Esther 6
1 That night the king wasn't able to sleep, so he ordered the Book of Records of the King's Reign brought in so it could be read to him.
The king passed that night without sleep, and so he ordered the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought to him. And when they were reading them before him,
2 There he discovered the account of what Mordecai had reported about Bigthana and Teresh, the two king's eunuchs who were doorkeepers who had plotted to assassinate King Xerxes.
they came to that place where it had been written, how Mordecai had reported the treachery of Bigthan and Teresh the eunuchs, who desired to cut the throat of king Artaxerxes.
3 “What honor or position did Morcedai receive as a reward for doing this?” asked the king. “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king's attendants.
When the king had heard this, he said, “What honor and reward has Mordecai been given for this fidelity?” His servants and ministers said to him, “He has received no compensation at all.”
4 “Who's here in the court?” the king asked. Haman had just happened to arrive in the outer court of the royal palace to ask the king to have Mordecai impaled on the pole he had set up for him.
And immediately the king said, “Who is in the atrium?” For, you see, Haman was entering the inner atrium of the king’s house to suggest to the king that he should order Mordecai to be hanged on the gallows, which had been prepared for him.
5 The king's attendants told him, “Haman is waiting in the court.” “Tell him to come in,” the king ordered.
The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”
6 When Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should be done for a man the king wants to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Who would the king want to honor except me?”
And when he had entered, he said to him, “What ought to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” But Haman, thinking in his heart and supposing that the king would honor no one else but himself,
7 So Haman said to the king, “A man whom the king wants to honor
answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,
8 should be brought royal robes the king has worn, a horse the king has ridden and which has a royal headdress on its head.
ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and be set upon the horse that the king rides, and receive the royal crown upon his head.
9 Have the robes and the horse handed over to one of the king's highest officials and nobles. Let him make sure the man the king wishes to honor is dressed in the royal robes and that he rides on the horse through the city streets, and have the official announce before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!’”
And let the first of the king’s rulers and sovereigns hold his horse, and, as they advance through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say, ‘Thus shall he be honored, whom the king decides to honor.’”
10 Then the king told Haman, “Right! Off you go! Quickly get the royal robes and the horse, and do just what you've said for Mordecai the Jew sitting at the palace gate. Don't leave out anything that you mentioned.”
And the king said to him, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in front of the gate of the palace. Be careful not to omit any of those things which you have mentioned.”
11 Haman went and got the robes and the horse. He dressed Mordecai and placed him on the horse, and led him through the streets of the city, shouting before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!”
And so Haman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mordecai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, he went before him and cried out, “He is worthy of this honor, whom the king has decided to honor.”
12 Mordecai went back to the palace gate, but Haman rushed home, crying and covering his head in shame.
And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.
13 Haman explained to his wife Zeresh and all his friends what had happened to him. These wise friends and his wife Zeresh told him, “If Mordecai is one of the Jewish people, and you have already begun to lose status before him—you won't be able to beat him! You're going to lose to him, you're going to fall!”
And he explained to Zeresh his wife and to his friends all that had happened to him. And the wise men, whom he held in counsel, and his wife, answered him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the offspring of the Jews, you will not be able to withstand him, but you will fall in his sight.”
14 While they were still talking to him, the king's eunuchs arrived and quickly took Haman to the dinner which Esther had prepared.
As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.
