Esther 6

¹ The Lord removed sleep from the king that night; so he told his servant to bring in the books, the registers of daily events, to read to him.

² And he found the records written concerning Mordecai, how he had told the king about the king’s two chamberlains, when they were keeping guard, and sought to lay hands on Ahasuerus.

³ The king said, “What honor or favor have we done for Mordecai?” The king’s servants said, “You haven’t done anything for him.”

⁴ And while the king was enquiring about the kindness of Mordecai, behold, Haman was in the court. The king said, “Who is in the court? Now Haman had come in to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows which he had prepared.

⁵ The king’s servants said, “Behold, Haman stands in the court.” And the king said, “Call him!”

⁶ The king said to Haman, “What should I do for the man whom I wish to honor?” Haman said within himself, “Whom would the king honor but myself?”

⁷ He said to the king, “As for the man whom the king wishes to honor,

⁸ let the king’s servants bring the robe of fine linen which the king puts on, and the horse on which the king rides,

⁹ and let him give it to one of the king’s noble friends, and let him dress the man whom the king loves. Let him mount him on the horse, and proclaim through the streets of the city, saying, “This is what will be done for every man whom the king honors!”

¹⁰ Then the king said to Haman, “You have spoken well. Do so for Mordecai the Jew, who waits in the palace, and let not a word of what you have spoken be neglected!”

¹¹ So Haman took the robe and the horse, dressed Mordecai, mounted him on the horse, and went through the streets of the city, proclaiming, “This is what will be done for every man whom the king wishes to honor.”

¹² Then Mordecai returned to the palace; but Haman went home mourning, with his head covered.

¹³ Haman related the events that had happened to him to Zeresh his wife and to his friends. His friends and his wife said to him, “If Mordecai is of the race of the Jews, and you have begun to be humbled before him, you will assuredly fall; and you will not be able to withstand him, for the living God is with him.”

¹⁴ While they were still speaking, the chamberlains arrived to rush Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.

¹ TThat night the king passed without sleep, and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought him. And when they were reading them before him,

² They came to that place where it was written, how Mardochai had discovered the treason of Bagathan and Thares the eunuchs, who sought to kill king Assuerus.

³ And when the king heard this, he said: What honour and reward hath Mardochai received for this fidelity? His servants and ministers said to him: He hath received no reward at all.

⁴ And the king said immediately: Who is in the court? for Aman was coming in to the inner court of the king’s house, to speak to the king, that he might order Mardochai to be hanged upon the gibbet, which was prepared for him.

⁵ The servants answered: Aman standeth in the court, and the king said: Let him come in.

⁶ And when he was come in, he said to him: What ought to be done to the man whom the king is desirous to honour? But Aman thinking in his heart, and supposing that the king would honour no other but himself,

⁷ Answered: The man whom the king desireth to honour,

⁸ Ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and to be set upon the horse that the king rideth upon, and to have the royal crown upon his head,

⁹ And let the first of the king’s princes and nobles hold his horse, and going through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say: Thus shall he be honoured, whom the king hath a mind to honour.

¹⁰ And the king said to him: Make haste and take the robe and the horse, and do as thou hast spoken to Mardochai the Jew, who sitteth before the gates of the palace. Beware thou pass over any of those things which thou hast spoken.

¹¹ So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mardochai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, went before him, and proclaimed: This honour is he worthy of, whom the king hath a mind to honour.

¹² But Mardochai returned to the palace gate: and Aman made haste to go to his house, mourning and having his head covered:

¹³ And he told Zares his wife, and his friends, all that had befallen him. And the wise men whom he had in counsel, and his wife answered him: If Mardochai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou canst not resist him, but thou shalt fall in his sight.

¹⁴ As they were yet speaking, the king’s eunuchs came, and compelled him to go quickly to the banquet which the queen had prepared.