3 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews.Footnotes for the Book of Esthera 6 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachinb 21 Hebrew Bigthan, a variant of Bigthanaa 14 That is, about 23 metresa 9 That is, the upper Nile regionb 11 Or province, together with their women and children, who might attack them;