Esther 6

The King Cannot Sleep

1That night the king’s sleep fled from him, and he ordered the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, to be brought, and they were read before the king. 2It was found written that Mordecai had reported concerning Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, from the guardians of the threshold, who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3The king said, “What honor and distinction have been done for Mordecai because of this?” The king’s young men who served him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

Haman Comes to Ask for Mordecai’s Death

4The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house to say to the king that Mordecai should be hanged on the tree he had prepared for him. 5The king’s young men said to him, “Look, Haman is standing in the court.” The king said, “Let him come in.” 6So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What should be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?” Haman said in his heart, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”

Haman Designs His Own Humiliation

7Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor, 8let royal garments be brought that the king has worn and a horse on which the king has ridden and on whose head a royal crown has been placed. 9Let the garments and the horse be given into the hand of one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them clothe the man whom the king delights to honor, lead him on the horse through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king delights to honor!’”

Haman Must Honor Mordecai

10Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry! Take the garments and the horse, just as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Judean who sits at the king’s gate. Do not let a word fall from all that you have spoken.” 11So Haman took the garments and the horse, clothed Mordecai, led him through the city square, and proclaimed before him, “Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king delights to honor!”

Haman’s Fall Begins

12Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is from the offspring of the Judeans, you will not prevail against him, but you will surely fall before him.” 14While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared.