Mor·de·cai /ˈmɔrdɪˌkaɪ/



 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.).



 Mordecai, contrition; bitter; bruising