王赐末底改尊荣

那夜王睡不着觉,就吩咐人拿史书念给他听。 刚好念到末底改揭发两位守门太监辟探和提列谋害亚哈随鲁王的事, 王便问:“末底改既行此事,可曾赐他什么尊荣和爵位吗?”服侍王的臣仆回答说:“没有赐他什么。” 王问:“谁在院子里?”那时哈曼刚进到王宫外院,想请求王将末底改吊在他预备的木架上。 服侍王的臣仆回答说:“是哈曼站在院子里。”王说:“让他进来。” 哈曼进来后,王问他:“王愿意赏识一个人,该怎么做呢?”哈曼心想:“王愿意赏识的人不是我是谁呢?” 于是,他就对王说:“王若愿意赏识一个人, 可以拿来王穿过的袍子,牵来王骑过的戴冠的御马, 交给王最尊贵的一位大臣,给王所愿意赏识的人穿上,让他骑着马在城中的广场上游行,并派人在他前面宣告,‘王愿意赏识谁,就会这样待他。’” 10 王对哈曼说:“快去照你说的,把王袍和御马赐给在宫门供职的犹太人末底改。你所说的一样也不可少。” 11 于是,哈曼将袍子给末底改穿上,让他骑着马在城中的广场上游行,并在他前面宣告:“王愿意赏识谁,就会这样待他。”

12 之后,末底改回到宫门那里,哈曼却悲伤地蒙着头匆匆回家去了。 13 他将自己的遭遇详细告诉妻子细利斯和所有的朋友。他的谋士及其妻子细利斯对他说:“你开始在末底改面前败落。如果他是犹太人,你必胜不过他,终必在他面前败落。”

14 他们正在谈论的时候,王的太监来催哈曼赶快去赴以斯帖预备的宴席。

王发现末底改有功未酬

那一夜,王睡不着觉,就吩咐人把史记,就是年鉴拿来,在王面前诵读。 有一处记着说:王有两个守门的太监:辟探和提列,企图要谋害亚哈随鲁王;这事给末底改告发了。 王问:“为了这事,末底改得了甚么尊荣和封赐没有?”侍候王的众臣仆回答:“他甚么也没有得到。” 王问:“谁在院子里?”那时哈曼正进了王宫的外院,要求王把末底改挂在哈曼为他预备的木架上。 王的臣仆对他说:“是哈曼站在院子里。”王说:“叫他进来。” 哈曼就进去,王问他:“王喜欢赐尊荣给他的人,要怎样待他呢?”哈曼心里想:“王喜欢赐尊荣的人,除我以外,还有谁呢?” 于是哈曼回答王:“王喜欢赐尊荣的人, 要把王常穿的朝服和王常骑的骏马,就是头戴王冠的骏马带来, 把朝服和骏马交给王最尊贵的一个大臣手里,把衣服给王喜欢赐尊荣的人穿上,使他骑在马上,走过城中的街上,又要有人在他前面宣告:‘王喜欢赐尊荣的人,要这样待他。’”

王命哈曼使末底改得尊荣

10 王对哈曼说:“赶快拿朝服和骏马来,照着你所说的,去行在那坐在朝门那里的犹大人末底改身上;你所说的,一样也不可缺少。” 11 于是哈曼把朝服和骏马拿来,先给末底改穿上朝服,然后使他骑在马上,走过城中的街上,又在他前面宣告:“王喜欢赐尊荣的人,要这样待他。” 12 末底改仍回到御门那里;哈曼却急急忙忙回了家,带着悲哀的心蒙着头。 13 哈曼把遭遇的一切事,都述说给他的妻子细利斯和他所有的朋友听;他的谋士和妻子细利斯对他说:“在末底改面前,你开始失败了;他若是犹大人,你就不能胜过他:你终必在他面前失败。” 14 他们还与哈曼说话的时候,王的太监来了,催哈曼快走,赴以斯帖预备的筵席。

Mordecai Honored

That night the king could not sleep;(A) so he ordered the book of the chronicles,(B) the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes.(C)

“What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?” the king asked.

“Nothing has been done for him,”(D) his attendants answered.

The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the palace to speak to the king about impaling Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him.

His attendants answered, “Haman is standing in the court.”

“Bring him in,” the king ordered.

When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?”

Now Haman thought to himself, “Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?” So he answered the king, “For the man the king delights to honor, have them bring a royal robe(E) the king has worn and a horse(F) the king has ridden, one with a royal crest placed on its head. Then let the robe and horse be entrusted to one of the king’s most noble princes. Let them robe the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!(G)’”

10 “Go at once,” the king commanded Haman. “Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.”

11 So Haman got(H) the robe and the horse. He robed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city streets, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

12 Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered(I) in grief, 13 and told Zeresh(J) his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him.

His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai, before whom your downfall(K) has started, is of Jewish origin, you cannot stand against him—you will surely come to ruin!”(L) 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman away to the banquet(M) Esther had prepared.

On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.

And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, There is nothing done for him.

And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto 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?

And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,

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:

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 withal 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 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 Then took Haman 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 unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house mourning, and having his head covered.

13 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 unto him, If Mordecai be 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 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther had prepared.

The King Honors Mordecai

That night [a]the king could not sleep. So one was commanded to bring (A)the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. And it was found written that Mordecai had told of [b]Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, the doorkeepers who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. Then the king said, “What honor or dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?”

And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

So the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered (B)the outer court of the king’s palace (C)to suggest that the king hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

The king’s servants said to him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.”

And the king said, “Let him come in.”

So Haman came in, and the king asked him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?”

Now Haman thought in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than (D)me?” And Haman answered the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, let a royal robe be brought which the king has worn, and (E)a horse on which the king has ridden, which has a royal [c]crest placed on its head. Then let this robe and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that he may array the man whom the king delights to honor. Then [d]parade him on horseback through the city square, (F)and proclaim before him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’ ”

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, as you have suggested, and do so for Mordecai the Jew who sits within the king’s gate! Leave nothing undone of all that you have spoken.”

11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, arrayed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!”

12 Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman (G)hurried to his house, mourning (H)and with his head covered. 13 When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against (I)him but will surely fall before him.”

14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to (J)the banquet which Esther had prepared.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 6:1 Lit. the king’s sleep fled away
  2. Esther 6:2 Bigthan, Esth. 2:21
  3. Esther 6:8 crown
  4. Esther 6:9 Lit. cause him to ride