This verse highlights the king’s rediscovery of Mordecai’s loyalty, a critical turning point that ultimately leads to the deliverance of the Jewish people.
Esther 6:2 reads: “It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.” (v.2). This discovery occurs when the King cannot sleep and has the records read to him, uncovering Mordecai’s earlier act of loyalty in foiling an assassination plot against King Ahasuerus, also historically known as Xerxes I, who reigned over the Persian Empire from 486-465 BC. Mordecai, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, was serving in an official capacity within the Persian kingdom—he had discovered that two doorkeepers, named Bigthana and Teresh, sought to kill the king. Mordecai informed Queen Esther, who relayed the matter to the King in Mordecai’s name. As a result, the conspirators were executed, and the event was recorded in the royal chronicles (Esther 2:21-23). Though Mordecai’s deed was at first overlooked, here in Esther 6:2 we see it resurface at the perfect time, setting in motion the King’s plan to exalt Mordecai and reverse Haman’s evil designs.
In the broader context of the Book of Esther, which takes place in the royal city of Susa (the capital in the Persian Empire), the respite King Ahasuerus experiences from insomnia unveils the fact of Mordecai’s meritorious deed in saving the King’s life. The empire’s official records (called the “book of the chronicles”), which likely contained accounts of civic matters and royal history, explicitly recalled how Mordecai had prevented an assassination attempt on Ahasuerus. Historically, Susa (also referred to as Shushan) was an ancient Persian city located in modern-day Iran. Access to the King was severely restricted, and those who served within his gates often assisted with official matters. Mordecai, having an administrative station, was in a position to learn and report these troubling schemes. The same King Ahasuerus would later feature prominently in the turmoil initiated by his official Haman, who sought to eliminate the Jews, but the king’s newly awakened gratitude to Mordecai contributed to turning the tide in favor of the Jewish people (Esther 7:3-10).
From a theological perspective, the events in Esther 6:2 exhibit the providential care of God, who preserves His people by orchestrating events at precisely the right moments—even something as commonplace as a sleepless night. Though God is never explicitly mentioned in the entire book of Esther, the timing of the king’s insomnia and the reading of Mordecai’s actions demonstrate His sovereign ability to rescue His covenant people when they are threatened (like the plan of Haman described in Esther 3:8-15). Many believers also see parallels between how this forgotten record of a good deed is brought into the light and how God will not forget the faithful deeds of those who serve Him (Hebrews 6:10), ultimately tying into the unfolding of God’s plan that culminates in salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
Mordecai saved the king, and God in turn saved the Jews through Mordecai’s eventual exaltation.
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Esther 6:2 meaning
Esther 6:2 reads: “It was found written what Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.” (v.2). This discovery occurs when the King cannot sleep and has the records read to him, uncovering Mordecai’s earlier act of loyalty in foiling an assassination plot against King Ahasuerus, also historically known as Xerxes I, who reigned over the Persian Empire from 486-465 BC. Mordecai, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, was serving in an official capacity within the Persian kingdom—he had discovered that two doorkeepers, named Bigthana and Teresh, sought to kill the king. Mordecai informed Queen Esther, who relayed the matter to the King in Mordecai’s name. As a result, the conspirators were executed, and the event was recorded in the royal chronicles (Esther 2:21-23). Though Mordecai’s deed was at first overlooked, here in Esther 6:2 we see it resurface at the perfect time, setting in motion the King’s plan to exalt Mordecai and reverse Haman’s evil designs.
In the broader context of the Book of Esther, which takes place in the royal city of Susa (the capital in the Persian Empire), the respite King Ahasuerus experiences from insomnia unveils the fact of Mordecai’s meritorious deed in saving the King’s life. The empire’s official records (called the “book of the chronicles”), which likely contained accounts of civic matters and royal history, explicitly recalled how Mordecai had prevented an assassination attempt on Ahasuerus. Historically, Susa (also referred to as Shushan) was an ancient Persian city located in modern-day Iran. Access to the King was severely restricted, and those who served within his gates often assisted with official matters. Mordecai, having an administrative station, was in a position to learn and report these troubling schemes. The same King Ahasuerus would later feature prominently in the turmoil initiated by his official Haman, who sought to eliminate the Jews, but the king’s newly awakened gratitude to Mordecai contributed to turning the tide in favor of the Jewish people (Esther 7:3-10).
From a theological perspective, the events in Esther 6:2 exhibit the providential care of God, who preserves His people by orchestrating events at precisely the right moments—even something as commonplace as a sleepless night. Though God is never explicitly mentioned in the entire book of Esther, the timing of the king’s insomnia and the reading of Mordecai’s actions demonstrate His sovereign ability to rescue His covenant people when they are threatened (like the plan of Haman described in Esther 3:8-15). Many believers also see parallels between how this forgotten record of a good deed is brought into the light and how God will not forget the faithful deeds of those who serve Him (Hebrews 6:10), ultimately tying into the unfolding of God’s plan that culminates in salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
Mordecai saved the king, and God in turn saved the Jews through Mordecai’s eventual exaltation.