Mordecai

The name that is transliterated as “Mordecai” in English means “little man,” “bitter bruising,” “bitterly reduced,” “bitterness of my oppression.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )

It is translated in Spanish Sign Language with a sign depicting the tearing of clothes, referring to Esther 4:1. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Mordecai” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

More information on Mordecai .

Translation commentary on Greek Esther 9:20

And Mordecai recorded these things may refer to the letters about to be mentioned in the following verses. If so, these things refers to the contents of the letters (9.21-22). More likely these things refers to the events in the preceding narrative in this chapter (so New Jerusalem Bible and Today’s English Version, “these events”). That Mordecai recorded these events does not mean that he wrote the book of Esther, but rather that he recorded these events in writing, perhaps in an official record such as that mentioned in 2.23 or 6.1.

Mordecai recorded does not necessarily mean that he himself wrote these things down. Probably he used a scribe. Today’s English Version says that he “had these events written down.”

Letters: see comments on 3.13.

The provinces of King Ahasuerus means “the provinces where King Ahasuerus ruled,” that is, “throughout the Persian Empire” (Today’s English Version). The translator should note that to use political terminology here, namely, “Persian Empire,” removes the focus on the king himself, King Ahasuerus.

Septuagint 9.20

The Greek makes explicit where Mordecai recorded these things: in a book.

Sent it is literally “sent.” This verb has no direct object. The sense is probably not that Mordecai circulated “a [single] book” in which he had written. Rather the probable meaning is that copies of what he wrote were circulated. Though the Hebrew says that “letters” were sent, the Greek speaks of a book.

A historical footnote may be useful here. At the time that the Septuagint was translated, most Greek and Roman writing was still done on papyrus, an early form of paper. Parchment, that is, sheepskin and goatskin, was coming into use for writing, and “book” came to refer to a parchment, or a series of parchments sewn together, and rolled up into a scroll. However, when the events of the story of Esther took place, the Persians were writing on clay tablets, and they continued to write official documents on clay tablets until about 1 A.D. That may be the form of the book here rather than a scroll.

New Revised Standard Version leaves it to be implicitly understood that the book was sent to all the Jews in the kingdom. Today’s English Version reflects the Greek in making this explicit.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Noss, Philip A. A Handbook on the Book of Esther — Deuterocanon: The Greek Text. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .