On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to
bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were
read before the king. And it was found written how Mordecai had
told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who
guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King
Ahasuerus. And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been
bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king's young men who attended
him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” And the king said, “Who
is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the
king's palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on
the gallows that he had prepared for him. And the king's young men
told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king
said, “Let him come in.” So Haman came in, and the king said to
him, “What should be done to the man whom the king delights to
honor?” And Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king delight to
honor more than me?” And Haman said to the king, “For the man whom
the king delights to honor, let royal robes be brought, which the
king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose
head a royal crown is set. And let the robes and the horse be
handed over to one of the king's most noble officials. Let them
dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead
him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before
him: ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to
honor.’” Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and
the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who
sits at the king's gate. Leave out nothing that you have
mentioned.” So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed
Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming
before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king
delights to honor.”
Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to
his house, mourning and with his head covered. And Haman 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 the Jewish
people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him.”
While they were yet talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived
and hurried to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared.
