Esther 6
1 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,
During that night, the sleep of the king fled, —and he commanded to bring in the book of remembrance, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.
2 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.
And it was found written, how that Mordecai had told concerning Bigthana and Teresh, the two eunuchs of the king guarding the threshold, —who had sought to thrust forth a hand upon King Ahasuerus.
3 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.”
Then said the king, What honour and dignity hath been done unto Mordecai, for this? Then said the king’s young men, who were ministering unto him, Nothing hath been done for him.
4 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.
Then said the king, Who is in the court? Now, Haman, had come into the outer court of the kings house, to speak unto the king, to hang Mordecai, upon the gallows which he had prepared for him.
5 The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”
So the king’s young men said unto him, Lo! Haman, standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6 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,
So Haman came in, and the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man in whose honour, the king delighteth? Then said Haman, in his own heart, Unto whom will the king delight to do honour, more than unto me?
7 answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,
So Haman said unto the king, —As touching the man in whose honour, the king, delighteth,
8 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.
let them bring in royal apparel wherewith the king hath clothed himself, —and the horse whereon the king hath ridden, and the royal crown which hath been set upon his own head;
9 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.’”
and let the apparel and the horse be delivered unto the hand of one of the king’s rulers, one of the nobles, and so let them array the man, in whose honour, the king, delighteth, —and cause him to ride upon the horse through the broadway of the city, and let them proclaim before him, Thus and thus, shall it be done unto the man in whose honour, the king, delighteth!
10 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.”
Then said the king unto Haman, Haste, take the apparel and the horse, just as thou hast said, and do even so unto Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting in the kings gate, —do not let fail a thing, of all which thou hast spoken!
11 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.”
So Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, —and caused him to ride through the broadway of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus and thus, shall it be done unto the man in whoso honour, the king, delighteth!
12 And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.
Then Mordecai returned unto the gate of the king, —but, Haman, hurried unto his own house, mourning, and with covered head.
13 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.”
And Haman recounted unto Zeresh his wife, and unto all his friends, everything that had befallen him. Then said his wise men, and Zeresh his wife, unto him, If, of the seed of the Jews, is Mordecai before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt, utterly fall, before him.
14 As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.
While yet they were speaking with him, the eunuchs of the king, had come, —and they hastened to bring Haman, unto the banquet which Esther had prepared.
