Esther 6
1 The same night the King slept not, and he comanded to bring ye booke of the records, and the chronicles: and they were read before ye King.
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 Then it was found written that Mordecai had tolde of Bigtana, and Teresh two of the Kings eunuches, keepers of the dore, who sought to lay hands on the King Ahashuerosh.
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 Then the King sayde, What honour and dignitie hath bene giuen to Mordecai for this? And the Kings seruants that ministred vnto him, sayd, There is nothing done for him.
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 And the King sayde, Who is in the court? (Now Haman was come into the inner court of the Kings house, that he might speake vnto the King to hang Mordecai on the tree that he had prepared 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 And the Kings seruants said vnto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the King sayd, Let him come in.
The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”
6 And when Haman came in, the King saide vnto him, What shalbe done vnto ye man, whom the King will honour? Then Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the King do honour more then to 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 And Haman answered the King, The man whome the King would honour,
answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,
8 Let them bring for him royall apparell, which the King vseth to weare, and the horse that the King rideth vpon, and that the crowne royall may be set vpon his 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 And let the raiment and the horse be deliuered by the hand of one of the Kings most noble princes, and let them apparel the man (whome the King will honour) and cause him to ride vpon the horse thorow the streete of the citie, and proclayme before him, Thus shall it be done vnto the man, whome the King will honour.
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 said to Haman, Make haste, take the rayment and the horse as thou hast said, and doe so vnto Mordecai the Iewe, that sitteth at the Kings gate: let nothing fayle of all that thou hast spoken.
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 So Haman tooke the rayment and the horse, and arayed Mordecai, and brought him on horse backe thorowe the streete of the citie, and proclaymed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the King will honour.
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 And Mordecai came againe to the Kings gate, but Haman hasted home mourning and his head couered.
And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.
13 And Haman tolde Zeresh his wife, and all his friends all that had befallen him. Then sayd his wise men, and Zeresh his wife vnto him, If Mordecai be of the seede of the Iewes, before whom thou hast begunne to fall; thou shalt not preuaile against him, but shalt surely fall before him.
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 And while they were yet talking with him, came the Kings eunuches and hasted to bring Haman vnto the banket that Ester 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.
