Esther 6
1 That night the king could not sleep. He commanded servants to bring the records of the events of his reign, and they were being read aloud to the king.
That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.
2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officials who guarded the entrance, who had tried to harm King Ahasuerus.
And there it was found recorded that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.
3 The king asked, “What was done to give honor or recognition to Mordecai for doing this?” Then the king's young men who served him said, “Nothing was done for him.”
The king inquired, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this act?” “Nothing has been done for him,” replied the king’s attendants.
4 The king said, “Who is in the courtyard?” Now Haman had entered the outer courtyard of the king's house to speak to him about hanging Mordecai on the gallows he set up for him.
“Who is in the court?” the king asked. Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.
5 The king's servants said to him, “Haman is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him come in.”
So the king’s attendants answered him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” “Bring him in,” ordered the king.
6 When Haman entered, the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king takes pleasure in honoring?” Now Haman said in his heart, “Whom would the king take pleasure in honoring more than me?”
Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor?” Now Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king be delighted to honor more than me?”
7 Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king takes pleasure in honoring,
And Haman told the king, “For the man whom the king is delighted to honor,
8 let royal robes be brought, robes that the king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden and on whose head is the royal crest.
have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head.
9 Then let the robes and the horse be given to one of the king's most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king takes pleasure in honoring, and let them lead him on the horse through the city streets. Let them proclaim before him, 'This is what is done to the one whom the king takes pleasure in honoring!'”
Let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them array the man the king wants to honor and parade him on the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!’”
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king's gate. Do not fail in a single matter of what you have said.”
“Hurry,” said the king to Haman, “and do just as you proposed. Take the robe and the horse to Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything that you have suggested.”
11 Then Haman took the robe and the horse. He dressed Mordecai and led him on the horse through the city streets. He proclaimed before him, “This is what is done for a man whom the king takes pleasure in honoring!”
So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai, and paraded him through the city square, crying out before him, “This is what is done for the man whom the king is delighted to honor!”
12 Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning, with his head covered.
Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief.
13 Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that happened to him. Then his men who were known for their wisdom, and Zeresh his wife, said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is Jewish, you will not overcome him, but you will certainly fall before him.”
Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is Jewish, you will not prevail against him—for surely you will fall before him.”
14 While they were talking with him, the king's officials arrived. They hurried to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared.
While they were still speaking with Haman, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed him to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
