Mordecai

2 definitions found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Mordecai
     the son of Jair, of the tribe of Benjamin. It has been alleged
     that he was carried into captivity with Jeconiah, and hence that
     he must have been at least one hundred and twenty-nine years old
     in the twelfth year of Ahasuerus (Xerxes). But the words of
     Esther do not necessarily lead to this conclusion. It was


     probably Kish of whom it is said (ver. 6) that he "had been
     carried away with the captivity."
     
       He resided at Susa, the metropolis of Persia. He adopted his
     cousin Hadassah (Esther), an orphan child, whom he tenderly
     brought up as his own daughter. When she was brought into the
     king's harem and made queen in the room of the deposed queen
     Vashti, he was promoted to some office in the court of
     Ahasuerus, and was one of those who "sat in the king's gate"
     (Esther 2:21). While holding this office, he discovered a plot
     of the eunuchs to put the king to death, which, by his
     vigilance, was defeated. His services to the king in this matter
     were duly recorded in the royal chronicles.
     
       Haman (q.v.) the Agagite had been raised to the highest
     position at court. Mordecai refused to bow down before him; and
     Haman, being stung to the quick by the conduct of Mordecai,
     resolved to accomplish his death in a wholesale destruction of
     the Jewish exiles throughout the Persian empire (Esther 3:8-15).
     Tidings of this cruel scheme soon reached the ears of Mordecai,
     who communicated with Queen Esther regarding it, and by her wise
     and bold intervention the scheme was frustrated. The Jews were
     delivered from destruction, Mordecai was raised to a high rank,
     and Haman was executed on the gallows he had by anticipation
     erected for Mordecai (6:2-7:10). In memory of the signal
     deliverance thus wrought for them, the Jews to this day
     celebrate the feast (9:26-32) of Purim (q.v.).
     

From Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (late 1800's) [hitchcock]:

  Mordecai, contrition; bitter; bruising