< 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.
That night the king passed without sleep, and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought 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 was written, how Mardochai had discovered the treason of Bagathan and Thares the eunuchs, who sought to kill king Assuerus.
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.
And when the king heard this, he said: What honour and reward hath Mardochai received for this fidelity? His servants and ministers said to him: He hath received no reward 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 the king said immediately: Who is in the court? for Aman was coming in to the inner court of the king’s house, to speak to the king, that he might order Mardochai to be hanged upon the gibbet which was 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: Aman standeth in the court, and the king said: Let him come in.
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 was come in, he said to him: What ought to be done to the man whom the king is desirous to honour? But Aman thinking in his heart, and supposing that the king would honour no other but himself,
7 So Haman said to the king, “A man whom the king wants to honor
Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,
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 to be set upon the horse that the king rideth upon, and to have 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 princes and nobles hold his horse, and going through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say: Thus shall he be honoured, whom the king hath a mind to honour.
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: Make haste and take the robe and the horse, and do as thou hast spoken to Mardochai the Jew, who sitteth before the gates of the palace. Beware thou pass over any of those things which thou hast spoken.
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!”
So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mardochai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, went before him, and proclaimed: This honour is he worthy of, whom the king hath a mind to honour.
12 Mordecai went back to the palace gate, but Haman rushed home, crying and covering his head in shame.
But Mardochai returned to the palace gate: and Aman made haste to go to his house, mourning and having his head covered:
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 told Zares his wife, and his friends, all that had befallen him. And the wise men whom he had in counsel, and his wife answered him: If Mardochai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst not resist him, but thou shalt 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 yet speaking, the king’s eunuchs came, and compelled him to go quickly to the banquet which the queen had prepared.

< Esther 6 >