Esther 6
1 In that night sleep fled from the king, and he ordered to bring in the book of the memorable events of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
That night the king was unable to sleep, so he [summoned] a servant [and] told [him] to bring the records of what had happened during all the time he had been king. [So the servant brought the records] and read some of them to the king.
2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Theresh, two chamberlains of the king, of those who kept the door, who had sought to lay [their] hand on king Achashverosh.
[The servant read about] Bigthana and Teresh, the two men who had guarded the entrance to the king’s rooms. He read the account of when Mordecai had found out that they planned to assassinate the king [and that he had told the king about it].
3 And the king said, What honor and distinction have been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's young men, his servants, There hath nothing been done with him.
The king asked [some of his servants], “What did we do to reward Mordecai or show that we appreciate what he did?” The servants replied, “We did not do anything for him.”
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outer court of the king's house, to say unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared for him.
At that moment, Haman entered the outer courtyard of the palace. He wanted to talk to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had [just] set up. The king [saw him and] said, “Who is [that out there] in the courtyard?”
5 And the king's young men said unto him, Behold, Haman is standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
His servants replied, “That is Haman standing there in the courtyard.” The king said, “Bring him in [here]!”
6 So Haman came in; and the king said unto him, What shall be done with the man whom the king desireth to honor? And Haman said in his heart, To whom would the king desire to do honor more than to myself?
When Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should I do for a man whom I want to honor?” Haman thought to himself, “(Whom would the king like to honor more than me?/I think there is no one whom the king would like to honor more than me!)” [RHQ]
7 Haman therefore said to the king, [For] the man whom the king desireth to honor,
So he replied to the king, “If there is someone you wish to honor,
8 Let them bring a royal apparel which the king hath worn, and a horse on which the king hath ridden, and let there be placed a royal crown on his head.
you should [tell your servants to] bring him one of the robes you wear [you to show that you are] the king. Also tell them to bring one of the horses you have ridden. Tell them to put a fancy headdress on the horse’s head to show that it belongs to you, the king.
9 And let the apparel and the horse be given into the hand of one of the king's princes, of the most noble, that they may array the man whom the king desireth to honor, and let them cause him to ride on the horse through the streets of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall be done to the man whom the king desireth to honor.
Then tell one of your very important officials to put the robe on the man whom you want to honor, and tell that man to sit on the horse, and then lead the horse through the city streets. And tell that official to keep shouting, ‘This is what (the king does/is doing) for the man whom he wants to honor!’”
10 Then said the king to Haman, Make haste, take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast spoken, and do thus to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: leave out nothing of all that thou hast spoken.
The king replied to Haman, “[Fine]! Go and do what you said immediately! Get my robe and my horse, and do just what you suggested! Do it for Mordecai, the Jew, who is sitting [outside] at the gate of the palace. Do not forget anything that you suggested!”
11 And Haman then took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the streets of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall be done unto the man whom the king desireth to honor.
So Haman did what the king said. He got the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai, and as Mordecai sat on the horse, Haman led the horse through the city streets proclaiming “This is what the king (does/is doing) for the man whom the king wants to honor!”
12 And Mordecai thereupon returned to the king's gate; but Haman hastened to his house, mourning, and having his head covered.
Then, Mordecai returned [and sat] at the gate of the palace. But Haman hurried home, covering his face [because he felt] completely disgraced/humiliated.
13 And Haman related to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends all that had befallen him: then said unto him his wise men and Zeresh his wife, If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, be of the seed of the Jews, thou wilt not prevail against him, but thou wilt surely fall before him.
He told his wife Zeresh and his friends everything that had happened to him that day. Then his wife and his friends said to him, “Mordecai, the man who has caused you to be completely disgraced/humiliated, is a Jew. [It is clear that the God whom the Jews worship is fighting for them.] So you will never be able to defeat Mordecai. He will defeat you!”
14 They were yet speaking with him, when the king's chamberlains arrived, and they hastened to bring Haman unto the banquet which Esther had prepared.
And while they were still talking, some of the king’s officials arrived to take Haman quickly to the banquet/feast that Esther had prepared.
