Esther 6 DBY
Summary: Unable to sleep, the king orders the book of chronicles read to him and learns that Mordecai was never rewarded for exposing the assassination plot. Just then Haman arrives to ask permission to hang Mordecai, but before he can speak, the king asks him what should be done for a man the king wishes to honor; assuming it refers to himself, Haman describes an elaborate public honor involving royal robes, a royal horse, and a procession. To his horror, the king commands Haman himself to carry out this honor for Mordecai, leading him through the city square proclaiming his praise, after which a humiliated Haman rushes home, where his wife and advisers warn him that his downfall before this Jew has begun.
1On that night sleep fled from the king. And he commanded to bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king.
2And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, keepers of the threshold, who had sought to lay hand on king Ahasuerus.
3And the king said, What honour and dignity has been done to Mordecai for this? And the king's servants that attended upon him said, Nothing has been done for him.
4And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman had come into the outward court of the king's house, to speak to the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.
5And the king's servants said to him, Behold, Haman is standing in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.
6So Haman came in. And the king said to him, What is to be done with the man whom the king delights to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to me?
7And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delights to honour,
8let the royal apparel be brought with which the king arrays himself, and the horse that the king rides upon, and on the head of which the royal crown is set;
9and let the apparel and horse be delivered into the hand of one of the king's most noble princes, and let them array the man whom the king delights to honour, and cause him to ride on the horse through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honour!
10And the king said to Haman, Make haste, take the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast said.
11And Haman took the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the street of the city, and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honour!
12And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
13And Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and to all his friends all that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife to him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but wilt certainly fall before him.
14While they were yet talking with him, the king's chamberlains came, and hasted to bring Haman to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
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