¹⁹ And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then Mordecai sat at the king’s gate.

²⁰ Esther had not yet shown her kindred nor her people, as Mordecai had charged her, for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai as when she was brought up by him.

²¹ In those days, while Mordecai sat at the king’s gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those who kept the door, were wroth and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

²² And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the queen, and Esther informed the king thereof in Mordecai’s name.

²³ And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out. Therefore they were both hanged on a tree, and it was written in the book of the chronicles before the king.

3 After these things did King Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.

² And all the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed and reverenced Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

³ Then the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, “Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?”

⁴ Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily unto him and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.

⁵ And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

⁶ And he scorned to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had shown him the people of Mordecai. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

⁶ So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, “What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor?” Now Haman thought in his heart, “To whom would the king delight to do honor more than to myself?”

⁷ And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delighteth to honor,

⁸ 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 this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man thereby whom the king delighteth to honor; 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 honor!’”

¹⁰ 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 who sitteth at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.”