Esther 6
1 That night, the king could not sleep. He ordered the book of records, the chronicles, to be brought, and they were read before the king.
2 It was found written that Mordecai had reported Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, who had tried to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.
3 The king said, “What honor and recognition was given to Mordecai for this?” The king’s attendants, who served him, said, “Nothing has been done for him.”
4 The king said, “Who is in the courtyard?” Haman had just arrived at the outer courtyard of the royal palace to tell the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him.
5 The king’s attendants said to him, “Haman is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him come in.”
6 Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man the king wishes to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Who would the king wish to honor more than me?”
7 Haman said to the king, “For the man the king wishes to honor:
8 Let them bring a royal robe that the king has worn and a horse that the king has ridden, with the royal crown placed on its head.
9 Let the robe and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s noble officials. Let them dress the man the king wishes to honor and have him ride the horse through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!’”
10 The king said to Haman, “Quickly, take the robe and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not leave out anything you have said.”
11 Haman took the robe and the horse, dressed Mordecai, and had him ride through the city square, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wishes to honor!”
12 Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried home, mourning and with his head covered.
13 Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. His wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him; you will surely fall before him.”
14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried to take Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.
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