Esther 6
New Catholic Bible
Vindication of the Jews
Chapter 6
Mordecai Is Honored. 1 That night the king found it difficult to sleep, so he ordered the book of the chronicles of his reign to be brought in and read to him. 2 During the reading, the passage came up about Mordecai uncovering the plot to assassinate King Ahasuerus on the part of Bagathan and Teresh, two of the royal eunuchs who guarded the doorway.
3 The king asked, “How has Mordecai been honored and rewarded for this?”
The attendants said, “He has received neither honor nor reward.”
4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just come into the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gibbet that he had built for him.
5 His attendants replied, “Haman is waiting in the court.”
“Let him come in,” the king said.
6 When Haman came in, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man whom the king wants to reward?”
Now Haman thought to himself, “What man would the king rather reward than me?” 7 So he replied to the king, “For the man whom the king wants to reward, 8 [a]let there be brought in the purple robe that the king wore and the horse that he rode when the royal crown was placed on his head. 9 Then let the robe and the horse be entrusted to one of the noblest of the king’s officials. Let them robe the man the king wants to reward and lead him on the horse through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to reward.’ ”
10 Then the king said to Haman, “Go, right away. Get the robe and the horse and do for Mordecai the Jew—who sits at the king’s gate—what you have suggested. Do not leave out anything you have proposed.” 11 So Haman procured the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai and had him ride through the city streets, proclaiming, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to reward.”
12 Afterward, Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. Haman, however, hurried home, with his head covered[b] in grief 13 and told Zeresh his wife and all his friends what had befallen him.
His friends and his wife, Zeresh, told him, “If Mordecai, before whom your downfall has started, is of the Jewish race, you will not be able to overcome him but will surely suffer defeat, because the living God is with him.”
14 Haman Is Put to Death. While they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and took Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.
Footnotes
- Esther 6:8 The honors are rendered according to the customs of the Persians and Assyrians. It was thought that clothes were imbued with the personality of those who wore them (the same as for Elijah in 2 Ki 2:8-13) and hence, to wear the king’s clothes signified to share in the royal dignity. Ancient images show us the royal crown placed on the head of a horse.
- Esther 6:12 Head covered: a sign of mourning (see 2 Sam 15:30; Jer 14:4).
Esther 6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Mordecai Honored by the King
6 That night sleep escaped(A) the king, so he ordered the book recording daily events to be brought and read to the king. 2 They found the written report of how Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two eunuchs who guarded the king’s entrance, when they planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus.(B) 3 The king inquired, “What honor and special recognition have been given to Mordecai for this act?”(C)
The king’s personal attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.”
4 The king asked, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman was just entering the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.(D)
5 The king’s attendants answered him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.”
“Have him enter,” the king ordered.
6 Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king wants to honor?”(E)
Haman thought to himself, “Who is it the king would want to honor more than me?” 7 Haman told the king, “For the man the king wants to honor: 8 Have them bring a royal garment that the king himself has worn(F) and a horse the king himself has ridden,(G) which has a royal diadem on its head. 9 Put the garment and the horse under the charge of one of the king’s most noble officials.(H) Have them clothe the man the king wants to honor, parade him on the horse through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.’”
10 The king told Haman, “Hurry, and do just as you proposed. Take a garment and a horse for Mordecai the Jew,(I) who is sitting at the King’s Gate. Do not leave out anything you have suggested.” 11 So Haman took the garment and the horse. He clothed Mordecai and paraded him through the city square, crying out before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.”
12 Then Mordecai returned to the King’s Gate,(J) but Haman, overwhelmed,[a] hurried off for home with his head covered.(K) 13 Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends(L) everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai is Jewish, and you have begun to fall before him, you won’t overcome him, because your downfall is certain.”(M) 14 While they were still speaking with him, the eunuchs of the king(N) arrived and rushed Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.(O)
Footnotes
- Esther 6:12 Lit mourning
Esther 6
King James Version
6 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6 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?
7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth to honour,
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 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.
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