Esther 6
1 On that night sleep fled from the king. And he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
But the Lord removed sleep from the king that night: and he told his servant to bring in the books, the registers of daily events, to read to him.
2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, keepers of the threshold, who had sought to lay hand on king Ahasuerus.
And he found the records written concerning Mardochæus, how he had told the king concerning the two chamberlains of the king, when they were keeping guard, and sought to lay hands on Artaxerxes.
3 And the king said, What honour and dignity has been done to Mordecai for this? And the king's servants that attended upon him said, Nothing has been done for him.
And the king said, What honour or favour have we done to Mardochæus? And the king’s servants said, Thou hast not done anything to him.
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman had come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
And while the king was enquiring about the kindness of Mardochæus, behold, Aman [was] in the court. And the king said, Who [is] in the court? Now Aman was come in to speak to the king, that he should hang Mardochæus on the gallows, which he had prepared.
5 And the king's servants said to him, Behold, Haman is standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
And the king’s servants said, Behold, Aman stands in the court. And the king said, Call him.
6 So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What is to be done with the man whom the king delights to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to me?
And the king said to Aman, What shall I do to the man whom I wish to honour? And Aman said within himself, Whom would the king honour but myself?
7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delights to honour,
and he said to the king, As for the man whom the king wishes to honour,
8 let the royal apparel be brought with which the king arrays himself, and the horse that the king rides upon, and on the head of which the royal crown is set;
let the king’s servants bring the robe of fine linen which the king puts on, and the horse on which the king rides,
9 and let the apparel and horse be delivered into the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, and let them array the man whom the king delights to honour, and cause him to ride on the horse through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honour!
and let him give [it] to one of the king’s noble friends, and let him array the man whom the king loves; and let him mount him on the horse, and proclaim through the street of the city, saying, Thus shall it be [done] to every man whom the king honours.
10 And the king said to Haman, Make haste, take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast said.
Then the king said to Aman, Thou hast well said: so do to Mardochæus the Jew, who waits in the palace, and let not a word of what thou hast spoken be neglected.
11 And Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honour!
So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mardochæus, and mounted him on the horse, and went through the street of the city, and proclaimed, saying, Thus shall it be to every man whom the king wishes to honour.
12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
And Mardochæus returned to the palace: but Aman went home mourning, and having his head covered.
13 And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends all that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife to him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but wilt certainly fall before him.
And Aman related the events that had befallen him to Zosara his wife, and to [his] friends: and his friends and his wife said to him, If Mardochæus [be] of the race of the Jews, [and] thou hast begun to be humbled before him, thou wilt assuredly fall, and thou wilt not be able to withstand him, for the living God [is] with him.
14 While they were yet talking with him, the king's chamberlains came, and hasted to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
While they were yet speaking, the chamberlains arrived, to hasten Aman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
