cannot, like Daniel, openly declare by his attitude that he is a servant of God, for everyone could ask him: "Where is your God?" This explains that while on the one hand he forbade Esther to declare her origin, on the other hand he is bound to declare his own origin This declaration makes us think of the Lord's good confession at Gethsemane: "I am [he];" only this confession drew down judgment on Christ alone, so that His own might be delivered, whereas the confession of Mordecai brings down vengeance on all his people. This attitude is in nowise one of pride in Mordecai. He fully recognizes the rights of the head of the nations over him and over his people (rights ordained by God as chastening) but in no way does he recognize the rights of Amalek. Although he is placed under judgment and although he belongs to the rejected royal line through the flesh, which God no longer recognizes, nevertheless he obeys the word of God, kept in his heart, by refusing to bow down to Amalek.

There is great beauty in Mordecai's character. We have already seen his tender and delicate care for the captive daughter of Israel. Now we see his courageous determination to obey the commandment of God, standing firm, unshakable, even though it may cost him dearly, walking in all the dignity of an Israelite, fallen to the lowest level no doubt, but the object, despite everything, of the promises (not to be repented of) and of God's election.