Esther 6

A Sleepless Night

1 That night the king could not sleep, so he had the book of the history of his reign brought in and read to him.

2 They came across the record of how Mordecai exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s guards, who had planned to kill King Ahasuerus.

3 The king asked, “What honor or reward did we ever give Mordecai for this?” The attendants replied, “Nothing was done for him.”

Haman Shows Up at the Wrong Time

4 The king asked, “Who is in the court right now?” Just then Haman had entered the outer court of the palace to ask the king about having Mordecai impaled on the pole he had set up.

5 The king’s attendants said, “Haman is out there.” The king said, “Send him in.”

6 When Haman entered, the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king wants to honor?” Haman thought, “He is definitely talking about me.”

Haman Is Over-the-top Suggestion

7 So Haman said, “For the man the king delights to honor.

8 Bring out a royal robe the king himself has worn and a horse the king has ridden, one with a royal crest on its head.

9 Have the robe and the horse handed over to one of the king’s top nobles. Let them dress the man and lead him through the city streets, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!’”

The Twist

10 The king said, “Great idea! Now hurry, get the robe and the horse, just as you have said, and do it for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not leave out a single detail.”

11 So Haman took the robe and the horse. He dressed Mordecai and led him through the city streets, shouting, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!”

Haman Humiliated

12 Afterward, Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman rushed home with his head covered in grief and shame.

13 He told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that happened. His advisors and wife said, “If Mordecai is Jewish and you have started to fall before him, you will not stand, you are going to be ruined.”

The Banquet Awaits

14 While they were still talking, the king’s attendants arrived and rushed Haman off to the banquet Esther had prepared.