Esther 6
1 But the Lord removed sleep from the king that night: and he told his servant to bring in the books, the registers of daily events, to read to him.
The king passed that night without sleep, and so he ordered the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought to him. And when they were reading them before him,
2 And he found the records written concerning Mardochaeus, how he had told the king concerning the two chamberlains of the king, when they were keeping guard, and sought to lay hands on Artaxerxes.
they came to that place where it had been written, how Mordecai had reported the treachery of Bigthan and Teresh the eunuchs, who desired to cut the throat of king Artaxerxes.
3 And the king said, What honour or favour have we done to Mardochaeus? And the king's servants said, You have not done anything to him.
When the king had heard this, he said, “What honor and reward has Mordecai been given for this fidelity?” His servants and ministers said to him, “He has received no compensation at all.”
4 And while the king was enquiring about the kindness of Mardochaeus, behold, Aman [was] in the court. And the king said, Who [is] in the court? Now Aman was come in to speak to the king, that he should hang Mardochaeus on the gallows, which he had prepared.
And immediately the king said, “Who is in the atrium?” For, you see, Haman was entering the inner atrium of the king’s house to suggest to the king that he should order Mordecai to be hanged on the gallows, which had been prepared for him.
5 And the king's servants said, Behold, Aman stands in the court. And the king said, Call him.
The servants answered, “Haman is standing in the atrium.” And the king said, “Let him enter.”
6 And the king said to Aman, What shall I do to the man whom I wish to honour? And Aman said within himself, Whom would the king honour but myself?
And when he had entered, he said to him, “What ought to be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” But Haman, thinking in his heart and supposing that the king would honor no one else but himself,
7 and he said to the king, As for the man whom the king wishes to honour,
answered, “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,
ought to be clothed with the king’s apparel, and be set upon the horse that the king rides, and receive the royal crown upon his head.
9 and let him give [it] to one of the king's noble friends, and let him array the man whom the king loves; and let him mount him on the horse, and proclaim through the street of the city, saying, Thus shall it be [done] to every man whom the king honours.
And let the first of the king’s rulers and sovereigns hold his horse, and, as they advance through the street of the city, proclaim before him and say, ‘Thus shall he be honored, whom the king decides to honor.’”
10 Then the king said to Aman, You have well said: so do to Mardochaeus the Jew, who waits in the palace, and let not a word of what you have spoken be neglected.
And the king said to him, “Hurry, take the robe and the horse, and do as you have said to Mordecai the Jew, who sits in front of the gate of the palace. Be careful not to omit any of those things which you have mentioned.”
11 So Aman took the robe and the horse, and arrayed Mardochaeus, and mounted him on the horse, and went through the street of the city, and proclaimed, saying, Thus shall it be to every man whom the king wishes to honour.
And so Haman took the robe and the horse, and arraying Mordecai in the street of the city, and setting him on the horse, he went before him and cried out, “He is worthy of this honor, whom the king has decided to honor.”
12 And Mardochaeus returned to the palace: but Aman went home mourning, and having his head covered.
And Mordecai returned to the palace door. And Haman hurried to go to his house, mourning and hiding his head.
13 And Aman related the events that had befallen him to Zosara his wife, and to [his] friends: and his friends and his wife said to him, If Mardochaeus [be] 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.
And he explained to Zeresh his wife and to his friends all that had happened to him. And the wise men, whom he held in counsel, and his wife, answered him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the offspring of the Jews, you will not be able to withstand him, but you will fall in his sight.”
14 While they were yet speaking, the chamberlains arrived, to hasten Aman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
As they were still speaking, the king’s eunuchs arrived and compelled him to go quickly to the feast, which the queen had prepared.
