EstherChapter 6

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¹That night the king could not sleep. So he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in. He had it read out loud to him. ²It was found written there that Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh. They were two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the door. They had made a plan to kill King Xerxes. ³The king asked, "What honor or reward has Mordecai been given for this?" "Nothing has been done for him," the king's servants answered. ⁴The king asked, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just come into the outer court of the palace. He had come to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the pole he had set up for him. ⁵So the king's servants answered him, "Haman is standing in the court." "Bring him in," the king ordered. ⁶Haman came in. The king asked him, "What should be done for the man the king is pleased to honor?" Haman thought to himself, "Who would the king be pleased to honor more than me?" ⁷So Haman said to the king, "Here is what to do for the man the king is pleased to honor. ⁸Have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn. Bring a horse that the king himself has ridden, one with a royal crest on its head. ⁹Let the robe and the horse be handed to one of the king's highest princes. Let them dress the man the king wants to honor. Let them lead him on the horse through the city square. Let them call out in front of him, 'This is what is done for the man the king is pleased to honor!'" ¹⁰"Hurry," the king said to Haman. "Do just what you said. Take the robe and the horse to Mordecai the Jew. He is sitting at the king's gate. Don't leave out anything you have said." ¹¹So Haman took the robe and the horse. He dressed Mordecai in the robe. He led him on the horse through the city square. He called out in front of him, "This is what is done for the man the king is pleased to honor!" ¹²Then Mordecai went back to the king's gate. But Haman hurried home. He covered his head in grief. ¹³Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His wise advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, "Your fall has begun in front of Mordecai. And he is a Jew. So you will not win against him. You will surely fall in front of him." ¹⁴They were still talking with Haman when the king's eunuchs came. They hurried Haman off to the feast Esther had made.