The King Plans to Honor Mordecai

During that night [a]the king (A)could not sleep, so he gave an order to bring (B)the book of records, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. And it was found written what (C)Mordecai had reported about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who were doorkeepers, that they had sought to [b]attack 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 courtyard?” Now Haman had just (D)entered the outer courtyard of the king’s palace in order to speak to the king about (E)hanging Mordecai on the wooden gallows which he had prepared for him. So the king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman is standing in the courtyard.” And the king said, “Have him come in.” Haman then came in and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man (F)whom the king desires to honor?” And Haman said [c]to himself, “Whom would the king desire to honor more than me?” Therefore Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king desires to honor, have them bring a royal robe which the king has worn, and (G)the horse on which the king has ridden, and on whose head (H)a royal turban has been placed; then order them to hand the robe and the horse over to one of the king’s noble officials, and have them dress the man whom the king desires to honor, and lead him on horseback through the city square, (I)and proclaim before him, ‘So it shall be done for the man whom the king desires to honor.’”

Haman Must Honor Mordecai

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Quickly, take the robe and the horse just as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king’s gate; do not fail to do anything of all that you have said.” 11 So Haman took the robe and the horse, and dressed Mordecai, and led him on horseback through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “So it shall be done for the man whom the king desires to honor.”

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, while Haman hurried home, mourning, (J)with his head covered. 13 And Haman informed (K)Zeresh his wife and all his friends of everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is [d]of Jewish origin, you will not prevail over him, but will certainly fall before him.”

14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and quickly (L)brought Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 6:1 Lit the king’s sleep fled
  2. Esther 6:2 Or kill; lit put out a hand against
  3. Esther 6:6 Lit in his heart
  4. Esther 6:13 Lit from the seed of the Jews

Mordecai is Honored

During that night the king’s sleep escaped him, and he gave orders to bring the scroll of records and chronicles,[a] and they were read before the king. And it was found written how Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs from the keepers of the threshold who had conspired to assassinate[b] King Ahasuerus. And the king asked, “What has been done to bestow honor to Mordecai for this?” And the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” And the king asked, “Who is in the courtyard?” Haman had just come to the courtyard of the king’s outer palace to tell the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. And the king’s servants said to him, “Look! Haman is standing in the courtyard.” And the king said, “Let him come.” And Haman came, and the king said to him, “What is to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” And Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” So Haman said to the king, “For a man whom the king wishes to honor, let them bring royal clothing[c] with which the king has clothed himself, and a horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal head-dress has been given. And let the clothing and the horse be given to the man[d] by the officials of the king’s nobles; let them cloth the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him ride on his horse through the public square of the city, and let them proclaim before him, ‘Thus, it will be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor.’” 10 Then the king said to Haman, “Quickly, take the clothing and the horse, just as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew who sits at the gate of the king; you must not leave out anything from what you have said.” 11 So Haman took the clothing and the horse, and he clothed Mordecai and let him ride through the public square of the city; and he proclaimed before him, “Thus, it is done to the man whom the king wishes to honor.”

12 Then Mordecai returned to the gate of the king, and Haman rushed to his house mournful and with his head covered. 13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends all that had happened to him. And his advisers and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the descendants of the Jews,[e] you will not prevail against him, but will certainly fall before him.” 14 As they were still speaking with him the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.

Footnotes

  1. Esther 6:1 Literally “the scroll of remembrance and the events of the days”
  2. Esther 6:2 Literally “to send a hand against”
  3. Esther 6:8 Literally “clothing of the kingdom”
  4. Esther 6:9 Literally “to the hand of the man”
  5. Esther 6:13 Literally “from seed of the Jews”