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,
In that night the king could not sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of 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, that Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the 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.”
And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been bestowed upon Mordecai for this? Then said the king’s servants that ministered to him, There is nothing 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.
And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5 The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”
And the king’s servants said to him, Behold, Haman standeth 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 to him, What shall be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself?
7 answered, “The man whom the king wishes to honor,
And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,
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 the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his 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 this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
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 the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: let nothing fail of all that 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.”
Then Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.
12 And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.
And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
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 told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife to him, If Mordecai is of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely 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.
And while they were yet talking with him, came the king’s chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
