Esther
Chapter 11
Mordecai’s Dream
On the first day of Nisan, in the second year of Ahasuerus the Great’s reign, Mordecai, son of Jair, grand-son of Shimei, and great-grandson of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream.
Mordecai was a Jew living in Susa, holding a prominent position at the king’s court.
He was one of the captives Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported from Jerusalem along with Jeconiah, king of Judah.
According to his dream, there were cries and commotion, thunder and earthquakes, and chaos all around the earth.
As two great dragons arrived, both were prepared for battle.
At the sound of their terrible roar, every nation braced to fight against the holy nation.
On earth, it was a day of darkness, gloom, tribulation, distress, affliction, and great disturbance.
The entire nation of the righteous was distressed due to fear of the impending evils and was ready to perish.
But they cried out to God, and a small spring appeared, from which grew a large river with a flood of water.
The light appeared as the sun rose, and the humble were lifted up, while they consumed the mighty.
In this dream, Mordecai saw what God intended to do. After waking up, he thought carefully about it and tried to understand its significance all day.
Mordecai Exposes the Conspirators
In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate with Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs and palace guards,
he was aware that they had grown irritated and were planning to kill King Ahasuerus.
Mordecai investigated the matter and then told the king, who had the two eunuchs questioned. They confessed and were executed.
By order of the king, Mordecai recorded these events
who was rewarded and appointed to a position in the court.
In revenge for the king’s two eunuchs, Haman, son of Hammedatha, the Agagite who had the king’s favor, sought to harm Mordecai and his people.
Commentaries
Mordecai’s Dream.
The original Hebrew account, as mentioned in the Introduction, was later supplemented with Greek texts, probably to add a religious element not explicitly present in the original Hebrew. Indeed, God is not mentioned anywhere in the Hebrew text, although it is clear that the events and the outcome of the plot can only be the work of the God of the Jews. Perhaps the readers, when the book was translated into Greek, had some doubts about the lack of explicit religious content, which led to the additions.
This initial section, therefore, highlights one of several additions in Greek. Some elements that will play a significant role throughout the work are introduced here: Mordecai’s name and background; Mordecai’s dream, which will be explained and interpreted at the end of the work in light of the events (10:5-11). The plot outline, which follows traditional models of Jewish narrative, is also presented: a grave danger threatens the people; the people, guided by their leader or leaders, turn to God; God responds by saving them from harm and granting them victory.
Mordecai Exposes the Conspirators.
The Greek writer, despite the risk of disrupting the narrative’s flow, offers a detailed account of the plot against the king, Mordecai’s timely intervention, the reward given to the informer, and the hatred these events provoke in Haman, the ambitious official.