Esther 6

1That night the king could not sleep, so he gave orders to bring the book of records, the annals, and they were read to the king.

2It was found written there how Mordecai had reported Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the threshold, who had plotted to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

3The king asked, “What honor or distinction has been given to Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him answered, “Nothing has been done for him.”

4The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just come into the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the pole he had prepared for him.

5The king’s young men told him, “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 the king delights to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?”

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

8let them bring royal robes that the king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden, one with a royal crown placed on its head.

9Then let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials. Let them dress the man the king delights to honor, and lead him on horseback through the city square, proclaiming before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!’”

10Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry! Take the robes 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 mentioned.”

11So Haman took the robes and the horse. He dressed Mordecai and led him on horseback through the city square, proclaiming before him, “This is what is done for the man the king delights to honor!”

12Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried home, mourning, with his head covered.

13Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then 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 overcome him. You will surely fall before him.”

14While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman off to the banquet Esther had prepared.