Mardochée

Mardochée or Mordekhaï (in Hebrew: מרדכי ) is a biblical character , in the middle of the intrigue told in the Livre of Esther.

Its name

Mardochée is the son of Jaïr of the Tribu of Benjamin, one of the two tribes which constituted the Royaume of Juda before its destruction by the Babylonian and the deportations of the elite of the kingdom towards the provinces of the Persian empire.

The origin of the name Mardochée is dubious. It seems that means, in Araméen, " servant of Mardouk " , Mardouk being the name of a Babylonian god. This god is generally described either like the creative god in Babylonian mythology, which would make of Mardochée a " servant of God " , that is to say like a god of the war and " servant of Mardouk" could then mean " warlike ". In addition, it is made mention with many recoveries in the Livre of Daniel, of exiled Jews having received names in connection with one of the Babylonian gods.

In addition, in the Book of Esdras 2:2, the name of Mardochée is followed of Bilchan which is then included/understood like its Hebrew name .

Other interpretations of the name of Mardochée were given, in the Hitchcock dictionary of the biblical names, by supposing a Persian origin with this first name: " small homme" , " pénitence" , " amertume" or " meurtrissure".

Mardochée is the first character of the Bible to being qualified of " Yehoudi " that one translates by " Jewish " or " Judaea n".

Biblical account

Genealogy given by the Book of Esther (2: 5-6) indicates that Mardochée is fourth generation of the Judaea NS since the exile forced of the inhabitants of the Royaume of Juda under Nabuchodonosor. Some interpreted the same passage as meaning that Mardochée itself had been generation of the deportation.

At the time of the account, Mardochée lives in the metropolis of Suse in Perse, with his/her cousin/orphan niece Hadassah known as " Esther", that it accommodated and raised like his own daughter. Esther enters the Harem of the king Assuérus and becomes queen. Mardochée occupies a station with the palate which enables him to be near the king and of his Court. He discovers thus plots of Eunuque S against the person of the king. The plot is thwarted and this service rendered by Mardochée is reported in the royal registers.

Mardochée is however in conflict with Haman, the Minister for the king, who cannot support that Mardochée is the only character of the Court with not prosterner in front of him. The Judaïsme indeed prohibits prosterner in front of whoever except for God.

Haman prepares a decree to kill the totality of exiled Jewish of the Persian empire. The execution of this decree is planned and a date is fixed. Mardochée and Esther influence the king so that it makes it possible to the Jews to be defended. The plan of extermination is turned over against those which had organized it. Haman is hung with its sons and the Jews are saved.

This day when the fate was turned over in favor of the Jews from now on is celebrated by them like a festival the day of Pourim.

See too

Esther
Pourim
Book of Esther
Exile of Babylon

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