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Mordecai was a relative of Esther, the heroine of the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible. He advised Esther, who was the Jewish wife of the Persian king Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Together, Mordecai and Esther persuaded the king to revoke an order for the extermination of Jews throughout his realm, an order that had been plotted by the king's chief minister, Haman. Instead, Haman was executed, and the Jews were permitted to defend themselves against their enemies. This event is commemorated by the Jewish festival of Purim. Mordecai had instructed Esther to conceal her Jewish heritage when she was chosen to be queen, and he later foiled an assassination plot against the king.123

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  1. Mordecai
  2. Esther
  3. Book of Esther

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